I REMEMBER

A few weeks ago, I had been trying to think of a song with great descriptive lyrics and then what shows up on my ipod other than the song "I Remember" by Sondheim that I think is such a great song.

The song comes from a short-lived ABC anthology series, Stage '67 called Evening Primrose that starred Tony Perkins and Charmaine Carr that is somewhat reminiscent of the Kim Cattral film Mannequin although this story is much darker. The story is based on a short story of the same name about a young poet who gets the brilliant idea to live in a department store, hiding by day, and courting his muse by night where it's quiet, and he can have all his needs met. But, to his surprise, he learns his brilliant idea's not exactly original; there are other residents who dodge the night watchmen, and who keep their existence secret at all costs. And one of them is a young woman who wants to leave, but is to frightened to go. And Charles finds that he wants to show her the larger world outside.

The song I love, is called "I Remember" and the lyrics are below:

I REMEMBER
~ Stephen Sondheim

I remember sky
It was blue as ink
Or at least I think
I remember sky

I remember snow
Soft as feathers
Sharp as thumbtacks
Coming down like lint
And it made you squint
When the wind would blow

And ice like vinyl
On the streets
Cold as silver
White as sheets
Rain like strings
And changing things like leaves

I remember leaves
Green as spearmint
Crisp as paper

I remember trees
Bare as coat racks
Spread like broken umbrellas

And parks and bridges
Ponds and zoos
Ruddy faces
Muddy shoes
Night and noise
And bees and boys and days

I remember days
Or at least I try
But as years go by
They’re a sort of haze
And the bluest ink
Isn’t really sky
And at times I think
I would gladly die
For a day of sky.