Schmidt was born in Dallas, Texas. He attended the University of Texas to study art, but when he met Tom Jones at the University he started to accompany the drama student on the piano. They soon started writing musicals together, the first being a revue. However, after serving in the Army, Schmidt moved to New York and worked as a graphic artist for NBC Television and later as an illustrator for Life, Harper's Bazaar, Sports Illustrated, and Fortune.
All of Schmidt's major musicals were written with lyricist Tom Jones. The work the duo is known for is the musical The Fantasticks which ran off-Broadway from 1960 - 2002 for a total of 17,162 performances. He also collaborated on the 1995 feature film adaptation. In 1992 he received the Tony Award, Tony Honor for "The Fantasticks," then in its 33rd year.
The team followed with the Broadway musical 110 in the Shade in 1963, which ran for 330 performances on Broadway and earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Composer and Lyricist for Schmidt and Jones. I Do! I Do! followed in 1966, which brought Mary Martin and Robert Preston to the Broadway stage in a 2-person musical and ran for 560 performances. Jones and Schmidt were nominated for the Tony Award for Best Composer and Lyricist and Best Musical.
They both appeared in a revue of their songs, The Show Goes On, at the York Theatre Company in 1997. The run was extended several times and the show was recorded on the DRG label.
Schmidt was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
His recording, Harvey Schmidt plays Jones and Schmidt was released in 2005.
Schmidt and Jones wrote a musical of Thornton Wilder's Our Town and it took them thirteen years to write, only to have the rights pulled by Wilder's nephew.
Schmidt and Jones were both inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in July 2012.
Songs
"I Can See It" from the musical The Fantasticks; later recorded by Barbra Streisand
"Much More" from the musical The Fantasticks; later recorded by Barbra Streisand for The Barbra Streisand Album
"Soon It's Gonna Rain" from the musical The Fantasticks; later recorded by Barbra Streisand for The Barbra Streisand Album
"Try To Remember" from the musical The Fantasticks
"My Cup Runneth Over" from the musical I Do! I Do!, later recorded by Ed Ames.
Theatre
Shoestring '57 (1957)
Demi-Dozen (1958)
The Fantasticks (1960)
New York Scrapbook (1961 TV Special)
110 in the Shade (1963)
I Do! I Do! (1966)
Celebration (1969)
The Bone Room (1968)
Colette (1970)
Bad Company (1972 film) (1972)
Philemon (1973)
Colette Collage (1982 revision)
Grovers Corners (1987)
Mirette (1996)
The Show Goes On (1997)
Roadside (2001)
Try To Remember
Harvey Schmidt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When life was slow and oh so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September,
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September,
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Try to remember when life was so tender,
That no one wept except the willow,
Try to remember when life was so tender,
That dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender,
That love was an ember about to billow,
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow (follow) follow
(Follow, deep in December it's nice to remember,
Although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember,
Without a hurt the heart is hollow.)
Deep in December it's nice to remember,
The fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December our heart's should remember,
And follow (follow) follow (follow) follow
The song "Try to Remember" is a nostalgic reminiscence of the idyllic days of September. The opening verse sets the tone of the song and serves as an invitation for listeners to go back in time to a September when life was slow and mellow. The subsequent two verses elaborate further on the theme of reminiscing, with references to the green grass and yellow grain of September, the tender and callow days of youth, and dreams that were kept beside pillows. The chorus reflects on the emotions of tenderness and love that characterized that time, with the repeated phrase "follow, follow, follow" serving as a reminder to hold on to those memories even when times are difficult.
The song is notable for its use of sensory images to evoke the feelings of nostalgia and longing. The mention of the green grass and yellow grain of September, for instance, paint a vivid picture of a simpler, more innocent time. In a similar vein, the reference to the willow tree that weeps highlights the melancholic undertones of the song.
Overall, "Try to Remember" is a beautifully rendered ode to the human desire to hold onto and treasure past experiences, even as time marches ever forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Try to remember the kind of September,
Think back to a time when life was slow and mellow, specifically the month of September.
When life was slow and oh so mellow.
Reflect on a time in life when things were calmer and more relaxed.
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Recall a time when nature was vibrant and full of life - green and golden.
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Think of the youthfulness and inexperience that you once had.
Then follow (follow) follow (follow) follow
Use these memories as guidance for the present and future.
Try to remember when life was so tender,
Recall a time when life was delicate and vulnerable.
That no one wept except the willow,
When sadness was so rare that only the willow tree would shed a tear.
That dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Think of a time when dreams were close and easily accessible - right beside your pillow.
That love was an ember about to billow,
Recall a time when love was new and exciting, like a small flame on the verge of bursting forth.
Then follow (follow) follow
Use these memories to guide your path in life.
(Follow, deep in December it's nice to remember,
Even in the cold of winter, memories can keep us warm and content.
Although you know the snow will follow.
Despite the cold reality of winter, the memories of warmer times remain comforting.
Deep in December it's nice to remember,
Reflecting on happy memories during the holiday season can bring joy and comfort.
Without a hurt the heart is hollow.)
Pain is a necessary part of life, without it our hearts become empty and meaningless.
Deep in December our heart's should remember,
During the holidays, it's important to focus on the warmth and joy of happy memories.
And follow (follow) follow (follow) follow
Use these memories to guide your path in life and lead you to a brighter future.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc., Actual Music, S.L.
Written by: HARVEY SCHMIDT, TOM JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind