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)
The Green Leaves Of Summer
Dimitri Tiomkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A time to be reaping
A time to be sowing
The green leaves of summer
Are calling me home "
Twas so good to be young then
In the season of plenty
As high as the sky
A time just for planting
A time just for ploughing
A time to be courting
A girl of your own "
Twas so good to be young then
To be close to the earth
And to stand by your wife
At the moment of birth, woo
A time to be reaping
A time to be sowing
A time just for living
A place for to die "
Twas so good to be young then
To be close to the earth
Now the green leaves of summer
Are calling me home "
Twas so good to be young then
To be close to the earth
Now the green leaves of summer
Are calling me home
The song "The Green Leaves Of Summer" is a poignant reflection on the passage of time and the fleeting nature of life. The lyrics are steeped in nostalgia, evoking a sense of longing for a simpler, more innocent time that has passed. The opening lines – "A time to be reaping, a time to be sowing, the green leaves of summer are calling me home" – set the tone for the rest of the song, invoking images of the changing seasons and the cyclical nature of life. The references to planting, plowing, and courting further emphasize the idea of life's natural rhythms.
The second verse is particularly poignant, with its description of "when the catfish were jumping as high as the sky." This image not only conjures up a strong sense of nostalgia but also serves as a reminder that the natural world has its own rhythms and cycles that continue despite the passing of time. The final verse brings the song full circle, with the singer reflecting on the joys of being close to the earth and standing by one's wife at the moment of birth. The repeated refrain of "Now the green leaves of summer are calling me home" drives home the theme of the passage of time and the inevitability of death.
Overall, the lyrics to "The Green Leaves Of Summer" are a beautiful meditation on the fleeting nature of life and the importance of living in harmony with the natural world. The song's powerful imagery and nostalgic tone make it a timeless classic that continues to resonate with listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo, woo
An expression of excitement or joy
A time to be reaping
A time to enjoy the fruits of one's labor
A time to be sowing
A time to sow seeds for future growth and prosperity
The green leaves of summer
Symbolic of nature's abundance and beauty
Are calling me home
A longing for the simplicity and purity of the natural world
Twas so good to be young then
Nostalgia for a time of innocence and wonder
In the season of plenty
A time of abundance and wealth
When the catfish were jumping
A vivid memory of a joyous time
As high as the sky
Exaggeration to emphasize the excitement of the moment
A time just for planting
A time to focus on growth and attainment
A time just for ploughing
A time to prepare the soil for abundant harvest
A time to be courting
A time to seek love and companionship
A girl of your own
The desire for a meaningful relationship
To be close to the earth
A deep appreciation of nature and natural processes
And to stand by your wife
The importance of family and the support of loved ones
At the moment of birth, woo
A joyous and life-changing moment
A time just for living
A time to enjoy life's experiences and opportunities
A place for to die
The inevitability of death and the acceptance of one's mortality
Now the green leaves of summer
Still symbolic of nature's beauty, but with a slightly mournful tone
Are calling me home
A final return to the earth and the simplicity of nature
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DIMITRI TIOMKIN, PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokeyallanritter3211
I think this is is one of the most beautiful songs ever written!
@dc10fomin65
Saw this movie in Chicago in 1961 and just loved that song, I was 12 then. Now I am 74 and have tears in my eyes listening to it, now it is about me. Just like Roy Clark's " Yesterday when I was Young", best regards to you my friend!
@stuartpeacock8257
It certainly is from a Brit
@leseryojaux201
By russian!
@DiddlyPenguin
That film is 60 years old now & the music is still very haunting.
@javiercliment8944
PASARAN MILES Y MILES DE AÑOS Y LA MUSICA CONTINUARA VIVA ES ARTE PURO Y DURO OBRA MAESTRA
@stuartpeacock8257
Absolutely
@alancooper9632
I still get a lump in my throat when I hear this gorgeous song, to be honest I also have a tear in my eye when watching the film. Big John Wayne fan, I've always told my kids that I had something in my eye. And I'm still telling them the same today and I'm in my mid sixties .🙄
@feltonmclaughlin3529
I really shouldn't start pealing onions when this is played.
@everettbeard2381
Me Too!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤