The Sound of Music: Music Lyrics By Richard Rodgers

Overview

"The Sound of Music" is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The title song of the musical is a powerful and emotional introduction to the main character, Maria, who is introduced in her place of refuge - outdoors, in her familiar hills. The song describes her love for the beauty of nature and her desire to stay in the hills forever. Maria is a new novice studying to be a nun, and the hills provide her with a sense of peace and solitude where she can contemplate her life.

The original production starred Mary Martin, who was discovered sitting in a tree. Since the release of the film, productions have expanded the scenery to have as much open air and hills as possible. The song has been listed among the top 10 in AFI's 100 Songs in American Cinema of the 20th Century. The twirl in the film was the solution of how to switch from a helicopter shot to a shot on the ground. However, it is not appropriate for stage productions.

“THE SOUND OF MUSIC” LYRICS

My day in the hills
Has come to an end, I know.
A star has come out
To tell me it’s time to go.

But deep in the dark green shadows
Are voices that urge me to stay.
So I pause and I wait and I listen
For one more sound,
For one more lovely thing
That the hills might say…

The hills are alive
With the sound of music,
With songs they have sung
For a thousand years.
The hills fill my heart
With the sound of music—
My heart wants to sing
Ev’ry song it hears.

My heart wants to beat
Like the wings of the birds that rise
From the lake to the trees.

My heart wants to sigh
Like a chime that flies
From a church on a breeze,

To laugh like a brook
When it trips and falls
Over stones in its way,
To sing through the night
Like a lark who is learning to pray!

I go to the hills

When my heart is lonely;
I know I will hear
What I’ve heard before—
My heart will be blessed
With the sound of music,
And I’ll sing once more.