Born in Oakland, California, McKuen ran away from home at the age of eleven to escape an alcoholic stepfather and to send what money he could to his mother. After a series of jobs, from lumberjack, ranch hand, railroad worker to rodeo cowboy, throughout the west, McKuen began in the 1950s to excite audiences with his poetry readings, appearing with such well-known poets as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg; during this time, he often used the pseudonym "Dor". He moved to New York City in 1959 to compose and conduct for the TV show "The CBS Workshop." By the 1960s he had achieved fame, far surpassing in sales the works of the Beat poets who preceded him. During the early 1960s he spent most of his time in France. This began his project to translate the work of legendary singer/songwriter Jacques Brel, into English.
He became an icon across college campuses for his ability to capture in verse the feelings of anxiety, love, confusion, and hope that were common during the Vietnam era. His public readings had the drawing power of a rock concert.
McKuen’s commercial success was unparalleled in the field of modern poetry. His poetic works have been translated into a dozen languages and sold over 65 million copies. Throughout his career he continued to enjoy sell-out concerts around the world and appeared regularly at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall.
As a songwriter, he contributed to the sale of over 100 million records. His material has been recorded by such artists as Love's Been Good To Me (1969), Waylon Jennings, The London Philharmonic, Greta Keller, Perry Como, and Madonna. Perhaps his most well-known song is Jean (1969).
McKuen proved to be a prolific songwriter, penning over 1,500 songs. He collaborated with a variety of internationally renowned composers, including Henry Mancini and John Williams, and a highly successful series of albums with Anita Kerr. His symphonies, concertos, and other classical works have been performed by orchestras around the globe. His suite for narrator and orchestra, "The City", was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Music. His work as a composer in the film industry garnered him two Academy Award nominations.
Throughout his multi-award-winning career, McKuen paired his artistic endeavors with a spirit for social reform. Before a tour of South Africa in the 1970s, McKuen demanded “mixed seating” among white and black concert-goers, opening the doors for successful tours by a variety of African-American performers, including Sammy Davis, Jr. and Ella Fitzgerald. He also spearheaded efforts to raise AIDS awareness and fund charities for children and senior citizens. His humanitarian efforts twice won him the prestigious Freedoms Foundation Award.
Holidays
Rod McKuen Lyrics
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I played me a waiting game
If a maid refused me with tossing curls
I'd let the old Earth make a couple of whirls
While I plied her with tears in lieu of pearls
And as time came around she came my way
As time came around, she came
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
And you ain't got time for waiting game
When days dwindle down to a precious few
September November,
And these few golden days I'd share with you
Those golden days I share with you
When you meet with the young girls early in the Spring
You court them in song and rhyme
They answer with words and a clover ring
But if you could examine the goods they bring
They have little to offer but the songs they sing
And the plentiful waste of time of day
A plentiful waste of time
Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
One hasn't got time for the waiting game
Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
September, November
And these few precious days I'll spend with you
These precious days I'll spend with you
The first stanza of "September Song" by Rod McKuen traces the journey of a young man courting girls. He played a "waiting game," biding his time and being patient even if a girl refused him initially. He would let time pass while continuing to express his love and devotion to her, hoping that eventually she would come around to him. He would try to woo her with tears and sincerity, instead of presenting her with material things like pearls. However, he does eventually succeed, and the woman comes into his life after time passes.
The second stanza talks about how time passes quickly, and how September comes around soon after May. As the autumn weather begins to turn, the leaves start to become like flames, and there seems to be little time for playing games. The days "dwindle down to a precious few" in September and November, and it is important to make the most of the little time we have. The singer expresses how these precious few days would be spent with the person he loves, making the most of the time that they have left.
Overall, the song is about the passage of time and the importance of making the most of it. The singer reflects on his younger days when he would play games to court women, and how time has changed his perspective. He realizes that time is fleeting, and it is important to cherish the few precious moments we have with the ones we love.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a young man courting the girls
When I was a young man trying to win over women
I played me a waiting game
I waited patiently for the woman to accept me
If a maid refused me with tossing curls
If a woman rejected me with disdain and arrogance
I'd let the old Earth make a couple of whirls
I would give her time to reconsider, to see if things could change
While I plied her with tears in lieu of pearls
I tried to win her over with my emotions and feelings instead of material wealth
And as time came around she came my way
Eventually, after waiting and persevering, she came to me
As time came around, she came
Eventually, after waiting and persevering, she came to me
Oh, it's a long long while from May to December
The time between the beginning of adulthood and senior years is a long and difficult journey
But the days grow short when you reach September
But time passes quickly when you start to get older
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
When fall weather arrives and the leaves turn red and yellow
And you ain't got time for waiting game
There's no time left to waste in trying to win someone over
When days dwindle down to a precious few
When life starts to come to an end and there are only a few days left
September November,
This time of life, when the days are dwindling, encompasses September through November
And these few golden days I'd share with you
I want to spend these last days with you, cherishing them
Those golden days I share with you
Those days left, while not many, I'll spend with you
When you meet with the young girls early in the Spring
When you meet young women in the early days of adulthood
You court them in song and rhyme
You try to win them over with poetic language and musical expression
They answer with words and a clover ring
They may give you words of affection and sometimes, they may even give you a gift such as a clover ring
But if you could examine the goods they bring
If you examine what they really have to offer
They have little to offer but the songs they sing
They have few tangible things to offer besides their youthful energy and romance
And the plentiful waste of time of day
They may waste a lot of time and not offer much in terms of concrete value
A plentiful waste of time
A lot of time wasted that cannot be regained
Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December
The time between the beginning of adulthood and senior years is a long and difficult journey
But the days grow short when you reach September
But time passes quickly when you start to get older
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
When fall weather arrives and the leaves turn red and yellow
One hasn't got time for the waiting game
There's no time left to waste in trying to win someone over
Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
The days are few and valuable
September, November
This time of life, when the days are dwindling, encompasses September through November
And these few precious days I'll spend with you
I want to spend these last days with you, cherishing them
These precious days I'll spend with you
I'll spend these last few precious days with you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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Albert Wong
on The Women (Les Biches)
Where can I find the lyrics of "The Women"