I'll Know That Moment Divine...

On the occasion of our 10th anniversary of being a couple, after a swell party thrown by our neighbors & dear friends- R & M, I found myself alone with the man who would eventually be my husband. He presented me with a piece of his art, one of his marvelous & meaningful assemblages, just for the occasion.

I had planned this moment... yet I doubted that it could be pulled off without interruption, giggling, dog barking or humiliation. I stood facing him in our little Seattle cottage, I looked him in the eye & without flinching, using what I have to admit is my simply striking, if uncommon singing voice, I performed Jerome Kern’s- All The Things You Are, verse & chorus. I was more nervous than any stage performance. I finished- I'll know that moment divine, when all the things you are… are mine". The Husband had teared up. Then he said: “beautiful… how come you never sing to me? I love to hear you sing”. He kissed me.

Time and again I've longed for adventure,

Something to make my heart beat the faster.

What did I long for? I never really knew.

Finding your love I've found my adventure,

Touching your hand, my heart beats the faster,

All that I want in all of this world is you.

You are the promised kiss of springtime

That makes the lonely winter seem long.

You are the breathless hush of evening

That trembles on the brink of a lovely song.

You are the angel glow that lights a star,

The dearest things I know are what you are.

Some day my happy arms will hold you,

& some day I'll know that moment divine,

When all the things you are, are mine!

Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II

1939

My voice is not as clear & pure as Will Young... I was born with a whiskey voice.

I'll Know That Moment Divine

Along with anecdotes from my life, Post Apocalyptic Bohemian is intended to be a celebration of accomplished & gifted gay people on the day of their birth. We live in a great big world, full of people of different shades, sexualities, sizes, shapes, & suppositions. On rare occasions, I am moved & absorbed by the great works of non-gay individuals.


Music is a driving force in my life & my tastes are all over the map. While organizing my CDs, I chuckled as I noted that The Clash & Rosemary Clooney are side by side. I wish that The Clash had done a cover of Come On-A My House.

From childhood, I have a had a passion for The Great American Songbook- popular music from the first 6 decades of the 20th century. I own a large library of books by & about composers & lyricists, & I have done birthday posts on the musical greats- straight & gay. All right, I gave a bit more attention to Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Lorenz Hart, Kander & Ebb, & Jerry Herman, but the gay spin that informs their work is evident & speaks to me.



Today's birthday guest is the decidedly heterosexual Jerome Kern.  He wrote the music to some of the most stunning songs of the last century. In 1915 with bookwriter Guy Bolton, he began a series of intimate musicals for the 299 seat Princess Theatre. Among Kern's songs for these charming shows were They Didn’t Believe Me (1914), which I consider the first modern ballad, & Look For the Silver Lining (1920)


In 1927, Kern teamed with Oscar Hammerstein II & they adapted lesbian Edna Ferber’s novel into one of the greatest of all American musicals: Show Boat. Show Boat pioneered the concept of the fully integrated musical, with all aspects of the show working together toward a single artistic unity. Among the songs introduced in Show Boat were Ol' Man River, Bill, Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, Make Believe, & Why Do I Love You?


After Show Boat, Kern continued to write for Broadway, contributing such classic songs as The Song Is You, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, & Yesterdays, all from 1933's Roberta with lyrics by Otto Harbach.


In 1935, Kern went to Hollywood, where he spent most of the rest of his career, writing some of his very best music. For the 1935 film of Roberta he wrote I Won't Dance. For Swing Time (1936), he wrote A Fine Romance & The Way You Look Tonight, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. He was nominated for 9 Oscars & won 2.

On the occasion of our 10th anniversary of being a couple, after a swell party thrown by our neighbors & dear friends- R & M, I found myself alone with the man who would eventually be my husband. He presented me with a piece of his art, a marvelous & meaningful collage, just for the occasion.

I had planned this moment... yet I doubted that it could be pulled off without interruption, giggling, dog barking or humiliation. I stood facing him in our little Seattle cottage, I looked him in the eye & without flinching, in what I have to admit is my pretty amazing, if uncommon singing voice, I performed Jerome Kern’s- All The Things You Are, verse & chorus. I was more nervous than any stage performance. I finished- I'll know that moment divine, when all the things you are are mine". The Husband had teared up. Then he said: “beautiful… how come you never sing to me? I love to hear you sing”. He kissed me.

Born On This Day- January 27th... American Songwriting Great- Jerome Kern

Along with anecdotes from my life, Post Apocalyptic Bohemian is intended to be a celebration of accomplished & gifted gay people on the day of the birth. But, we live in a great big world full of people of different colors, sizes, shapes, & beliefs. On rare occasions, I am moved because o,f & absorbed by the great works of no-gay individuals.


Music is a driving force in my life & my tastes are all over the map. On Monday afternoon, I was making my way through the C section of my CDs & at one point I listened to The Clash & Rosemary Clooney back to back. Since early childhood, I have a had a passion for The Great American Songbook- popular music from the 1st 6 decades of the 20th century. I own a large library of books by & about composers & lyricists, & I have done posts on the birthdays of musical greats- straight & gay. All right, I gave a bit more attention to Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Lorenz Hart, Kander & Ebb, & Jerry Herman, but the gay spin that informs their work is evident to me & speaks to me.


The decidedly heterosexual Jerome Kern wrote the music to some of the most stunning songs of the last century. In 1915 with bookwriter Guy Bolton, he began a series of intimate musicals for the 299 seat Princess Theatre. Among Kern's songs for these charming shows were They Didn’t Believe Me (1914), which I consider the 1st modern ballad, & Look For the Silver Lining (1920)



In 1927, Kern teamed with Oscar Hammerstein II & they adapted an Edna Ferber ( a lesbian) novel into one of the greatest of all American musicals: Show Boat. Show Boat pioneered the concept of the fully integrated musical, with all aspects of the show working together toward a single artistic unity. Among the songs introduced in Show Boat were Old Man River, Bill, Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, Make Believe, & Why Do I Love You?


After Show Boat, Kern continued to write for Broadway, contributing such classic songs as The Song Is You, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, & Yesterdays (all from Roberta, 1933 with lyrics by Otto Harbach).


In 1935, Kem went to Hollywood, where he spent most of the rest of his career, writing some of his very best music. For the 1935 film of Roberta he wrote I Won't Dance. For Swing Time (1936), he wrote A Fine Romance & The Way You Look Tonight (both with lyrics by Dorothy Fields). He was nominated for 9 Oscars & won 2.


On the occasion of or 10th anniversary, after a swell party thrown by our neighbors & dear friends- Robert & Margo, I found myself alone with the man who would eventually be my husband. He presented me with a piece of his own art, a beautiful & meaningful collage just for the occasion. I had planned this moment... but I doubted that it could be pulled off without interruption, giggling, dog barking or humiliation. I stood facing him in our little Seattle cottage, I looked him in the eye & without flinching, & in what I have to admit is my pretty amazing, if uncommon sounding singing voice, I did Jerome Kern’s- All the Things You Are, verse & chorus. I was more nervous than any stage performance. When I finished, the Husband had teared up. He said- “beautiful… how come you never sing to me? I love to hear you sing”. He then hugged & kissed me.

This is not me (my voice is not sweet, polite or angelic), but the very openly gay- Will Young from the film- Mrs Henderson Presents: