The Folks Who Live on the Hill
Jerome Kern Lyrics
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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 spot of land,
Someday we'll build a home 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 fam'ly 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 who 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 touching love song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. The opening lines illustrate the contrast between peopleβs aspirations and life choices. Some individuals strive for extraordinary or challenging objectives, while others lead a simple life with modest objectives. Hammerstein expresses that he belongs to the latter crowd where he desires to settle down in a beautiful place with the one he loves. The song's purpose is to exalt simple joys and contentment rather than the extravagance and constant pursuit of higher achievement to attain happiness.
In the second verse, the romantic duo discusses their ideal home. They plan to build a cottage on a high hilltop that overlooks a beautiful, green meadow. They want their place to be new and shiny, occupied entirely by just the two of them. The couple intends to add a few extensions to their house as the years go by, but their home will still resemble the perfect spot they envisioned before being called as "The folks who live on the hill."
Line by Line Meaning
Many men with lofty aims,
Strive for lofty goals,
There are many men with ambitious intentions who pursue ambitious objectives.
Others play at smaller games,
Being simpler souls.
There are others who engage in simpler activities and have simpler personalities.
I am of the latter brand,
All I want to do,
Is to find a spot of land,
And live there with you.
I belong to the latter category and my only desire is to locate a piece of land to dwell with you.
Someday we'll build a home on a hilltop high,
You and I,
Shiny and new a cottage that two can fill.
In the future, we will construct a house atop a high hill together, which is new and shiny and adequately spacious for two people.
And we'll be pleased to be called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
We will be happy to have the name "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 fam'ly will,
But we will always be called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
In the future, we might add some more rooms or sections to our house. We will make modifications like every other family, but we will continue to be referred to as "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.
Our porch will overlook green meadows, and this view will draw attention itself.
And when the kids grow up and leave us,
We'll sit and look at the same old view,
Just we two.
When our children become adults and move away from us, we will seat and gaze at the identical scene with just the two of us left.
Darby and Joan who used to be Jack and Jill,
The folks who like to be called,
What they have always been called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
We will become the type of elderly couple who prefer being known as "The folks who live on the hill" instead of their previous names of Darby and Joan, or Jack and Jill.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar II Hammerstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind