Main Title
Dimitri Tiomkin; Moscow Symphony Chorus Moscow Symphony Orchestra William Stromberg Lyrics
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On this, our weddin' day
Do not forsake me, oh my darlin'
Wait, wait along
I do not know what fate awaits me
I only know I must be brave
And I must face a man who hates me
Or lie a coward in my grave
Oh, to be torn 'twixt love and duty
S'posin' I lose my fair-haired beauty
Look at that big hand move along
Nearin' high noon
He made a vow while in state prison
Vowed it would be my life or his'n
I'm not afraid of death but oh
What will I do if you leave me?
Do not forsake me, oh my darlin'
You made that promise as a bride
Do not forsake me, oh my darlin'
Although you're grievin', don't think of leavin'
Now that I need you by my side
Wait along, (wait along) wait along
Wait along, wait along
(Wait along, wait along, wait along, wait along)
The lyrics of Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington's song "High Noon" tell the story of a groom on his wedding day who must abandon his bride to face a dangerous enemy who has sworn to kill him. The groom pleads with his bride not to leave him and to remember her promise to remain by his side. He is torn between his love for his bride and his duty to face the looming threat, which is represented by the big hand of the clock that is "nearin' high noon." The groom fears for his life, but he is even more afraid of losing his bride. He begs her to wait for him, even if it means waiting a long time.
The song was written for the western film "High Noon," which was released in 1952, and the lyrics were sung by Tex Ritter. The film was directed by Fred Zinnemann and starred Gary Cooper as the groom, Will Kane, who must face a gang of outlaws alone. The film was celebrated for its innovative use of real-time storytelling and its themes of courage and duty. The song captures the tension and drama of the film, and its haunting melody and lyrics have made it a classic of American popular music.
Line by Line Meaning
Do not forsake me, oh my darlin'
Please do not abandon me, my beloved
On this, our weddin' day
Today is our wedding day
Wait, wait along
Please wait patiently for me
I do not know what fate awaits me
I'm unsure of what's in store for me
I only know I must be brave
All I know is I need to be courageous
And I must face a man who hates me
I have to confront a man who despises me
Or lie a coward, a craven coward
Otherwise, I'll be a disgrace, a coward
Or lie a coward in my grave
I'd rather die than live as a coward
Oh, to be torn 'twixt love and duty
It's difficult to choose between love and responsibility
S'posin' I lose my fair-haired beauty
What if I lose the one I love?
Look at that big hand move along
The clock is ticking
Nearin' high noon
The crucial moment is almost here
He made a vow while in state prison
He swore to kill me while serving his sentence
Vowed it would be my life or his'n
He promised to take one of us down
I'm not afraid of death but oh
Although I'm not scared of dying,
What will I do if you leave me?
I can't imagine how hopeless I'd be without you
You made that promise as a bride
You gave me your word on our wedding day
Although you're grievin', don't think of leavin'
Even though you're mourning, please don't abandon me
Now that I need you by my side
I need your support now more than ever
Wait along, (wait along) wait along
Please stay put for a bit longer
Wait along, wait along
Hang on a little while more
(Wait along, wait along, wait along, wait along)
Please be patient with me and wait
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MAX STEINER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind