Ned Washington, Dmitri Tiomkin, Frankie Lane
(#5
in 1952)
Do not forsake me, Oh my darling
On this, our wedding day
Do not forsake me, Oh my darling
Wait, Wait along
I do not know what fate awaits me
I only know, I must be brave
And I must face a man who hates me
Or lie a coward,
A craven coward
Or lie a coward in my grave
Oh, to be torn ‘tweenst love and duty
Suposing I lose my fair-haired beauty
Look at that big hand move along
Nearing high noon
He made a vow while in state prison
Vowed it would be my life or his’n
I’m not afraid of death
But oh what will I do if you leave me?
Do not forsake me, Oh my darlin’
You made that promise as a bride
Do not forsake me, oh my darlin’
Although you’re grieving, don’t think of leaving
Now that I need you by my side
This song wasn't originally
planned for the picture High
Noon but, after an early
screening flopped, Tiomkin decided a theme song was needed. Recalled
Tiomkin, "The rule book says that in movies you can't have singing
while there's dialogue; but I convinced Stanley Kramer that it might be
a good idea to have the song sung, whistled, and played by the
orchestra. A melody came to me, I played it on the piano at home, and
developed it until I thought it was right."
The next screening of the film
was also a failure and Tiomkin took the opportunity to obtain all the
publishing and recordings rights to the song. Tex Ritter, who sang on
the soundtrack, refused to record it, so Tiomkin went to Frankie Laine
at Columbia Records. Laine's version became an immense success and when
the picture opened four months later, the interest in the song spurred
ticket sales.
