Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas

Subject: Info request -
From: Les
Date: 27 May 98 - 01:21 AM

Can anyone tell me the origins of "Over the Waves" a venerable old waltz, usually played by fiddlers at country dances around here ? I suspect it has a classical connection. Thanks for your help.

Subject: RE: Info request -
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 May 98 - 02:20 AM

G'day Les,

This may not help much with the ultimate origins, but the waltz is just as popular here in Australia and often known by the less accurate name coming from the words (...When you are in love, it's ..."The Loveliest Night of the Year").

In fact, it took me many years to realise that "Over the Waves" was the same tune.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Info request -
From: Les
Date: 27 May 98 - 10:52 AM

Great ! Can you send the words ? Thanks.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LOVELIEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR
From: Gloria
Date: 28 May 98 - 07:34 AM

I don't know whether these are correct:

When you are in love,
It's the loveliest night of the year
Stars twinkle above,
And you almost can touch them from here,
Words fall into rhyme,
Anytime you are holding me near,
When you are in love,
It's the loveliest night of the year.

Waltzing along in the blue,
Like a breeze drifting over the sand
Thrilled by the wonder of you,
And the wonderful touch of your hand
And my hearts starts to beat,
Like a child when a birthday is near
So kiss me sweet,
It's the loveliest night of the year

Would appreciate any corrections.
Gloria

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 10:47 PM

The Indiana University Sheet Music Collection has a viewable score for OVER THE WAVES (a.k.a. SOBRE LAS OLAS)-- as a waltz tune only, no lyrics. It was written by Juventino Rosas, Philadelphia: Eclipse Publishing Company. No date is given on that copy, but Wikipedia says it was published in Mexico City in 1888. (Rosas died in 1894.)

It also lists a version with lyrics by Harold Drenstein that begin "Come down to the sea, where the skies to the ocean descend…" published in 1941, but as it's still under copyright, the music is not viewable.

Subject: Lyr Add: SOBRE LAS OLAS / OVER THE WAVES
From: Arkie
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 11:16 PM

The melody was also appropriated for the Loveliest Night of the Year lyrics. The original Over the Waves may not have had lyrics but apparently some were eventually written for the tune. The Spanish lyrics follow the Loveliest Night.

THE LOVELIEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

When you are in love,
It's the loveliest night of the year,
Stars twinkle above
And you almost can touch them from here.
Words fall into rhyme
Any time you are holding me near.
When you are in love,
It's the loveliest night of the year.

:Waltzing along in the blue,
Like a breeze drifting over the sand,
Thrilled by the wonder of you
And the wonderful touch of your hand and
My heart starts to beat
Like a child's when a birthday is near.
So kiss me, my sweet.
It's the loveliest night of the year.

(Repeat starting at :)

SOBRE LAS OLAS

¡Que dulce vaivén de las olas tranquilas del mar!
¡Que lindas se ven en la playa gentil resbalar!
Su grato rumor forma un canto de mágico son,
Y su color de esperanza es emblema de amor.
Pero con horrísono son
De terrible y feroz tempestad
Sopla el rudo aquilón.
En sus olas se ve majestad.
Yerguen se en fiera altivez
En montaña de espuma y cristal,
Y con estruendo después
A la playa a morir se van.

En la inmensidad de las olas flotando te vi,
Y al irte a salvar por tu vida la mía perdí.
La dulce visión en mi alma indeleble grabó
La tierna pasión que la dicha y la paz me robó.
Si el eco de mi dolor
Tu refugio llegare a turbar,
Te seguirá el amor.
No te niegues su pena escuchar,
Que el viento te llevarà
Los gemidos de mi corazón,
Y siempre repetirá
Los acentos de mi canción.

What a lovely motion of the tranquil waves of the sea!
How beautiful they look as they slide onto the gentle beach!
Their pleasant murmur forms a song of magical sound
And their color is the emblem of the hope of love.
But with the horrible sound
Of the terrible, fierce storm,
Blows the violent North wind.
Majesty appears in its waves.
They rise in wild arrogance
In a mountain of foam and crystal,
And with a great noise afterwards
They return to the beach to die.

In the immensity of the floating waves, I saw you,
And when I went to save you, for your life, I lost mine.
The sweet vision in my soul carved indelibly
The tender passion that robbed me of fortune and peace.
If the echo of my sorrow
Should come to disturb your refuge,
Love will follow you.
Do not refuse to listen to its pain,
For the wind will bring you
The plaints of my heart
And will always repeat
The strains of my song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves
From: open mike
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 03:04 AM

oh, so it wasn't the Austrian guy who wrote Blue Danube, then? Strauss??

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves
From: Jack Campin
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 06:38 AM

You are thinking of The Waves of the Danube, which was by Ion (Josef) Ivanovici.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 10:55 AM

That seems to be a common mistake, Mike. The Naxos classical music site says:

'Juventino Rosas has received very little musical training, with no study abroad. He remains the definitive Mexican waltz king, with an enviable command of melody and perfect understanding of harmony and rhythm, and above all of the way to give his works an ending of brilliance. The best tribute to his talent is the fact that his most famous waltz, Sobre los olas (On the Waves), has often been attributed to Johann Strauss, confirmed by the European mistake of including this work in concerts of Viennese music in the Old World. Nevertheless Strauss himself would certainly have been happy to own this waltz.'

I read somewhere that Rosas was a native (Indian) Mexican, rather than a European, but Naxos says nothing about it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves
From: GUEST,ErieOma
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 03:33 PM

I am trying to find the German lyrics "Wenn Weit Ueber das Meer" sung by Lolita. It is set to the melody of "Over the Waves"

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 01:39 PM

There's a thread about this somewhere as I seem to remember the discussion.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 08:24 AM

Allmusic.com says WEIT ÜBER DAS MEER is sung by Lolita on "Mit Lolita auf Hoher See," Bogner, 2003.

WEIT ÜBER DAS MEER translates as "Far over the Sea"

If you Google with "Weit Über Das Meer" lyrics, you find some lyrics, but it's rather hard for me to determine whether any of them is the right song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Apr 10 - 12:46 AM

Dear fellow music aficionados:
According to the book, COMPOSITORES MEXICANOS, by Juan Alvarez Coral, Publi: Edamex, 1971, the Rosas family moved from Guanajuato to Mexico City in 1875, where Jesus Rosas, Juventino's father and first music teacher, formed an unsuccessful musical group, after which Juventino would go on to study violin in the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City, study musical harmony and music theory with outstanding learnee instructors of the day. Through those teachings, Juventino composed 'SOBRE LAS OLAS", which was originally named "Junto al Manantial'. But a composer friend of his, who arranged the piece for piano, changed the name to "Sobre Las Olas". Juventino Rosas sold the song outright to The House of Wagner for $45 pesos. But Juventino Rosas composed many other pieces, including another waltz in honor of President Porfirio Diaz's wife, and named the waltz "CARMEN" in her honor. For economic reasons, he was forced to take a gig in Cuba, where he died on July 9, 1894 in Batabano'. His remains were brought back and buried in Mexico City in 1909.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Apr 10 - 10:54 AM

Thanks for that information, Guest.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST,quarterflea
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 06:11 AM

It's by a man named Juventino Rosas, a Mexican musician featured at the 1884 World's Fair in New Orleans. The song was translated as "Over the Waves," and was featured in a biopic of the famous operatic Italian tenor Caruso. You've heard this song in elevators, bladder commercials, and carnival rides your whole life. How 'bout taking your sweetie out on the lawn and dancing it for real? ONE two three, ONE two three....

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 03:57 PM

OVER THE WAVES is the quintessential band organ tune.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 31 Oct 10 - 10:37 PM

I have a player piano roll with lyrics begining "Where sands meet the sea,and the waves hum a weird melody, there romance begins, and the sailor at death only grins. Now, once more away.to the splash and lash of the spray, winds blow not a gale, for tonight sailor boy sets his sail,over the waves and away." The title is handwritten on the roll. Any comments, info?
Randy

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 02:19 PM

Mexican waltz composed by Juventino Rosas. In full orchestration it is a fine waltz in Viennese style.

Can be heard on YouTube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7POa3nXagE&feature=related

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST,Anita Holladay
Date: 26 Nov 11 - 03:12 AM

This waltz is also popular with accordionists. I had no idea until recently about its origins. My father apparently learned it from his teacher, once-famous accordionist Pietro Diero, who along with his brother Guido were some of the first players of the piano-accordion (the type with right-hand keyboard instead of buttons) in the US. Pietro taught in New York City in the 1930s. I recently found a nice, full version of the tune on YouTube by present day Mexican acccordionist who posts his videos under name of jdhhacordeon. He sent me a link to singer Pedro Infante performing the song with lyrics similar to the Spanish version above. I'm not sure who wrote the Spanish lyrics. I found a different version online which does not have this first stanza but has more stanzas at the end. On YouTube, a solo accordion version posted by accordionmusic gives a fuller version of the biography of Juventino Rosas, of Otomi native heritage from Guanajuato, Mexico. He did become a popular band leader, performing in Mexico, the US, and Cuba.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST,Isobel
Date: 23 Dec 14 - 01:50 AM

I remember words for this tune beginning..
"Far over the waves, Our trim vessel is skimming along .."
That's all I can remember but I am sure it was in an albumn.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Feb 18 - 01:51 AM

When you are in love
It's the lovliest night of the year
Stars twinkle above
And you almost can touch them from here
Words fall in to rhyme
Any time you are holding me near
When you are in love
It's the lovliest night of the year
Waltzing along in the blue
Like a breeze drifting over the sand
Thrilled by the wonder of you
And the wonderful touch of your hand
And my heart starts to beat
Like a child when a birthday is near
So, kiss me my sweet,
It's the lovliest night of the year

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: Cool Beans
Date: 04 Feb 18 - 09:58 AM

Don't forget the kids' parody:

George Washington Bridge,
George Washington Washington Bridge,
George Washington Bridge,
George Washington Washington Bridge....

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST,Henry Piper of Ottery
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 04:32 AM

This Tune is also very popular With New Orleans style Jazz Bands, and has been right from the very earliest Days, It is more or less "De Rigeur" to start in 3/4 time and then after a couple of choruses, change to a more swinging 4/4.

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: clueless don
Date: 06 Feb 18 - 08:21 AM

Craaaaaaanapple juice drink!
Cranapple, Cranapple juice drink ...

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Apr 24 - 07:36 PM

This song “sobre las olas” over the waves, is a waltz written by my great great uncle Juventino Rosas

Subject: RE: Origins: Over the Waves / Sobre las Olas
From: leeneia
Date: 16 Apr 24 - 03:44 PM

That's interesting! Does your family like to play the tune?