Dimitri Zinovievich Tiomkin (Russian: Дмитрий Зиновьевич Тёмкин, Dmitrij Zi… Read Full Bio ↴Dimitri Zinovievich Tiomkin (Russian: Дмитрий Зиновьевич Тёмкин, Dmitrij Zinov'evič Tëmkin, somtimes translated as Dmitri Tiomkin) (May 10, 1894 – November 11, 1979) was a film composer and conductor. Along with Max Steiner, Miklós Rózsa and Franz Waxman, Tiomkin was one of the most productive and decorated film music writers of Hollywood.

Tiomkin was born in Kremenchug, Ukraine and educated at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia. He emigrated in 1925 to the United States and became an American citizen in 1937. Although influenced by Eastern European music traditions, he was able to score typical American movies like Frank Capra's famous Lost Horizon (1937) or It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and also Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), both with James Stewart. He also worked on Fred Zinnemann's High Noon (1952), which also won him a "Best Song" Oscar for "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin'(The Ballad of High Noon)". In 1954, he won the Academy Award for best song of the John Wayne film The High and the Mighty.

Many classic scores followed, many of which were also in Western movies, like The High and the Mighty (1954), Giant (1956), Friendly Persuasion (1956), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), Rio Bravo (1959), The Alamo (1960), Town Without Pity (1961) or 55 Days at Peking (1963), The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) and many more.

Besides cinema he was also active in writing for the small screen, writing some memorable television theme-songs, as for Rawhide (1959) and Gunslinger. He was also hired to write the theme for TV's The Wild Wild West (1965), but the producers rejected his themes and hired Richard Markowitz.

Dimitri Tiomkin died in London, England in 1979 and was interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimitri_Tiomkin)

Main Title
Dimitri Tiomkin Lyrics

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Do not forsake me, oh my darlin'
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, a craven coward
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)

Overall Meaning

Dimitri Tiomkin's song High Noon is from the 1952 Western film of the same name, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. The lyrics of the song reflect the singer's fear and uncertainty as he prepares to face his enemy. He implores his new bride not to leave him in his time of need, reminding her of the promise she made to stand by him. The singer is torn between his love for his wife and his duty to face his enemy. The clock ticking in the background, marking the approach of noon, adds to the tension and urgency of the situation.

The lyrics of the song convey the emotions of the singer beautifully. The fear of facing someone who hates him and the uncertainty of his fate lend a sense of vulnerability to the character. The juxtaposition of love and duty is a recurring theme in Westerns, and the song brings it to life through its lyrics. The singer's plea to his wife not to forsake him is heartbreaking, and the listener is left wondering about his fate.

Line by Line Meaning

Do not forsake me, oh my darlin'
Please don't abandon me, my love

On this, our weddin' day
Today is our wedding day

Wait, wait along
Please wait for me

I do not know what fate awaits me
I'm uncertain of what's to come

I only know I must be brave
I know I must be courageous

And I must face a man who hates me
I must confront someone who despises me

Or lie a coward, a craven coward
Or be a coward, a shameful coward

Or lie a coward in my grave
Or die a coward's death

Oh, to be torn 'twixt love and duty
Oh, to be conflicted between love and responsibility

S'posin' I lose my fair-haired beauty
What if I lose the person I love most

Look at that big hand move along
See the clock's big hand ticking away time

Nearin' high noon
Approaching midday

He made a vow while in state prison
He swore to kill me while he was in prison

Vowed it would be my life or his'n
He promised that one of us would die

I'm not afraid of death but oh
I'm not scared of dying but

What will I do if you leave me?
What will I do if you abandon me?

You made that promise as a bride
You vowed that to me as my wife

Although you're grievin', don't think of leavin'
Even though you're sad, don't consider leaving me

Now that I need you by my side
I need you with me now

Wait along, (wait along) wait along
Please continue waiting

Wait along, wait along
Keep waiting

(Wait along, wait along, wait along, wait along)
(Keep waiting, keep waiting, keep waiting, keep waiting)

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MAX STEINER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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