La Mer Beyond the Sea – Avalon Jazz Band avec partition
“Beyond the Sea” is a 1945 contemporary pop romantic love song by Jack Lawrence, with music taken from the song “La Mer” by Charles Trenet.
Trenet had composed “La Mer” (which means “the Sea”) with French lyrics. It had some differences to the English-language version that Lawrence later wrote. Trenet’s French version was a homage and ode to the changing moods of the sea, while Lawrence, by just adding one word “Beyond” to the title, gave him the start whereby he made the song into a love song.
Versions
“Beyond the Sea” has been recorded by many artists, but Bobby Darin‘s version released in late 1959 is the best known by many, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 15 on the US R&B Chart, and No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart. in early 1960.
Before Bobby Darin’s, two recordings reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Benny Goodman‘s version charted in 1948, and was featured in the Cary Grant/Betsy Drake romantic comedy Every Girl Should Be Married. Roger Williams‘ recording reached No. 37 in 1955.
Deana Martin recorded Beyond the Sea in 2013. The song was released on her album, Destination Moon, in 2013 by Big Fish Records.
American R&B singer George Benson recorded an R&B version of the song under the title “Beyond The Sea (La Mer).” It was released on Warner Bros. This version entered the UK Singles Chart on 20 April 1985. It reached a peak position of no. 60 and remained on the chart for three weeks.
The first recording of Beyond the Sea was by Harry James and His Orchestra on December 22, 1947, and the first recording of La Mer was by French jazz musician Roland Gerbeau in December 1945.
Charles Trenet
Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet (18 May 1913 – 19 February 2001) was a French singer-songwriter, who composed both the music and the lyrics to nearly a thousand songs. These include “La Mer“, “Boum!” and “Y’a d’la joie”, and supported a career that lasted over sixty years.
Lyrics
Somewhere beyond the sea
Somewhere waitin’ for me
My lover stands on golden sands
And watches the ships that go sailin’
Somewhere beyond the sea
She’s there watchin’ for me
If I could fly like birds on high
Then straight to her arms, I’d go sailin’
It’s far beyond a star
It’s near beyond the moon
I know beyond a doubt
My heart will lead me there soon
We’ll meet beyond the shore
We’ll kiss just as before
Happy we’ll be beyond the sea
And never again I’ll go sailin’
I know beyond a doubt, ah!
My heart will lead me there soon
We’ll meet, I know we’ll meet beyond the shore
We’ll kiss just as before
Happy we’ll be beyond the sea
And never again I’ll go sailin’