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Sarah Vaughan ft Hal Mooney & His Orchestra - September Song (Mercury Records 1956)

2,746 views · Published 2 June 2013 · 3:08 · Indexed 30 October 2026

Channel: RoundMidnightTV · 2013 · Music

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"September Song" is an American pop standard composed by Kurt Weill, with lyric by Maxwell Anderson, introduced by Walter Huston in the 1938 Broadway musical Knickerbocker Holiday. It has since been recorded by numerous singers and instrumentalists. It was also used in the 1950 film September Affair, and for the credits in the television series May to December (a quote from the opening line of the song).

"September Song" is based on a familiar poetic metaphor that compares a year to a person's life span from birth to death.  The song is an older person's plea to a younger potential lover that the courting activities of younger suitors and the objects of their desire are transient and time-wasting. As an older suitor, the speaker hasn't "got time for the waiting game." The song consists of a chorus, the section that starts, "Oh, It's a long, long time . . ." and two different verses, one describing the courting activities of a young man and one describing the disdainful reaction of the girl and the suitor's patience until she changes her mind. Singers may omit both verses, as Frank Sinatra did in his 1946 version, sing one verse, as Huston did in his, or both, as Sinatra did in his 1965 recording. 

There are major differences between the version of the song recorded in 1938 by Walter Huston and the versions heard today.   Huston's version is tailored specifically to the character he's playing, Peter Stuyvesant. For example, Huston sings, "I have lost one tooth and I walk a little lame," referring to his peg leg. And later he says, "I have a little money and I have a little fame," an unusual courting comment. Both of these lines, and several others, have disappeared from the song.
Other changes involve the point of view of the singer — in Huston's version, the activities of the young man are described in the second person to the girl ("When you meet with a young man . . ."). Contemporary versions make the singer the young man ("When I was a young man . . .).  One subtle difference between Huston's version and other versions is the final line. Huston sings, "These precious days I'd spend with you." Modern singers sing, "These precious days I'll spend with you." The difference is between a proposal offered but not yet accepted, I would spend with you if you accept, and one accepted, I will spend it with you.

"September Song" was used in the 1950 film September Affair, and the popularity of the film caused Huston's recording to hit the top of the 1950 hit parade. In a 1961 episode ("Fly Away Home") of the TV series Route 66, it is performed by actress Dorothy Malone, and serves as the background music to much of the episode. It was also used in the 1987 Woody Allen film Radio Days. Woody Allen mentioned that the song may be the best American popular song ever written. The title was used for a UK comedy-drama television series starring Russ Abbot and Michael Williams which ran for three series between 1993 and 1995. The music was also used for the credits British sitcom in the television series May to December (a quote from the opening line of the song), which ran for 39 episodes, from 2 April 1989 to 27 May 1994 on BBC One. It was covered by Anjelica Huston (Huston's granddaughter) in an episode of the NBC musical series Smash(S01.ep14). The BBC Radiophonic Workshop recorded a cover of September Song, which was commonly used in intervals on both BBC1 and BBC2.

Sarah's accompanied by Hal Mooney & His Studio Orchestra.  Recorded November 2, 1956, New York.  (Mercury Records)

When you meet with the young men
Early in spring
They court you in song and rhyme
They woo you with songs and a clover ring

But if you examine the goods they bring
They have little to offer but the songs they sing
And a plentiful waste of time of day
A plentiful waste of time

For it's a long, long while
From May to December
But the days grow short
When you reach September

And the autumn weather
Turns the leaves to flame
One hasn't got time
For the waiting game

Oh, the days dwindle down
To a precious few
September
November

And these few precious days
I'll spend with you
These precious days
I'll spend with you

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