Origins: Anniversary Song: 'Oh how we danced...'

Subject: Oh how we danced on ...
From: GUEST,Toad
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 03:37 PM

HI! I would like to learn a tune (waltz) but I don't know what it is called or the history of it. Could someone please help. It is the tune that goes with these lyrics:

-OH how we danced, on the night, we were we. We danced, and we danced, cause the room, had no bed.

I understand that these are novelty lyrics but I don't know what are, or if there are real lyrics for it. So if someone could please tell me the name of this song, or tune, I would muchly appreciate it.

Thanks! Sincerely, Toad

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: Pseudolus
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 03:47 PM

It's the Anniversary Waltz....Don't know the lyrics.

An alternate to the parody lyrics however... "If you think we danced, then you're out of your head....."

Frank

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: mousethief
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 03:57 PM

My mother always sang...

Oh how we danced on the night we were wed
If you think we got married you got rocks in your head.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: GUEST,Toad
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 04:11 PM

I appreciate the input but ... it's not the Anniversary Waltz. The 'Anniversary Waltz' is in a major key. A waltz mind you but not the same as the song I'm talking about. The song I'm talking about (and probably you also) is in a minor key and sounds like something that would be right at home with songs form 'Fiddler on the Roof'. I had always thought that the song was 'Anniversary Waltz' but have been searching through my old (old old) records and have found several copies of 'Anniversary Waltz' the most famous of which is a Vera Lynn recording "tell me I may always dance, the anniversary waltz with you" and everything is quite 'major' key sounding.

I would like another opinion if anyone else is following this.

My wife had also assumed that the song was called "Anniversary Waltz"

Sincerely, Toad

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ANNIVERSARY SONG (Jolson/Chaplin)
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 04:18 PM

Is this it?

ANNIVERSARY WALTZ SONG

Oh, how we danced
On the night we were wed
We vowed our true love
Though a word wasn't said

The world was in bloom
There were stars in the skies
Except for the few
That were there in your eyes
Dear, as I held you
So close in my arms
Angels were singing
A hymn to your charms
Two hearts gently beating
Were murmuring low
"My darling, I love you so."

The night seemed to fade
Into blossoming dawn
The sun shone anew
But the dance lingered on
Could we but relive that
Sweet moment sublime
We'd find that our love
Is unaltered by time

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 04:19 PM

It is Anniversary Waltz--Received wide exposure in "The Jolsen Story" And it is minor.

The late Abe Burrows wrote:

Oh How we danced on the night we were wed I needed a wife like a hole in the head.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: MMario
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 04:31 PM

Is this is? Anniversary SONG

if so - it's credited to Al Jolsen

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 05:57 PM

Just to save any re-work, I posted the tune to the Forum a couple of years ago as MIDITEXT as the Anniversary Song. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 06:20 PM

From 6 Aug 99,

---

Click to play

---

ABC format:

X:1
T:The Anniversary Song
M:3/4
Q:1/4=160
K:F
A,6|-A,2_D2D2|E6|-E2_D2A,2|F6|-F2E2D2|A6|
-A4A2|B6|-B2A2G2|A6|-A2G2F2|E6|-E2F2E2|D6|
-D4A,2|A,6|-A,2_D2D2|E6|-E2_D2A,2|F6|-F2E2D2|
A6|-A4A2|B6|-B2A2G2|A6|-A2G2F2|E6|-E2F2E2|
D6|-D6|d6|-d2d2d2|d2d2d2|d2c3=B|c6|B2B2B2|
B2B2B2|B2A3_A|A4A2|G2G2G2|G2G2G2|G2F2E2|D4d2|
B2G2E2|F4E2|D6|-D2||

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: GUEST,harp
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 06:26 PM

...when fiddlers play in this key I get befuddled...I guess I could transpose it,huh? It is a beautiful song...I must learn it! Thanks, folks!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: GUEST,harp
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 06:47 PM

Hey MMario. That tune is too slow! Is that it? Oh heck, I guess I have to use emoticons! I hate them! *wink*

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: Helen
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 07:24 PM

I'm sure we talked about this song in a thread about Jewish music just recently. I'm not sure of the title of the thread - whether it was in the Dona Dona thread or whether it was another one specifically about Jewish music. I think that if you do a forum search on the word anniversary or the word Jewish, for the last couple of months it should show up.

I've always known it as the Anniversary Song, but I never realised until that thread that it has Jewish origins and now I listen to it and wonder how I could have missed hearing its origins in the tune.

Helen

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 11:28 PM

Helen,

The tempo of ABC's has me completely foxed. I use ABCMUS and while it's a great program in many respects it's tempo is always up the s**t. From memory it's usually played in Em, but because my bass voice stops at Eb I transposed it into Dm - which is a fair key for folkies to play in. (Years ago I could easily ping the F but a few decades of tobacco, alcohol and loose living have diminished that. Sad, but true!)

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From:
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 09:30 AM

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: mg
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 09:48 AM

I always thought it was Ukranian but last week on the Scandinavian hour they played it and said it was Finnish. Probably traveled some. mg

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: Jim McLean
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 09:59 AM

I used to play this melody on the piano and it had a Spanish title 'Sober las Olas'. The spelling is probably wrong but it meant 'Over the Waves' and had a Strauss type waltz feel to it. This is from memory and maybe someone else can add to it before I recall the composer.
Jim McLean

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: GUEST,Crazy Little Woman
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 11:28 AM

I play a tune that was known in Chicagoland as the Anniversary Waltz. Actually it is "The Waves of the Danube", and my book gives the composer was Emil Waldteufel. It is definitely minor, and has a Hungarian/Gypsyish feel to it.

Since Waldteufel is German for "wood devil," I wonder if the composer was a gypsy. Gypies did not have last names, and for interactions with non-gypsies, they would sometimes make up humorous last names for themselves.

I think it is a lovely song, and parodies of it are best forgotten. When I play it on the piano with deep, deep Em chords, my husband, who is Czech, gets all choked up. Why ruin it?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 01:02 PM

Oh how we danced
Every night before bed
I gave her my heart
But she wouldn't give head.

I'd beg and I'd plead
And I'd say, "I love you,"
But she wouldn't give in
And my balls turned bright blue.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: Joe_F
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 06:20 PM

Or, more subtly,

We danced and we danced
Till we fell out of bed.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced on ...
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 12:12 AM

It was my parents' favorite song. My dad gave my mom a music box with a twirling ballerina in it, that played "The Anniversary Waltz." It stayed on her dresser until she sold the house. I don't know if she still has it...I hope she does.

Funny thing to see this thread here...I'd just finished a note to the person in our congregation who handles the "Yahrzeit book." It's a tradition in Judaism to say the Kaddish prayer in synagogue on the Sabbath preceding the anniversary of the death of a close family member (parent, spouse, or child), and the person's name is read aloud to the congregation. The anniversary is called "Yahrzeit" (year time). That would be this coming Monday evening for my dad, according to the Jewish calendar, so I'll say Kaddish this Saturday. Dad died in 1991 at 64, 10 days before his 40th wedding anniversary.

Don't mean to dampen the spirit...the parodies are funny, and endless, but the corny old original has a special meaning for me as well.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: Anniversary Song (Jolson/Chaplin)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 01:40 AM

The Great Song Thesaurus attributes the Anniversary Song to Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin, published 1947. It's based on Ivanovici's "Danube Waves" (Ueber den Wellen) of 1880. This song is traditionally played when a circus performer requires special concentration during his act.
...or so the book says. I thought it was Waldteufel, too - but this page has an Ivanovici piece called "Donau Wellen" (Danube Waves) that has the "Anniversary Song" theme.
The Digital Tradition also attributes the song to Jolson/Chaplin, so it appears Mary's attribution above is incorrect.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ (Dubin/Franklin)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 01:46 AM

OK, now here's the Anniversary Waltz, quite a different song.
-Joe Offer-

THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ
(Al Dubin & Dave Franklin)

Tell me I may always dance the Anniversary Waltz with you
Tell me this is real romance
An anniversary dream come true
Let this be the anthem to our future years
To millions of smiles and a few little tears
May I always listen to the Anniversary Waltz with you.

© 1941, Chappell & Co.

---

Click to play

Source: Hal Leonard's The Book fakebook

Subject: RE: Req: Oh how we danced on ... (Anniversary Song)
From: musicmick
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 02:19 AM

The Anniversary Waltz is the name it's known by in Jewish circles. It was made famous by Al Jolson who was, to audiences of the 20's and 30's, what the Beatles were to the 70's. My father sang it when he drove our first car, a 1948 Nash with front seats that dropped back to make a bed. I often fell asleep while he sang that song. We didn't start singing the parody until we were in High School and more "sophisticated".
He also sang "Big City Blues" and a novelty tune, "Did You Ever Hear Pete Go Tweet, Tweet, Tweet On His Piccalo?" ("...Well, I'll put you wise/He's a bird in disguise/A bird called Piccalo Pete)
Everyone in my family knew the Anniversary Song. It was played at all weddings as the first dance.

Subject: RE: Req: Oh how we danced on ... (Anniversary Song
From: Genie
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 02:25 AM

musicmic, a lot of folks do confuse the titles and refer to the Al Jolson et al./Ivanici song as "Anniversary Waltz," but the actual title is "Anniversary Song." And it's extremely popular at the retirement facilities where I do music, especially the Jewish ones.

Genie

Subject: RE: Req: Oh how we danced on ... (Anniversary Song)
From: Helen
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 03:17 AM

Mark,

It's a coincidence for me too, because my Mum used to sing it, and I always thought of it as Mum & Dad's special song, because it was played at their wedding. The first anniversary of Mum's death is Tuesday next week, 15th. I came home today to find a message that my Mother-in-law has been taken to hospital, and my hubby has driven the 4 hour trip to be with the family.

'Spaw, you are, unfortunately, incorrigible - or maybe I mean "encourageable".

Helen

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: musicmick
Date: 12 Apr 03 - 02:31 AM

Yeah, Genie, I believe you about the title of that song but, as I said, in my family we called it the Anniversary Waltz and repitition yields custom and custom has a life of its own. In other words, it's too late to change it now. I guess it is like trying to get Londoners to stop saying Elephant and Castle or asking Philadelphians to stop pronouncing Dauphin St., daw-fin.
Helen, I think it must have been every Depression era couple's "special" song. When you come right down to it, there haven't been a lot of love songs for married people. I suppose that composers think that romance ends with the trip to the alter, but it just aint so. Are there other love songs for old marrieds? I remember Ed Ames singing one called "My Cup Runneth Over" and, of course there was "Do You Love Me?" from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 12 Apr 03 - 03:23 AM

From James J. Fuld's Book of World-Famous Music (5th ed., 2000, pp. 622-623):

                   Waves of the Danube

    m. I. Ivanovici. Published in 1880 under the title Valurile Dunari for piano by Const. Gebauer, Bucharest, Rumania. [...]
    The waltz became widely known and published under various translated titles, including Donauwellen, Flots du Danube and Danube Waves. In 1946 words by Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin were set the music under the title Anniversary Song, for the motion picure The Jolson Story. Ion Ivanovici was born in 1845 in Banatul, Rumania, became a popular Rumanian composer and died in Bucharest in 1902.

"Les flots du Danube (= Waves of the Danube)" (1929), played by Lefman / Rosemarin (mandoline et guitare), can be heard HERE.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 03 - 04:42 AM

I had forgotten the German title 'Donau Wellen' as I knew it as 'Sobre los Olas'
Jim McLean

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 12 Apr 03 - 05:15 AM

Masato, what a wonderful site that is: The Virtual Gramophone!! Fantastic original recordings from the early years of the 20th century. A superb resource from the National Library of Canada. Thanks so much for letting us know about it.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From:
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 08:44 PM

Does anyone know the lyrics to Did you ever here Pete go Tweet Tweet Tweet?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Son
From: Helen
Date: 02 Mar 05 - 01:22 AM

In a thread about the tune called Rosbif Waltz, Alan Day, from the band called Rosbif, talked about a tune called Amour et Printemps which I found on the 'Net attributed to Emil Waldteufel. It's a brilliant tune that builds up from simplicity to genius, IMHO. Very toe-tapping! I love Rosbif's version of it - thanks to Alan Day who took pity on me for never having heard Rosbif's recordings despite having played Rosbif Waltz for the last few years on Celtic harp with my sister playing flute.

For a midi file: Amour et Printemps

I also found a link to an entry in the Jewish Encyclopedia, so it appears he was Jewish and not a Gypsy.

Helen

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Mar 05 - 12:23 PM

Thanks for the link, Helen. I've added the waltz to my MIDI collection.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Mar 05 - 12:44 PM

I've given the matter some thought, and I've decided this:

Away with specious rationality :) I've had Emil Wooddevil on my copy of this song for years, and I'm not giving him up for Ion Ionovici. Why should I trade a wood-devil for a name that sounds like a chemical? (Is he a cation or an anion, I wonder?)

As for those of you who are eager to disseminate puerile parodies, please forget it. It's a lot easier to trash a beautiful song than to create one.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Jack Liao
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 01:58 AM

I listened to this song when I was still very little, my father loved it. The version we had was by 3 or 4-part male voices sung in spanish, it started with the word "Amor", that is all I can remember, of course I learned much later that it's called the "Anniversary Song" or "Danube Waves", I have been trying to find out the group who sang it on the record we had. Does any one know by any chance?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Son
From: Helen
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 04:40 AM

Hi Jack,

I did a search of CD Universe for the Spanish song title Sobre Las Olas. This is the list of albums containing the song.

It might be The Latin Brothers on their Greatest Hits CD, towards the end of the list. You can listen to a sample of the track on that page too.

Fernandez, Vicente Valses Del Recuerdo (1979) Remastered

Banda Sinaloense "El Recodo" De Cruz Lizarrada   Lo Mejor De Lo Mejor De RCA Victor (2001)

Sobre Las Olas by 101 Strings    Classic Latin (2002)                 

Sobre Las Olas by Banda Sinaloense "El Recodo" De Cruz Lizarrada    Lo Mejor De Lo Mejor De RCA Victor (2001)                 

Sobre Las Olas by Fernandez, Vicente    Alejandra...Y Los Valses Clasicos (1998)                 

Sobre Las Olas by Fernandez, Vicente    Valses Del Recuerdo (1979) Remastered                 

Sobre Las Olas by Infante, Pedro    Historia Musical Vol. 1 (2002)                 

Sobre Las Olas by Infante, Pedro    Valses Mexicanos Y Sudamerican (1995)                 

Sobre Las Olas by Latin Brothers    Greatest Hits                 

Sobre Las Olas by Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan    Mexico Y Sus Valses (2004)                

Sobre Las Olas by Various Artists

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Jack Liao
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 01:57 PM

Hi Helen,

Thank you so much for taking the time searching. I checked The Latin Brothers' entry you found at CD Universe but it didn't sound like "Anniversary Song", I have also checked other entries of "Sobre Las Olas" but they all sounded like the melody you always hear in a circus, not that of "Anniversary Song". I guess the search is still on then, but thank you again Helen. Wish you a great day!

Jack

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Son
From: Helen
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 04:07 PM

Yes, I listened to the sample track and it sounded like a different song but as someone said before on this thread there are other parts to the song that don't get included most of the time by performers.

You can do a song search at sites like CD Universe or Amazon.com for the song title Anniversary Song OR Anniversary Waltz. You might find a version sung in Spanish.

I'll keep looking.

Helen

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Jack liao
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 12:35 AM

Thank you Helen, I certainly will do the same.

Jack

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Ivor
Date: 24 Nov 05 - 08:32 AM

I came across this discussion while sorting out a confusion in my list of personal popular song favourites.
To repeat what's been said correctly in this discussion,there are two songs here:-
Anniversary Waltz, music by Dave Franklin (1941/2)
and
Anniversary Song, song by Jolson and Al Dubin (1946), based on the Waltz "Waves on(or Over) the Danube" by Josef (Ivan) Ivanovici (Ivanovice) (1880)

Where people are led somewhat astray in calling the Jolson Anniversary Waltz is that his song is a waltz. That, however, doesn't, as if by magic, change the title. Doing so means two songs get confused

Earlier in the correspondence someone provided the tune of Anniversary Waltz for us to listen to.

Best wishes
Ivor

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: alanabit
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 12:24 AM

We are very well aquainted with this one in Köln. When the Berlin wall came down a few years ago, the streets were crowded with East European groups - many of whom, were excellent musicians. I sometimes got the impression that only two songs were allowed in the former Soviet Union: "Oh How We Danced On The Night We Were Wed" and "Kalinka"...

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Son
From: GUEST,John Wiley
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 03:20 PM

What a delight to find this thread! I've just been watching a DVD of Emir Kusturica's "Otac na sluzbenom putu" ("When Father Was Away on Business" in US release). The haunting melody woven through the film took me a moment to recognize as "Anniversary Song" from Jolson's movie, and I got curious about the melody's origins.

Thanks to all who've contributed to this wonderful journey of discovery. Oh, how I love the web!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: Genie
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 04:58 PM

Musicmic, I agree that it's probably futile to try to fight oral tradition, e.g., what title people generally use to refer to a song (or the way lyrics get modified via "the folk process").    However, the point in being a pedant about the song title is that it helps avoid confusion in some situations -- e.g., when I'm asked to sing "Anniversary Waltz," I have to inquire if they mean the Jolson song -- and it is really helpful to have the correct title when trying to look up the song in a library or bookstore even on the net. I can easily picture someone buying an album because it lists "The Annivesary Waltz" on the track list and perhaps being very disappointed when they find that cut is not the song they wanted.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Son
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 11:43 PM

I haven't said this for a while so here goes...Titles are a snare and a delusion. A song is called whatever the singer calls it.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Daniel
Date: 25 Jan 07 - 02:52 AM

Sobre las olas was composed by a mexican composer Junventino Rosas.
Luzam.com

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Daniel
Date: 25 Jan 07 - 02:59 AM

you may find a vast selection at Luzam.com on high quality mexican music, this particular song and many others are performed by the cuartet latinoamericano. The title of the album is called Valses Mexicanos De 1900.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Daniel
Date: 25 Jan 07 - 03:31 AM

you may purchase a copy of that cd at this cite http://www.dorian.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=5510

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Daniel
Date: 25 Jan 07 - 04:12 AM

I supose that waltz "sobre las olas" has nothing to do with nor sounds anithing alike the "Anniversary Song" ,nonetheless it is another beautifoul waltz.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST
Date: 17 May 07 - 05:40 PM

i just learned to play this on the piano.
:D

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,ian
Date: 17 May 07 - 06:28 PM

Can i just say what a great tune and wonderful thread ths is.The imput is a plesure to read.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Oh how we danced... (Anniversary Song)
From: GUEST,Doreen in Charlotte, NC
Date: 11 Aug 07 - 12:56 PM

The anniversary song was sung by Mario Lanza in the film "The Great Caruso".   The Anniversary song actually begins "Won't you come and dance again the Anniversary Waltz with me". At my 40th wedding anniversary I requested the "Anniversary Waltz" and the band played "Oh how we danced", so there seems to be some confusion as to which is actually the anniversary waltz.