His work in theatre has also secured him numerous appearances on various television programs and films. Notable film roles include song-and-dance men in Funny Lady and All That Jazz. He starred in the television series Tenspeed and Brown Shoe but is probably best known for his role as "Chicken" George Moore in Roots. Other TV appearances include:
* Oz
* Star Trek: The Next Generation
* The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
* The Jamie Foxx Show
* The Love Boat
* The Muppet Show
* The Nanny
* Touched by an Angel
* Webster
* Zoobilee Zoo
Vereen has also performed in one-man shows and actively lectures on black history and inspirational topics.
In 1992, he was accidentally struck while walking on the Pacific Coast Highway by a car driven by producer/composer David Foster.
According to the Fayetteville Observer of April 29, 2006, Vereen learned while applying for a passport in the late 1960s that he was adopted. His birth certificate revealed that his birth name was Benjamin Augustus Middleton, that he was the son of Essie Middleton, and that he was born in Laurinburg, North Carolina. In April of 2006, Vereen visited Laurinburg with a genealogist, and learned that his mother's name was Essie May Pearson, who had died 24 years before. According to her acquaintances, Essie had gone on a trip when Ben was a child, and had left her baby in someone's care. When she returned, the child was gone. In May of 2006, he met his mother's sister, Gloria Walker, of New Haven, Connecticut.
With a Song in My Heart
Ben Vereen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we couldn't have change since the last time,
To my joy and delight,
It's a new kind of love at first sight.
Though it's you and it's I all the time
Every meeting's marvelous pastime.
You're increasingly sweet,
So whenever we happened to met
With a song in my heart
I behold your adorable face.
Just a song at the start
But it soon is a hymn to your grace.
When the music swells
I'm touching you hand
It tells that your standing near, and
At the sound of your voice
Heaven opens his portals to me.
Can I help but rejoice
That a song such as ours came to be?
But I always knew
I would live life through
With a song in my heart for you.
Oh, the moon's not a moon for a night
And these stars will not twinkle and fade out,
And the words in my ears
Will resound for the rest of my years.
In the morning I find with delight
Not a note of our music is played out.
It will be just as sweet,
And an air that I'll live to repeat
I greet you
With a song in my heart
I behold your adorable face.
Just a song at the start
But it soon is a hymn to your grace.
When the music swells
I'm touching you hand
It tells that your standing near, and
At the sound of your voice
Heaven opens his portals to me.
Can I help but rejoice
That a song such as ours came to be?
But I always knew
I would live life through
With a song in my heart for you.
The lyrics of Ben Vereen's song "With A Song In My Heart" describe the pure joy and deep emotional connection between two people who are experiencing a new kind of love. The singer is in love with someone he has met before, but there is something special and different about this particular encounter. He is filled with delight and wonder, and every moment spent with his love is a marvelous pastime. As they spend time together, the singer cannot help but feel increasingly enchanted by the other person.
The music in the song reflects the energy of the lyrics. It starts off as a simple tune, but as the singer's emotions intensify, the music swells and becomes more complex. When the singer touches his love's hand during a crescendo, it solidifies their connection and fills him with a sense of wonder. The song is rhapsodic and dreamy, carrying the listener along with the singer's experiences.
Overall, "With A Song In My Heart" is a beautiful tribute to the power of love and the sense of awe that it can inspire in us. The song is a fitting tribute to the experience of falling in love and being swept away by the power of our emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Though I know that we meet every night
I am aware that we meet every night
And we couldn't have change since the last time,
There hasn't been a change in our routine since last night
To my joy and delight,
It brings me joy and pleasure
It's a new kind of love at first sight.
Every time I see you, I feel a new kind of love for you
Though it's you and it's I all the time
It's always just you and me
Every meeting's marvelous pastime.
Each time we meet, it's a wonderful pastime
You're increasingly sweet,
You become sweeter every time we meet
So whenever we happened to met
Whenever we happen to meet
I greet you
I say hello to you
With a song in my heart
I greet you with a feeling of happiness and love
I behold your adorable face.
I look at your face which I find cute and lovable
Just a song at the start
I start with just a feeling of joy and love
But it soon is a hymn to your grace.
It quickly becomes a song dedicated to how graceful you are
When the music swells
As the music gets louder
I'm touching your hand
I physically touch your hand
It tells that your standing near, and
It confirms that you are standing close to me
At the sound of your voice
When I hear your voice
Heaven opens his portals to me.
It feels like a heavenly experience
Can I help but rejoice
I cannot help but feel overjoyed
That a song such as ours came to be?
I feel grateful that our love story exists
But I always knew
I always had a feeling
I would live life through
That love would be a constant part of my life
With a song in my heart for you.
I will always have a feeling of love and joy for you.
Oh, the moon's not a moon for a night
The moon is not just visible for one night
And these stars will not twinkle and fade out,
The stars will continue to shine without fading away
And the words in my ears
The words that I hear
Will resound for the rest of my years.
Will continue to echo in my mind for the rest of my life
In the morning I find with delight
When I wake up in the morning, I feel happy
Not a note of our music is played out.
Our love is still as strong as it was before
It will be just as sweet,
Our love will continue to be just as endearing and adorable
And an air that I'll live to repeat
A feeling that I will cherish and continue to experience
I greet you
I say hello to you
With a song in my heart
I greet you with a feeling of happiness and love
I behold your adorable face.
I look at your face which I find cute and lovable
Just a song at the start
I start with just a feeling of joy and love
But it soon is a hymn to your grace.
It quickly becomes a song dedicated to how graceful you are
When the music swells
As the music gets louder
I'm touching your hand
I physically touch your hand
It tells that you're standing near, and
It confirms that you are standing close to me
At the sound of your voice
When I hear your voice
Heaven opens his portals to me.
It feels like a heavenly experience
Can I help but rejoice
I cannot help but feel overjoyed
That a song such as ours came to be?
I feel grateful that our love story exists
But I always knew
I always had a feeling
I would live life through
That love would be a constant part of my life
With a song in my heart for you.
I will always have a feeling of love and joy for you.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind