The Folks Who Live On The Hill
Michael Feinstein Lyrics


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Someday we'll build a home on a hilltop high
You and i, shiny and new
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 wing or two
A thing 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 our kids grow up and leave us
We sit and look at that 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

Overall Meaning

The Folks Who Live On The Hill is a song sung by Michael Feinstein, with music composed by Jerome Kern and lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. Oscillating between melancholy and hope, the song presents a desire of two people in love to build a home on a hilltop high, shiny and new, which will be their own little paradise. He paints a picture of a cottage full of love, and how they hope to make changes and add wings with time, yet remain the same people who live on the hill. The veranda of their dream home will command a view of green meadows, which they will cherish and preserve throughout the years. The song ends with a hopeful note of finding contentment in each other’s company, even as old age catches up with them. The lyrics are a metaphor for life: the desire to build something special that is still constantly undergoing change.


Line by Line Meaning

Someday we'll build a home on a hilltop high
In the future, we will construct a new residence on top of a high hill.


You and i, shiny and new
Together, we will be young and vibrant, starting a new chapter in our lives.


Cottage that two can fill
The house will be small but cosy, perfect for just the two of us.


And we'll be pleased to be called
We will be proud to be known by the name


The folks who live on the hill
The people who reside in the house on top of the hill.


Someday we may be adding a wing or two
In the future, we might expand the house to include additional rooms or areas.


A thing or two
We may make some minor modifications or upgrades.


We will make changes, as any family will
As time goes by, our family will grow and evolve, and we will need to adjust our living space accordingly.


But we will always be called
However, our name will remain the same


The folks who live on the hill
We will continue to be known as the people who reside in the house on top of the hill.


Our veranda will command a view of meadows green
Our house's terrace will have a grand view of lush green fields.


The sort of view that seems to want to be seen
The type of view that is so pleasing to the eye that it almost begs to be admired.


And when our kids grow up and leave us
When our children have grown up and moved out of the house,


We sit and look at that same old view
We will sit together and admire the same scenic view as before,


Just we two, Darby and Joan
We will enjoy each other's company in our golden years.


Who used to be Jack and Jill
We are the same people who were young and in love, like the characters in the nursery rhyme Jack and Jill.


The folks who like to be called
We prefer to be addressed as


What they have always been called
The same name we have been known by for years - the people who live on the hill.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar II Hammerstein

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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