Lyr Req/Add: If I Had Words (from the film 'Babe')

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe')
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 10:59 PM

Hi Scott, you most probably would not remember me. I was with you when you were in HAIR, must be Forty years ago. Are you still belting out the songs?.If so where are you performing.    Taff.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe')
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 09:06 PM

Whew! Glad to hear you're not the same Scott....

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe')
From: GUEST,Scott Fitzgerald
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 04:52 PM

Hi Joe,
I'm Scott of Scott Fitzgerald & Yvonne keeley "If I Had Words". I am definitely not the "new age singer" Scott Fitzgerald the only thing that we have in common is the name. It really has been very confusing to a lot of my fans and there is nothing I can do about it, I only hope that any one who Knows my music will realize that we are nothing alike. Jim Dixon is absolutely right, those are the correct lyrics by J Hodge 1977. To answer Bernadette, the choir was "The Saint Thomas School Choir" from Chelsea in London, and to answer Guest, Ben, Yvonne and myself are the original singers of "If I Had Words" Jonathan Hodge is a great friend of ours.
Peace and Love Scott

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 04:20 AM

refresh - see above message. Is that what you wanted, Bernadette?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 02:36 AM

As Jim Dixon said in 2004, the original, complete lyrics seem to be these, sung over and over and over and over again:

If I had words to make a day for you,
I'd sing you a morning golden and new.
I would make this day last for all time,
Give you a night deep in moonshine.

Here are a couple YouTube recordings from 1977:

• Yvonne Keeley and Scott Fitzgerald
  
• Keeley, Fitzgerald, and the St. Thomas More School Choir on Top of the Pops

I forgot the 70s were like that. I think I even had some clothes that looked like Fitzgerald's.

I have some CDs from the 1990s by a New Age singer named Scott Fitzgerald that are every bit as bad as the videos. I wonder if it's the same guy....

-Joe-

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe')
From: GUEST,Bernadette
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 02:07 AM

The VERY original version PLEASE! I think the Pembroke Girls' Choir were singing in this. It was such a lovely song, with some meaning.

Anyone know this?    Thanks

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe')
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Oct 09 - 04:45 PM

Still looking for the tastefully done version of the song.

Farmer Hoggett's version is pretty tastefully done.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe')
From: Snuffy
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 08:30 PM

If I had words to build a day for you,
I'd sing you a morning, golden and true.
I would make this day last for all time,
And fill your tights with moonshine.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: If I Had Words (from the movie 'Babe')
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 08:02 PM

I wish I didn't have to hear the stupid mice version. Still looking for the tastefully done version of the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I had words
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 12:50 AM

This page has what appears to be the liner notes from the soundtrack album. There are 2 cuts called IF I HAD WORDS:

If I Had Words. (2:50).
Adapted from Saint-Saens, Symphony No. 3 with lyrics by Jonathon Hodge (Rak Music) derived from original master by Yvonne Keely & Scott Fitzgerald courtesy UA/Liberty.
...
If I Had Words. (1:52).
Performed by James Cromwell. Incorporate Symphony No. 3 (Saint-Saens Arr. Nigel Westlake).

So Westlake seems to be the arranger, not the lyricist. He is also listed as the arranger on several other cuts.

allmusic lists several compilation albums (e.g. "Classic Love Songs of the 70's") that contain the recording by Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley which was mentioned in the first message of this thread. I've listened to several overlapping sound samples from various albums and I'm convinced that the "correct" lyrics are:

If I had words to make a day for you,
I'd sing you a morning golden and new.
I would make this day last for all time,
Give you a night deep in moonshine.

However, when Farmer Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell) sings it, he sings:

I'd give you a morning golden and true.

But heck, he's just a character in a fictional story, right? So he's allowed to make mistakes!

Subject: Lyr Add: IF I HAD WORDS (Jonathon Hodge)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Oct 04 - 10:47 PM

I've revived this thread because I was watching the movie Babe this evening and couldn't understand the song the mice were singing at the end. Hoggett is dancing so hard that he's hard to hear also when he sings it earlier in the movie. I did a search and came up with all of these "transcriptions" from the movie. I've included the link to the place I found each variation. I also looked here at Mudcat and find a version that I've pasted here first (and is also linked to elsewhere in this thread).

I've established that the song is called "IF I HAD WORDS" and the lyric is by Jonathon Hodge. The tune comes from Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 (his "Organ" symphony).

Here are the lyrics from the DT, posted by Gene, in a song that appears to have three verses:

Lyrics to "BABE"

If I had words to make a day for you
I'd sing you one morning, golden and true
I would make this day last for all time
Then fill the night deep in moon shine.

If I had words to make a day for you
I'd give you a morning, golden and true
I would make this day last for all time
Then fill the night deep in moon shine.

If I had words to make a day for you
I'd give you a morning golden and true
I would make this day last for all time
Give you a night deep in moon shine.


The other places I found this had varions.

http://www.neuroticfishbowl.com/archives/002570.html
If I had words to make a day for you,
I'd sing you a morning golden and new.
I would make this day last for all time,
Give you a night deep with moonshine.

http://www.getlyrical.com/lyrics.html?Type=Song&Id=43062
If I had words to make a day for you
I sing you a morning golden and new
I would make this day last for all time
Give you a night dipping moon shine


http://www.hugelyrics.com/lyrics/101110/Farmer_Hoggett/If_I_Had_Words
If I had words to build a day for you,
I'd sing you a morning, golden and true.
I would make this day last for all time,
And fill your nights with moon shine.


http://www.angolotesti.it/W/testi_canzoni_westlife_355/testo_canzone_if_i_had_words_21014.html
If I had words to make a day for you
I'd sing you a morning, golden and new
I would make this day last for all time
Give you a night dipped in moon shine


I also found the remark that Nigel Westlake's song "If I Had Words," based on "Symphony No. 3 in C" by Camille Saint-Saëns. I don't know anything about Westlake or his song. Did he record Hodge's song?

There are lots of subtle little changes from version to version, and none of these scans quite the same when you hum through them. Does the Mudcat version reflect the way of things--that it is a song with three verses and none of the others realized it? Or is there a definitive version around somewhere to compare this to?

I just started looking because I was curious, I am not on a mission to track down lyrics for any other reason than the purist in me who occasionally wants to know which version is the Ur version. Where is the page that the mice were singing off of? (The version with the line "Give you a night dipping moon shine" certainly puts a different spin on the whole thing, doesn't it?) :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Gospel
From: Margret RoadKnight
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 10:33 AM

Gospel?????

Subject: RE: Gospel
From: GUEST,Ben
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 08:33 AM

I found it was on the album "E O Mai" by Keali'i Reichel, an Hawaian singer-songwriter, don't know if it's originally his though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I had words
From: Blacksmith
Date: 20 Aug 00 - 05:31 PM

Thanks Pene. I've ordered one of the CDs from the list now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I had words
From: Pene Azul
Date: 20 Aug 00 - 03:49 AM

A search on the song title at CDNOW pulls up a few.

PA

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I had words
From: Blacksmith
Date: 20 Aug 00 - 03:36 AM

Thanks for the lyrics Joe and for the soundtrack information George. Unfortunately, the soundtrack is sung by those 'cute' little mice so I still need to find the original version by Scott Fitzgeral and Yvonne Keeley. I was wondering if it might be on one of those compilation 70s CDs

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I had words
From:
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 10:06 PM

Joe! I'm in awe! However did you find that!

Subject: If I had words (from
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 06:16 PM

Gene posted the lyrics quite some time ago. I believe the tune is from the Third "Organ" Symphony, by Saint-Saens, written in 1885-6.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I had words
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 04:50 PM

If I had words to make a day for you
I would make it golden and true.

Something like that.... we actually had the original music at our wedding a mere 10 years ago.... I loathe the piece because my sister would put it on repeat play on the record player and it would go all flipping night.... even worse than Jesu Joy if you ask me!!!

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I had words
From:
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 04:19 PM

There's a Soundtrack for the movie.

http://imusic.com/soundtracks/music/babe.html
Sound Clip - http://www.hollywood.com/movietunes/audio/rampoint/babe_words.ram

Subject: If I had words
From: Blacksmith
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 03:59 PM

This song is featured in the movie 'Babe' and is based on Symphony No. 3 by Saint-Saens. I believe it was in the charts in about 1978 and the singers were Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley.

I need the words for my son's wedding. I also need to know if the song is available on a C. D.

Thanks for any help.

Subject: BABE ('If I Had Words,' from the movie 'Babe')
From: Gene
Date: 18 Sep 97 - 02:59 PM

I recently saw a request somewhere for the lyrics to BABE.....A friend painstakenly copied them off the SOUNDTRACK....The Alvin and the Chipmonks sound made it a little difficult!

Lyrics to "BABE"

If I had words to make a day for you
I'd sing you one morning, golden and true
I would make this day last for all time
Then fill the night deep in moon shine.

If I had words to make a day for you
I'd give you a morning, golden and true
I would make this day last for all time
Then fill the night deep in moon shine.

If I had words to make a day for you
I'd give you a morning golden and true
I would make this day last for all time
Give you a night deep in moon shine.

SOURCE: Movie/Babe

Subject: RE: Gospel
From: Friedhelm Schulte-Noelle
Date: 18 Jun 97 - 03:11 AM

Wow, I never thought I would at least strike a gold mine with my question... Thank you very much for these answers, I´m going to look right into the pages you offered me. And for those who like overwhelming orchestral music (with just a dash of decadence in it) should listen to a fine recording of Saint Saëns‘ Organ Symphony (as I said, fourth movement). Thanx again for your help!! Yours Friedhelm

Subject: RE: Gospel
From:
Date: 14 Jun 97 - 01:13 AM

found this at: http://www.dejanews.com

  C     G  C     Am    G   C          F        C
      If  I   had  words to  make a day for you,
              F    Dm    A   Dm   G    C              G 
      I'd sing   you    a    morning   golden and  new.
      C    G       G      Am  G  C          F   E
      I    would make this day last for all   time,
     F        Dm    A  Dm             G6-------G7   C
      Give you    a    light deep in moon...........    shine

Gene

Subject: RE: Gospel
From:
Date: 14 Jun 97 - 12:56 AM

Found this verse and MANY comments about the song from the movie: BABE at:

http://www.dejanews.com --- search for [movie | babe ] set AGE to OLD/50

"If I Had Words"

If I had words to make a day for you, I'd sing you a morning golden and new. I would make this day last for all time, Give you a night deep in moon shine.

Gene

Subject: RE: Gospel
From: r. key
Date: 14 Jun 97 - 12:39 AM

Have you tried this site: http://www.sheet-music.com/

Also, you'll find many more sheet music sites at:

http://www.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Companies/Music/Publishing/Sheet_Music_and_Notation/

Subject: RE: Gospel
From: dani
Date: 13 Jun 97 - 02:49 PM

Just goes to show there'w no accountin' for taste. That scene in BABE moves me to tears every time, mostly because of the music, but also because that old man's dance of joy is so purely beatiful. I am a sap. But at least now I know something about the tune... thanks!

Subject: RE: Gospel
From: Peter Timmerman
Date: 13 Jun 97 - 11:14 AM

Dear Friedhelm, well, we have a sighting.... According to one of my intrepid spies (DCC), one version of the song appears in the recent movie Babe, and the first line is "If I could write the perfect day for you." (yuck) Yours, Peter

Subject: RE: Gospel
From:
Date: 12 Jun 97 - 07:15 AM

Well, let´s give it one more (last) trial...

Subject: RE: Gospel
From: F.Schulte-Noelle
Date: 10 Jun 97 - 02:30 AM

Still no answers??? What a pity!

Subject: Gospel
From: Friedhelm Schulte-Noelle
Date: 03 Jun 97 - 08:48 AM

I once listened to a gospel on the radio which was based on Saint Saëns´"Organ Symphonie, fourth movement. Does anybody know who arranged and recorded this gospel?`Thank you very much for your help... F. Schulte-Noelle