By a Waterfall

Sammy Fain

About By a Waterfall

"By a Waterfall" is a 1933 song with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Irving Kahal. It was featured in an extravagant choreographic arrangement in the film Footlight Parade by Busby Berkeley that features his trademark human waterfall, with vocal performances by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. It features a water ballet of chorus girls diving and swimming into the water in elaborate geometric and floral patterns. The lyrics of the song use the phrase "I'm calling you - oo-oo-oo" in much the same way as the Indian Love Call from the operetta Rose-Marie. Berkeley realized that screen choreography involved the placement and movement of the camera as well as the dancers. Instead of filming numbers from fixed angles, he set his cameras into motion on custom built booms and monorails and if necessary, cut through the studio roof to get the right shot. Berkeley used a 40 x 80 foot (12.2 x 24.4 meter) swimming pool that filled an entire soundstage. Its walls and floor were glass, and before shooting started 100 chorus girls took two weeks to practice their routines in it. The actual filming lasted six days and required 20,000 gallons (75,708 liters) of water a minute to be pumped across the set. 


Year:
1999
1:33
159 
#2

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I appreciate the simple things
Cause I'm awfully fond of getting
Love in an actual setting.
This is what I call the simple things:
Just a winding stream where I can drift and dream.
And now I'm waiting for you.

By a waterfall I'm calling you.
We can share it all beneath a ceiling of blue.
We'll spend a heavenly day
Here where the whispering waters play.
There's a whipper will that's calling you.
By a waterfall, he's dreaming too.
There's a magic melody
Mother nature sings to me
Beside a waterfall with you.

There's a whipper will that's calling.
By a waterfall, he's dreaming too.
There's a magic melody
Mother nature sings to me
Besides a waterfall with you.

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Sammy Fain

Sammy Fain, born Samuel E. Feinberg, (June 17, 1902 – December 6, 1989) was an American composer of popular music. more »

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Written by: SAMMY FAIN, IRVING KAHAL

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Composition
"By a Waterfall" is a widely popular song composed by Sammy Fain, an American composer of popular music.
Lyrics
The lyrics of "By a Waterfall" were written by Irving Kahal, one of Fain's regular collaborators. Their work together produced many popular songs in the 1920s and 1930s.
Release Year
The song was originally written and released in 1933, an era often referred to as the "Golden Age of Hollywood", which is known for its musical films.
Featured Film
This song was prominently featured in the Warner Brothers film "Footlight Parade," a 1933 American pre-Code musical film starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, and Dick Powell.
Musical Style
The composition falls under the "Tin Pan Alley" genre, a genre which is characterized by its catchy and upbeat melodies. "By A Waterfall" brings out the authentic style of this period with its pleasant tune and rhythmic flow.
Significance
By a Waterfall continues to be known as one of Sammy Fain's notable works. The song became a standard in the Great American Songbook, a collection of the most important and influential American popular songs and jazz standards from the early 20th century.
Cultural Influence
"By a Waterfall" has also been incorporated into various other forms of popular culture such as cartoons. The song was notably used in "I Love to Singa," a Warner Brothers' cartoon directed by Tex Avery.
Covers
Over the years, the song has been covered by many well-known artists including Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, and the BBC Big Band Orchestra. Each rendition brings a unique flair to the iconic tune.
Award Nomination
In 1934, "By a Waterfall" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. However, it didn't win the award.
Legacy
More than eight decades after its original release, "By a Waterfall" remains a beloved classic. It's often played at jazz clubs, during musical theatre productions, and at weddings and other special events.

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