Song lyrics to Try to Remember – a song from the musical comedy The Fantasticks. Lyrics, written by Tom Jones.
Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh so mellow
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain so yellow
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a young and a callow fellow
Try to remember and if you remember
Then follow–follow, oh-oh
Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow
Try to remember when life was so tender
That dreams were kept beside your pillow
Try to remember when life was so tender
That love was an ember about to billow
Try to remember and if you remember
Then follow–follow, oh-oh
Deep in December it’s nice to remember
Although you know the snow will follow
Deep in December it’s nice to remember
Without a hurt, the heart is hollow
Deep in December it’s nice to remember
The fire of September that made you mellow
Deep in December our hearts should remember
Then follow
Notable recordings
- “Try to Remember” made the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart three times in 1965 in versions by Ed Ames, Roger Williams, Barry McGuire, The Kingston Trio, The Sandpipers, and The Brothers Four.
- Jim Nabors covered the song in 1968 on his “Kiss Me Goodbye” album.
- Eddie Fisher released a version in 1965 on Eddie Fisher Today!
- Patti Page in 1965 on her album Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte.
- Andy Williams in 1966 for his album The Shadow of Your Smile.
- John Davidson included it in his 1967 album, “My Best to You“.
- The Temptations rendered their version in 1967 on their album The Temptations in a Mellow Mood.
- Perry Como in 1968 on his album Look to Your Heart.
- Roy Orbison in 1969 on his album Roy Orbison’s Many Moods.
- Liza Minnelli recorded it for her Liza! Liza! album in September 1964.
Try to Remember in media
- Gloria Loring sang it on the Carol Burnett show (the lost episodes) in 1967.
- It was used in the soundtrack of the film The Man Who Fell to Earth.
- Sandy Duncan did the song in 1976 on The Muppet Show.
- The opening scenes of the ABC television mini-series Amerika (1987).
- The 1995 film version of The Fantasticks.
- In 1996, a parody of “Try to Remember” was used on The Rush Limbaugh Show as a recurring feature mocking Hillary Clinton’s Congressional testimony in the Whitewaterhearings. She famously said she was unable to remember key facts about the issues.
- It is used in Captain America: Civil War when Tony Stark’s mother plays it on the piano in his flashback