Willow Weep for Me

"Willow Weep for Me"
Song
Published 1932
Genre Pop
Songwriter(s) Ann Ronell
"Willow Weep for Me"
Single by Chad & Jeremy
from the album Yesterday's Gone
B-side "If She Was Mine"
Released November 1964
Genre Pop
Length 2:33
Label World Artists
Songwriter(s) Ann Ronell
Chad & Jeremy singles chronology
"A Summer Song"
(1964) 		"Willow Weep for Me"
(1964) 		"If I Loved You"
(1965)

"Willow Weep for Me" is a popular song composed in 1932 by Ann Ronell, who also wrote the lyrics. The song form is AABA, written in 4
4 time, although occasionally adapted for 3
4 waltz time.

One account of the inspiration for the song is that, during her time at Radcliffe College, Ronell "had been struck by the loveliness of the willow trees on campus, and this simple observation became the subject of an intricate song."

The song was rejected by publishers for several reasons. First, the song is dedicated to George Gershwin. A dedication to another writer was disapproved of at the time, so the first person presented with the song for publication, Saul Bornstein, passed it to Irving Berlin, who accepted it. Other reasons stated for its slow acceptance are that it was written by a woman and that its construction was unusually complex for a composition that was targeted at a commercial audience (i.e., radio broadcast, record sales and sheet music sales). An implied tempo change in the fifth bar, a result of a switch from the two eighth notes and an eighth-note triplet opening in each of the first four bars to just four eighth notes opening the fifth, then back to two eighth notes and an eighth-note triplet opening the sixth bar, which then has a more offset longer note than any of the previous bars, was one cause of Bornstein's concern.

Versions

It is mostly known as a jazz standard, having been recorded first by Ted Fio Rito (with vocal by Muzzy Marcellino, who was also a master whistler and recorded a whistling version of the song in 1958) in October 1932 and by Paul Whiteman (with vocal by Irene Taylor) the following month. Both were hits in December 1932. Notable recordings continued into the 1950s, starting with Stan Kenton's version with June Christy.

Some 3
4-time versions are on recordings by Phil Woods (Musique du Bois, 1974) and Dr. Lonnie Smith (Jungle Soul, 2006).


It was a major hit for the British duo Chad & Jeremy. In January 1965, it reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and went to No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was included on their Yesterday's Gone album and many subsequent compilations.

Other versions

Chart history

Paul Whiteman
Chart (1932) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 2
Ted Fio Rito
Chart (1932) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 17
Chad & Jeremy
Chart (1964–65) Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles 13
US Billboard Hot 100 15
US Billboard Adult Contemporary 1
US Cash Box Top 100 22
Carmel cover
Chart (1983) Peak
position
UK 79

See also