Where or When
Encyclopedia
"Where or When" is a show tune
from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart
musical
Babes In Arms
. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton
and Mitzi Green
. That same year, Hal Kemp
recorded a popular version. It also appeared in the movie of the same title two years later. Dion and the Belmonts
also released a successful remake of the song, which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
in January 1960
.
In 1963
, The Lettermen
released their version as a single, which peaked at #98 on the Hot 100.
Those who have not experienced déjà vu
often misunderstand the words "Some things that happen for the first time..." and substitute "Some things that happened for the first time..." which changes the meaning to mere recall of past events. The song lyrics mean: Some things that are now happening for the first time and never happened before, now falsely seem to be happening again. But I can't remember where or when because they never happened until now.
This song was used for the Frank Sinatra biopic Sinatra, which was made in 1992 and starred Philip Casnoff
. A scene from the film shows him performing the song on stage at the Paramount Theatre.
Show tune
A show tune is a popular song originally written as part of the score of a "show" , especially if the piece in question has become a "standard", more or less detached in most people's minds from the original context...
from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership of composer Richard Rodgers and the lyricist Lorenz Hart...
musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Babes In Arms
Babes in Arms
Babes in Arms is a 1937 musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart. It concerns a teen-age boy who puts on a show with his friends to avoid being sent to a work farm.- Production history:...
. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton
Ray Heatherton
Ray Heatherton was an American singer, Broadway musical theatre performer, and a popular New York television personality in the early days of the medium.-Early career:...
and Mitzi Green
Mitzi Green
Mitzi Green was an American child actress for Paramount and RKO, in the early talkie era...
. That same year, Hal Kemp
Hal Kemp
James Harold "Hal" Kemp was a jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader, composer, and arranger. He was born in Marion, Alabama and died in Madera, California following an auto accident...
recorded a popular version. It also appeared in the movie of the same title two years later. Dion and the Belmonts
The Belmonts
The Belmonts are an American doo-wop group that originated in the mid 1950s. The group consisted of Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo Mastrangelo, and Nick Caruso.. The group took their first name from Belmont Avenue in the Bronx. There were several stages in their history, including the 1958–1960...
also released a successful remake of the song, which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in January 1960
1960 in music
-Events:*January 14 – Elvis Presley is promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army*February 6 – Songwriter Jesse Belvin dies in an automobile accident in Los Angeles...
.
In 1963
1963 in music
-Events:*January 1 – The Beatles start a 5-day tour in Scotland to support the release of their new single, "Love Me Do".*January 4 – At Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy, Dalida receives a Juke Box Global Oscar for the year's most-played artist on juke boxes....
, The Lettermen
The Lettermen
The Lettermen are an American male pop music vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959...
released their version as a single, which peaked at #98 on the Hot 100.
Recorded versions
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Analysis of the lyrics
The lyrics of Where or When illustrate a memory anomaly known as déjà vu:- "It seems we stood and talked like this before.
- We looked at each other in the same way then.
- But I can't remember where or when...
- Some things that happen for the first time
- Seem to be happening again."
Those who have not experienced déjà vu
Déjà vu
Déjà vu is the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the prior encounter are uncertain and were perhaps imagined...
often misunderstand the words "Some things that happen for the first time..." and substitute "Some things that happened for the first time..." which changes the meaning to mere recall of past events. The song lyrics mean: Some things that are now happening for the first time and never happened before, now falsely seem to be happening again. But I can't remember where or when because they never happened until now.
This song was used for the Frank Sinatra biopic Sinatra, which was made in 1992 and starred Philip Casnoff
Philip Casnoff
Philip Casnoff is a Golden Globe Award nominated, Theater World Award winning, American actor, known for his roles in TV series and on Broadway.- Theatre :...
. A scene from the film shows him performing the song on stage at the Paramount Theatre.