Born in Oakdale, New York on Long Island, Monheit began singing professionally while attending Connetquot High School. At 17, she began studying at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City under the tutelage of Peter Eldridge. At the age of 20, as a senior, she won the first runner-up prize at the 1998 Thelonious Monk Institute Vocal Competition. In 1999, she received her Bachelor's degree in music.
Monheit's voice has been compared to that of Ella Fitzgerald, whom she lists as one of her influences. Songs she has recorded range from jazz standards to MGM/RKO musicals of the 1930s-1950s and Brazilian rhythms such as "Começar de novo".
Monheit released her debut album, Never Never Land in October 2000 and it became an instant success. This was followed shortly by her second album, Come Dream With Me (May 2001) and her third, In The Sun (October 2002).
Her fourth album, Live at the Rainbow Room, was released in December 2003. A similarly-titled DVD was released to complement the CD.
Her fifth album, Taking a Chance on Love, was released in September 2004. It debuted at the #1 spot on Billboard's traditional jazz chart and entered Billboard's top 100 pop chart the first week it was released. The album included the song Over the Rainbow, which had been included in her previous release recorded at the Rainbow Room, and also in the soundtrack for the film, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
The Taking a Chance on Love DVD was released in March 2005 and contains performances from the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales, UK. Monheit released her sixth album, The Season, in October 2005. Her first holiday-themed album, it debuted in the top 10 on Billboard's jazz chart. Monheit told jazzreview.com that it was inspired by Ella Fitzgerald's holiday album, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas.
The singer recently signed a recording contract with Concord Records. Her most recent album, Surrender, debuted at #1 on Billboard's jazz chart.
The Folks Who Live On The Hill
Jane Monheit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strive for lofty goals
Others play at smaller games
Being simpler souls
I am of the latter brand
All I want to do
Is to find a plot of land
And live there with you
On a hilltop high
You and I, shiny and new
A cottage that two can fill
And we'll be pleased to be called
The folks who live on the hill
Someday, we may be adding
A thing or two, a wing or two
We will make changes as any family will
But we will always be called
The folks who live on the hill
Our veranda will command
A view of meadows green
The sort of view that
Seems to want to be seen
And when the kids
Grow up and leave us
We'll sit and look at the
Same old view, just we two
Darby and Joan who
Used to be Jack and Jill
The folks like to be called
What they have always been called
The folks who live on the hill
The Folks Who Live on the Hill is a love song written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II in 1937. The song opens with an observation about the variations in the aspirations of men. While some aim for grand goals, others are content with simpler pleasures. The singer, Jane Monheit, identifies as the latter, and all she wants is to live with her lover in a cottage on a hill, well away from the hustle and bustle of the city. She envisions a life of pure contentment where the two of them can enjoy the beauty of nature, make necessary additions to their home that any family would, and watch their children grow up and leave them to enjoy each other's company in their golden years, a happy couple called the folks who live on the hill.
The song is timeless in its appeal because it captures the universal longing for love, companionship, and a place to call home. The lyrics reflect an idyllic life away from the rush and chaos of the modern world where there are no ambitions, no grand goals, or lofty aims. Instead, it echoes the desire for a simple life filled with love and nature, none of which can be found in the city. The listeners easily connect with the hopes and dreams of the singer, and the song touches their hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
Many men with lofty aims
There are many people who have big dreams and aspirations
Strive for lofty goals
They work hard to achieve those goals
Others play at smaller games
On the other hand, there are people who are content with simpler things
Being simpler souls
They have a less complicated nature
I am of the latter brand
I belong to the group of people who are content with simpler things
All I want to do
My only desire
Is to find a plot of land
Is to find a piece of land
And live there with you
And live there together with the person I love
Someday, we'll build a home
At some point in the future, we will build a house
On a hilltop high
On top of a hill
You and I, shiny and new
We will be happy and fresh
A cottage that two can fill
A small house where two people can live comfortably
And we'll be pleased to be called
We will feel happy and satisfied to be known as
The folks who live on the hill
The people who live on the hill
Someday, we may be adding
In the future, we may make additions
A thing or two, a wing or two
Some things, like a new room or addition to the house
We will make changes as any family will
We will modify the house and make changes, like any other family does
But we will always be called
Even with changes, we will continue to be known as
The folks who live on the hill
The people who live on the hill
Our veranda will command
Our porch will have a great view of
A view of meadows green
We will be able to see green meadows from our porch
The sort of view that
The type of view that
Seems to want to be seen
Is so beautiful that it calls out to be viewed
And when the kids
When our children
Grow up and leave us
Mature and move away from home
We'll sit and look at the
We will sit and enjoy
Same old view, just we two
The same beautiful view, with just the two of us
Darby and Joan who
Two elderly people who
Used to be Jack and Jill
Were once young and in love like Jack and Jill from the nursery rhyme
The folks like to be called
We prefer to be known as
What they have always been called
The name we have always been known by
Writer(s): Oscar Ii Hammerstein, Jerome Kern Copyright: T.B. Harms Co.
Contributed by Emma L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.