Clark was born Samuel Goldberg to Jewish parents in Boston, Massachusetts. He made his Big Band singing debut in 1934 with Benny Goodman on the Let's Dance radio program. In 1936 he started to perform on the show, Your Hit Parade, and lasted until 1938. In the mid-1930s he signed with Vocalion Records, having a top-20 hit with "Spring Is Here". He did not have another hit until the late 1940s, but continued recording, appearing in movies, and dubbing other actors' voices.
In 1946 he signed with Columbia Records and scored his biggest hit with the song "Linda" recorded in November of that year, but hitting its peak in the following spring. Linda was written especially for the six-year-old daughter of a show business lawyer named Lee Eastman, whose client, song-writer Jack Lawrence, wrote the song at Lee’s request. Upon reaching adulthood and becoming famous as a photographer, Linda was, for a while, something of a musician, later became a prominent spokeswoman for vegetarianism and animal rights, and broke a generation of teenage girls' hearts when she married Beatle Paul McCartney.[citation needed]
1947 also saw hits for Clark with such titles as "How Are Things in Glocca Mora" (from the musical Finian's Rainbow), which made the Top Ten, "Peg O' My Heart", "An Apple Blossom Wedding", and "I'll Dance at Your Wedding". The following year he had another major hit with "Love Somebody" (a duet with Doris Day, selling a million and reaching #1 on the charts) and nine more chart hits, and extended his success into 1949 with a number of hits, both solo and duetting with Day and Dinah Shore. He was fatally injured in a private plane crash in Los Angeles, returning from a college football game, when the craft ran low on fuel and crash-landed on Beverly Boulevard. A month after his death, his recording of "A Dreamer's Holiday" hit the charts.
Buddy Clark and five other friends had rented a small plane to attend a Stanford vs. Michigan football game. After the game on the way back to Los Angeles, the plane developed engine problem, due to lack of gas, and lost altitude and crashed on Beverly Boulevard, in California. Clark didn't survive the crash. At that time, he was 37 years old reaching new heights of popularity, when tragedy struck.
Now Is the Hour
Buddy Clark Lyrics
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Night o'er the valley is creeping!
Birds cuddle down in their nest,
Soon all the world will be sleeping
And now is the hour when we must say goodbye,
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea,
While you're away, o, then remember me,
True lovers often must part,
Kiss me, then leave me to sorrow!
Here love, I give you my heart,
You will return some glad morrow
But now is the hour when we must say goodbye,
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea,
While you're away, o, then remember me,
When you return, you'll find me waiting here.
The song "Now Is the Hour" is a melancholy, bittersweet tune that speaks of love, separation, and the passing of time. The opening lyrics paint a picture of the end of the day, as the sun sets and night falls, and all the creatures of the world prepare to sleep. The imagery sets the scene for a farewell between two lovers, as the singer acknowledges the inevitability of parting ways. The chorus repeats the title phrase, emphasizing the importance of this moment, this hour, as the time to say goodbye.
The second stanza reinforces the idea of the lovers' separation, with the singer acknowledging the pain and sorrow that accompanies such a farewell. Despite the sadness, however, the singer offers their heart to the one who is leaving, with the hope that they will return one day. The chorus repeats, serving both as a reminder of the present moment and a message to the departing lover to remember the one they are leaving behind.
Overall, "Now Is the Hour" captures the timeless theme of love and loss, a theme that has resonated with audiences for generations. The song's wistful melody, paired with its bittersweet lyrics, make it a classic example of a sentimental ballad.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunset glow fades in the west,
The sun is setting and the sky is turning dark
Night o'er the valley is creeping!
The night is slowly taking over the valley
Birds cuddle down in their nest,
Birds are settling down in their nests
Soon all the world will be sleeping
The world will soon be asleep
And now is the hour when we must say goodbye,
It is the time for us to part ways
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea,
You will be going on a journey across the sea
While you're away, o, then remember me,
Please don't forget about me while you're gone
When you return, you'll find me waiting here
I will be waiting for you to come back
True lovers often must part,
It's common for true lovers to have to say goodbye
Kiss me, then leave me to sorrow!
Give me a goodbye kiss, but then leave me to grieve
Here love, I give you my heart,
I'm giving you my heart as a symbol of my love
You will return some glad morrow
I know you'll come back someday and make me happy again
But now is the hour when we must say goodbye,
We have to say our goodbyes now
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea,
You're going to embark on a journey across the sea soon
While you're away, o, then remember me,
Please keep me in your thoughts while you're gone
When you return, you'll find me waiting here.
I'll be here waiting for you when you come back.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JERRY BYRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Onalee McGraw
thank you for posting this, Buddy Clark was just GREAT. He died when I was ten years old... Loved him... great baritone voice...
MTN - A Rainbow Pastures Company
This was the beginning of what we know as doo-wop. The vocal harmonies in the background was there.
Eustace
Nah, I'm sure there were earlier records that did it first. Only difference is they won't have the amazing Buddy Clark!
John Benn
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a mad keen 76yo Aussie fan.