Lyr Req: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fishman

Subject: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fishman
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 06:46 PM

UNDERNEATH THE SPANISH STARS

Does anyone recognise this song? It is a song written in memory of International Brigader Moe Fishman and has been performed by Helene Williams and Leonard Lehrman. I found a reference to it on the internet but know nothing else about it. Any more information would be welcome, as would the lyrics.


Regards, Geoff Lawes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fishman
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 06 May 10 - 10:48 AM

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fish
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 04:14 PM

The British Library has the sheet music for a song called UNDERNEATH THE SPANISH STARS, written by Jack Payne and Irving King, published in 1930.

It was recorded by Jack Payne & His BBC Dance Orchestra; also by Ray Noble and the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra with vocalist Al Bowlly; both in in 1930.

Recent CDs are also available.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fishman
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 05:12 AM

Thank you Jim Dixon If this song was written in 1930 then possibly the song I am seeking uses the same tune and has words re- written for Moe Fishman during or after the Spanish Civil War, 1936- 1939.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fishman
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 09:33 AM

Dear Thomas Stern, Jim Dixon, and Geoff Lawes:
      I am the Leonard Lehrman referred to in the April 17, 2010 message, about Edith Segal's song "Underneath the Spanish Stars," which was relayed to me yesterday.   I do not know whether the 1930 Jack Payne-Irving King song has anything to do with her 1938 song of the same name, though it would not surprise me if it did. Edith borrowed from many sources for her works, including Beethoven, Gluck, and folk melodies. If someone could send me a copy of the sheet music or a recording, it would be good to compare.
   Edith's words were not re-written for Moe Fishman. Our most recent performance of the song was in memory of Moe Fishman, since he had fought in the Spanish Civil War, which the song was written about, during it. Later today I shall post the words to it, and also try to put up on YouTube a video of Helene singing it, with Edith playing the castanets, at Merkin Hall, in 1991.
   Meanwhile, here is a letter I wrote to Jewish Currents about Edith in 2003-04, which was unfortunately never published.
Sincerely,
Leonard J. Lehrman
33 Court St.
Valley Stream, NY 11580
www.ljlehrman.artists-in-residence.com

[e-mail]; [e-mail]   9/14/03 12:12am
bcc: [e-mail]; [e-mail]
200-wd letter to JEWISH CURRENTS on Edith Segal

Edith Segal's inspiration extended from dance to poetry and music. Her "My Loved One" has been sung at every annual Rosenberg memorial meeting, and inspired my Rosenberg Cantata.
In 1990 she asked Helene Williams and me to record some of her songs "before I go."
"Where you going, Edith?" we asked her. She smiled.
On our cassette, SONGS OF CONSCIENCE, just issued on CD, we recorded all her Rosenberg songs, and a dozen others, including "Underneath the Spanish Stars (1938)." She played the castanets in that piece at Merkin Hall in 1991, received a Meet The Composer grant for that, and donated it to the dancers on the program.
Capstone Records recorded my Love Song Cycle based on 7 of her poems, on the CD, "Helene Williams Sings Songs of Love."
At our last visit to her, in Brooklyn, we informed her that Bill Kunstler had just died. "Everybody dies!" she exclaimed. Subtext: "It's not fair!"   
Last April, we performed her "From 6,000,000 Nameless Graves" at a Holocaust memorial program in Manhasset. Next March 14 at Great Neck House, we'll perform my setting of her poem, "Loneliness," as part of a concert of Songs By & About Women. We miss her.
Leonard (& Helene) Lehrman
http://ljlehrman.artists-in-residence.com

4/03/04 3:39pm
[e-mail]; [e-mail]
bc: hs
updated version of letter to JEWISH CURRENTS on Edith Segal
Dear Larry,
Here's an updated version of the letter I sent you last September on Edith Segal. Hope you may be able to use it in the May-June issue. Best - LJL

Edith Segal's inspiration extended from dance to poetry and music. Her "My Loved One" has been sung at every annual Rosenberg memorial meeting, and inspired my Rosenberg Cantata. In 1990 she asked Helene Williams and me to record some of her songs "before I go." "Where you going, Edith?" we asked her. She smiled.
On our cassette, SONGS OF CONSCIENCE, just issued on CD, we recorded all her Rosenberg songs, and a dozen others, including "Underneath the Spanish Stars (1938)." She played the castanets in that piece at Merkin Hall in 1991, received a Meet The Composer grant for that, and donated it to the dancers on the program.
Capstone Records recorded my Love Song Cycle based on 7 of her poems, on the CD, "Helene Williams Sings Songs of Love." One of those songs, "Loneliness," we performed again this past March 14 at Great Neck House and March 28 at the Long Beach Public Library.
At our last visit to her, in Brooklyn, we informed her that Bill Kunstler had just died. "Everybody dies!" she exclaimed. Subtext: "It's not fair!"   
Last April, we performed her "From Six Million Nameless Graves" at a Holocaust memorial program in Manhasset. The Workmen's Circle Chorus, of which I became Director in February, plans to premiere my new choral arrangement of it at 6pm on June 17 as part of the annual Rosenberg memorial meeting at Stephen Wise Synagogue.   We miss her.
Leonard (& Helene) Lehrman
http://ljlehrman.artists-in-residence.com

Subject: Lyr Add: UNDERNEATH THE SPANISH STARS (Edith Segal
From: GUEST,Leonard J. Lehrman
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 01:05 PM

Oh I dreamed of Spanish gardens, señoritas and guitars,
Spanish moonlight, lovers dancing underneath the Spanish stars.
And I fancied I would go there, quite romantic was I then
to dance and click the castanets, Lo recuerdo muy bien.

Oh I never stopped to think at all that there might come a war,
stain my pretty Spanish shawl and break my sweet guitar.
And now I think it's time ot waken, end my dreaming of romance,
and join the anti-fascists to halt Franco's advance.
...
And when that's done we'll dance again and we'll sing and strum guitars,
and live again and love again underneath the Spanish stars.

Poem and Melody
Copyright 1981 by Edith Segal
published with chordal arrangement by Maddy Simon
recorded by Helene Williams and piano accompaniment by Leonard Lehrman, 1990

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fishman
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 14 Oct 10 - 07:32 PM

Leonard Lehrman has now put a performance of the song up on YouTube
Underneath The Spanish Stars sung by Helene Williams on YOUTUBE

Thank you Leonard

Can anyone say whether the tune used is related to the sheet music which Jim Dixon refered to above?

Regards, geoff

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fishman
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 14 Oct 10 - 08:19 PM

I have found a sound clip, Number 3 on this site, of an Al Bowlly recording of Underneath The Spanish Stars. The clip does not have Al Bowlly singing and seems like only the introduction to the song but even so the tune does not seem as if it is going the same way as the tune for the Edith Segal song. Listen for yourself HERE

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Underneath the Spanish Stars-Moe Fishman
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 28 Jan 11 - 07:46 PM

The address given in the link above no longer gives access to the performance of the song but I have found that the video has been put up on YouTube with a different address which can be reached using this new link Underneath The Spanish Stars sung by Helene Williams on YOUTUBE , NEW LINK