I don’t know where you are but “in my lonely world over here” I am shivering and disgruntled by the weather this week and so my thoughts naturally turned to Frank Loesser’s lovely Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year.

It’s not as well-known as some other spring songs ( Rodgers’ It Might As Well be Spring, say, or Spring is Here) but I think it’s a fine melody that could use more exposure.  (Loesser wrote it in 1943 for the move “Christmas Holiday”.  I seem to recall Bullwinkle Moose singing a snatch of it in one of the cartoons too but I might be wrong.)

In any case, I was introduced to the tune rather late in my tutelage by Meri (Americus) Mungiole, the sweet and dapper violinist from South Philadelphia with whom I occasionally worked.  In the years when I played at Strawbridge’s department store, Meri would frequently stop by to see his wife who worked there and to suggest new songs to me while lunching.  As a nod to his violin, I added some strings.  Click on the red title below to hear it.

Verse (which Loesser calls here “Voice”):

January and February

Were never so empty and gray.

Tragic’lly I feel like crying:

“Without you, darling, I’m dying”

But let’s rather put it this way:

Chorus:

Spring will be a little later this year

A little late arriving in my lonely world over here.

For you have left me

And where is our April of old?

You have left me

And winter continues cold,  

As if to say Spring will be a little slow to start

 A little slow reviving that music itg made in my heart.

Yes, time heals all things, so I needn’t clint to this fear,

It’s merely that spring will be

A little late this year.