The wedding song 'Oh Promise me' doesn't seem so hokey now

Oh Promise Me

Oh, promise me that some day you and I,

Will take our love together to some sky,

Where we can be alone and faith renew,

And find the hollows where those flowers grew.

Those first sweet violets of early spring

Which come to whispers thrill us both, and sing,

Of love unspeakable that is to be,

Oh, promise me Oh, promise me.

The traditional season for weddings will soon be upon us. As I look back to a cold and windy February night, when BW and I married it seems like two lifetimes ago and at the same time it seems like it was only yesterday. How the time has flown.

Mr. and Mrs. Robbins, in our church, recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. I looked at them and remembered helping my parents observe their 63rd anniversary. I said to Mr. Robbins, "I'll bet it hasn't seemed that long has it?" With a sapient look in his eye and a smile and loving glance at his wife, he replied, "It seems like quite a while in some respects and in others, it seems like we were married just last year."

She nodded and smiled contentedly.

I remember a song by Eddie Albert. It was more of a recitation than a song as he was not a great singer. The lyric was, "Fall away, fall away when you're happy the years fall away. When you're blue the days go by a draggin', but when you are happy the years fall away."

Just last week when I was in my salad days I did not attend very many weddings. I do remember attending more shivarees than actual weddings. Neighbors, family and friends would surprise the newly married couple one evening and play pranks on them and then enjoy an evening of fellowship. The women would often put flour on the bride's face, slather her lips with garish lipstick, drape her with an old apron and make her sing them a song and answer embarrassing questions about her married life. Some would ride her around the yard in a wheelbarrow.

It seemed that the favorite trick of the men was to take the groom and throw him, unwilling as he was, either into a convenient pond or the horse trough. He usually thought he could resist but against three or more burley farmers he finally had to relent. It was all in fun. That tradition lies moldering in the corner with spider webs on it.

I began to attend weddings as friends and acquaintances began to marry. At least 50 percent of the weddings included the song, Oh Promise me. It seemed hokey to me and a bit melodramatic especially when sung by a squeaky voiced teenage girl. As I ponder the meaning of the lyrics it would be a great song for couples to include in their weddings today. Smarmy yes, but the meaning and intent are clear. Promise me that you and I will love each other at a level that is unspeakable. What a lofty dream. It is possible if you want it.

Larry Vandeventer grew up north of Calvertville on a farm and graduated from Worthington High School. He lives in Plainfield and can be reached at Goosecrick@aol.com or (317) 839-7656. Write him at Larry Vandeventer 6860 Sunrise Drive, Plainfield, Ind., 46168. He has written five books.