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I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time
Jo Stafford Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm writing you, my dear,
Just to tell you,
In September, you remember
'Neath the old apple tree
You whispered to me
When it blossomed again, you'd be mine.

I've waited until I could claim you,
I hope I've not waited in vain.
For when it's spring in the valley,
I'm coming, my sweetheart, again!

I'll be with you in apple blossom time,
I'll be with you to change your name to mine.

One day in May
I'll come and say:
"Happy the bride the sun shines on today!"

What a wonderful wedding there will be,
What a wonderful day for you and me!
Church bells will chime
You will be mine
In apple blossom time.

I'll be with you in apple blossom time,
I'll be with you to change your name to mine.

One day in May
I'll come and say:
"Happy the bride the sun shines on today!"

What a wonderful wedding there will be,
What a wonderful day for you and me!
Church bells will chime
You will be mine
In apple blossom time.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time" talk about a promise made under an apple tree. The song starts with the singer writing to someone he loves, recalling the time when they first met under the apple tree in September. At that time, the person promised to be with the singer again when the tree blossomed in spring. The singer has waited for this promise to come true, hoping that it was not made in vain. The lyrics then describe a hypothetical scenario of the singer coming back in May to marry the person he loves.


The apple tree is used symbolically in these lyrics to represent a promise of love and commitment. The tree blossoming in spring signifies the start of a new season of love and reunion. The song also uses imagery of church bells and a beautiful wedding, suggesting a hopeful future of togetherness and happiness. The lyrics convey the message of patience, waiting for the right moment to come, and believing in the promises made under the apple tree.


Fact 1: "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time" was written in 1920 by Neville Fleeson and Albert von Tilzer.


Fact 2: The song became popular in the 1940s, with Jo Stafford and Nat King Cole's version being the most famous.


Fact 3: The tune was played in the film "The Jolson Story" in 1946.


Fact 4: The song has been covered by several musicians, including Louis Armstrong, Bobby Darin, and The Andrews Sisters.


Fact 5: "Apple Blossom Time" is a real event in Washington D.C., where the cherry blossom trees bloom in the spring.


Fact 6: The song was used in a TV commercial for Applebee's restaurants.


Fact 7: In 1953, the song was also included in the film "From Here to Eternity."


Fact 8: The lyrics of the song have been changed in various versions, but the main theme of love and reunion remains the same.


Fact 9: The song was also covered by British girl group The Honeycombs in 1964.


Fact 10: The chords for "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time" are A#, D#, G7, Cm, F7, Bbm, and G#.


(A#) I'm writing you, my dear,
(D#) Just to tell you,
(G7) In September, you remember
(Cm) 'Neath the old apple tree
(F7) You whispered to me
(Bbm) When it blossomed again, you'd be mine.


(A#) I've waited until I could claim you,
(D#) I hope I've not waited in vain.
(G7) For when it's spring in the valley,
(Cm) I'm coming, my sweetheart, again!


(A#)I'll be with you in apple blossom (D#)time,
(G#) I'll be with (Bbm)you to change your name to (A#)mine.


(A#) One day in May
(D#) I'll come and say:
(G7) "Happy the bride the sun shines (Cm) on today!"


(F7) What a wonderful (G#)wedding there will be,
(F7) What a wonderful (G#)day for you and me!
(A#) Church bells will chime
(D#) You will be mine
(Bbm) In apple blossom (A#)time.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm writing you, my dear,
I'm sending this letter to you, my love,


Just to tell you,
Just to inform you,


In September, you remember
Back in September, do you recall?


'Neath the old apple tree
Underneath the aged apple tree


You whispered to me
You spoke to me in a low tone


When it blossomed again, you'd be mine.
You promised to be mine again when it bloomed.


I've waited until I could claim you,
I've patiently waited for an opportunity to ask you,


I hope I've not waited in vain.
I hope my waiting hasn't been for nothing.


For when it's spring in the valley,
Because when the valley experiences spring,


I'm coming, my sweetheart, again!
I'll come back to you, my dear!


I'll be with you in apple blossom time,
I'll be with you when the apple tree first blossoms,


I'll be with you to change your name to mine.
I'll be with you to marry you and take your last name.


One day in May
One day in May


I'll come and say:
I'll come and tell you:


"Happy the bride the sun shines on today!"
"How lucky is the bride who gets the sun on her wedding day!"


What a wonderful wedding there will be,
What a joyous wedding it will be,


What a wonderful day for you and me!
What a beautiful day for us both!


Church bells will chime
Church bells will ring


You will be mine
You will be my spouse


In apple blossom time.
When the apple tree blossoms.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALBERT VON TILZER, NEVILLE FLEESON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Bugleboy 452

Great version, Nat King Cole on Piano and Jo singing, it doesn't get better than that.

Telcom100

Unmistakable Nat King Cole accompaniment and solo. My favorite jazz pianist.

Trombonology Erstwhile

I've always suspected that the four-side date from which this swinging update of a familiar oldie comes was one of Jo's favorite sessions ... but, then, who knows. For me, the Andrews Sisters' treatment isn't even in the same universe as this celestial affair, with Jo in company with some jazz heavies and sans strings. Here, in a period when she was recording a large number of romantic ballads, it's great to find her displaying her effortless swing, as in her Dorsey days. Jo, my favorite vocalist, had a tone like no one else, and that's what knocked me out when I first heard her.

Darryl C Preston

TE As you probably know; the late Judith Durham receives many of the tributes that used to belong to Miss Stafford. Time will do that to even the greatest, and I'm not trying to make a point.
But I would like to hear your comparison of these two brilliant and talented women; especially in the the area of pure singing [I don't know what else to call it].

Trombonology Erstwhile

@Darryl C Preston Interesting that you brought this up. It seems odd now to be reminded that I heard Judith's voice before I heard Jo's; I grew up listening to, and loving, the '60s pop that my older siblings favoured. Obviously, Ms Durham's stylistic range, like Ms Stafford's, extended well beyond the pop of her era. The similarities between the two artists don't end there: Each had piano and classical voice training, sang lead in a quartet, had a pure tone and rather unadorned, without artifice manner of interpretation.

Darryl C Preston

@Trombonology Erstwhile Are you looking for a job in the Diplomatic Corps? [They could certainly use a person like you!]
You've written a great prelude, but avoided any comparison. I'm one of those fans who would listen to Judith Durham read a phone book, but I have no idea how a knowledgeable musical expert would compare her with Jo; though I suspect that, in most cases, Judith would come out second best.

Trombonology Erstwhile

@Darryl C Preston Ha! Well, I'll let you guess my favourite of the two. Here's a hint: Her given name begins with a J .
While I think that "experts" may have an advantage in one way in being able to apply a much more specific criteria to form an analysis, I feel this educated background might sometimes stand in the way of pure enjoyment. I like to think that what/who each of us believes is "best" actually is. Being told that someone/something is better doesn't really change our gut reaction.

Darryl C Preston

@Trombonology Erstwhile Agreed. Nevertheless, I'd be interested in the technical differences between 'The J's' as observed from the point of view of a singer/musician. For example; did the Australian J move closer to her classical training late in the game as a sign of dedication to her craft, or because it seemed like fun?
Speaking of fun; were Cindy Stump and the later lounge singer 'career' attempts to blow off steam for a person whose expertise was so renowned and respected by her 'peers'?
"But I don't know." [I hear you protest]. Well, you can take a better educated shot at it than 99% of us.

2 More Replies...

Planet Of Sound Promotions

We need an apple blossom jeans version of this

hipsterdoofus1026

Much better than the Andrews Sisters' version, the Andrews Sisters suffered a lot because of their backup orchestra, when they were free of that they. did very well

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