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Here are some favorite songs about autumn. Transcript of radio broadcast:
VOICE
ONE:
Welcome
to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.
VOICE
TWO:
And I'm
Barbara Klein. It is autumn in the northern part of the world. So it is time to
play some of our favorite songs about this season.
(MUSIC)
VOICE
ONE:
People
have written and recorded hundreds of songs about autumn. Many of these songs
express sadness that summer is over. The days are shorter. It is getting darker
earlier each day. The weather is cooler. The skies are gray. Birds fly south
because they know winter is coming. The leaves turn colors of red and gold and
then die, falling to the ground. Some songs about autumn also express the
sadness of lost love.
Mary
Dawson, in her Internet Writing Journal, writes that this season influenced
songwriters to write some of the greatest songs of all time. Here are some of
our favorite songs about autumn.
VOICE
TWO:
"September
Song" by Kurt Weill is one of the most well known, and saddest, songs
about the season. It was introduced back in nineteen thirty-eight in the
Broadway musical "Knickerbocker Holiday." Many people have recorded
this song. Probably the most famous version is sung by Frank Sinatra.
(MUSIC)
VOICE
ONE:
Another
famous song about this season is "Autumn Leaves." This song also
expresses sad emotions. It was first introduced in a French movie in nineteen
forty-six. Later, the famous American songwriter Johnny Mercer was asked to
write English words to the music. Since then, many artists have recorded it.
Here is a lovely version by Eva Cassidy from her album "Songbird."
(MUSIC)
VOICE
TWO:
The Moody Blues are a British rock band that
first became famous in the nineteen sixties. They also recorded a song about
fallen leaves, darker days and lost love. It is called "Forever
Autumn."
(MUSIC)
VOICE
ONE:
Here is another
sad song about things that happen in autumn. "Wake Me Up When September
Ends" is by the band Green Day from their album "American
Idiot." The song is about the death of a father.
(MUSIC)
VOICE
TWO:
The rock
group the White Stripes has a song called "Dead Leaves and the Dirty
Ground," from their album "White Blood Cells." Jack White sings
about a woman who did not wait for him while he was away.
(MUSIC)
VOICE
ONE:
But not
all the songs about autumn are sad. Here is a more hopeful song, James Taylor's
"October Road" from his album by the same name. The song is about
leaving the big city for the countryside, going home again after a long time
away.
(MUSIC)
VOICE
TWO:
For
people who live in New York City, autumn is an exciting time of the year. New
plays open in theaters on Broadway. The season also brings the promise of new
love. Vernon Duke wrote the song "Autumn in New York" in nineteen
thirty-four. Many famous artists have recorded it. We leave you with Ella
Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong singing this famous song.
(MUSIC)
VOICE
TWO:
Our
program was written by Shelley Gollust and produced by Caty Weaver. I'm Barbara
Klein.
VOICE
ONE:
And I'm Steve Ember. You can hear other American songs on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. You can also find transcripts and audio archives of our programs. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.
