Someone to Watch Over Me

By: Grace Woolley Composer: George Gershwin

Sang at Solo and Ensemble Festival by: Emma VanEnkevort

Basic Song Information

• The song was Composed by George Gershwin.• It was composed in 1926.• This composition comes from the musical,

“Oh, Kay!”• Someone to Watch Over Me is a musical

theater song.

Composer Information

• George Gershwin was born on September 26, 1898.

• He was born in Brooklyn, New York.• One interesting fact about Gershwin was that

he dropped out of school and started playing piano professionally age fifteen.

• George wrote a mixture of jazz and classical music.

• He died on July 11, 1937 at age 38.

“Oh Kay” information

• The show takes place in a beach house owned by Jimmy Winters. When Jimmy arrives home with his new bride he finds Shorty McGee living there. Jimmy assumes that Shorty is the new butler. In fact, Shorty has been using the house to store five cases of bronze. So while Shorty is forced to pretend to be a butler, Jimmy finds himself falling for Lady Katherine(Kay).

“Oh Kay” information (continued)

• This musical includes songs such as; The Woman’s Touch, Don’t Ask, Dear Little Girl, Maybe, Clap Yo’ Hands, Do Do Do, Fidgety Feet, Heaven on Earth and “Oh Kay!”

• The song Someone to Watch Over Me is preformed when Kay finds herself longing for someone to be with, she sings the song to a ragdoll.

Text

• Kay begins the song by singing, “There’s a saying old says that love is blind, still we’re often told “Seek and ye shall find”…

• The most important phrase of the song is someone to watch over me. This phrase is repeated many times throughout the song. It is so important because it really shows that Kay is yearning for someone to be with.

Music Analysis

• An unusual marking of this song is scherzando which means to sing the word, phrase, or measure in a playful form.

• George Gershwin gave the music sort of a blue and sad ring to it so that when Kay sang the words, she would sound lonely.

• One fact about the song, it was originally sang and sung in the key of C.

Sources

• www.answers.com• www.biography.com• www.wiki.answers.com• www.stageagent.com• www.classicalarchives.com• A special thanks to; Emma VanEnkevort. THANKS FOR WATCHING!