SUMMER WINE MUSIC AND LYRICS

PLAYING THE HARMONICA?

A fan recently asked who played the harmonica on the Summer Wine CD. Producer Alan JW Bell provides the answer...and a photo! 
"It was Harry Pitch, who played for all the episodes up to five years ago. Tommy Riley only filled-in for Harry, when he wasn't available for two episodes. The harmonica player for the last six years has been Jim Hughes, who, ironically should have been in the first orchestra in 1972, but a double booking got in the way!"

Compo's Funeral Lyrics from "Just a Small Funeral"



A shot of the Summer Wine Orchestra, kindly provided by producer Alan JW Bell. 


...AND THE LYRICS

Meanwhile, below are the lovely lyrics written by the late Bill Owen (Compo) for Ronnie Hazelhurst's delightful theme tune. Keep scrolling down the page to see extra lyrics supplied by producer Alan JW Bell. 

Listen to a music download performed by Holmfirth Rotary and Probus Choir with the pupils of Holmfirth High School and accompanied by Holme Silver Band

 The Last of the Summer Wine



The last of the summer wine,
The sweet bouquet of memories,
Of you and I, as time goes by,
I still remember these.

The last of the summer wine,
When passing shadows still recur,
Of golden days, so young in love,
And that's the way we were.

We had our dreams,
To change the world,
As people will,
But now we're known as the folk,
Who live on the hill.

The last of the summer wine,
A vintage love, a vintage brew,
And now my love this toast I give,
Thank you for being you. 

ROY CLARKE'S LYRICS

Producer Alan JW Bell has kindly provided the following lyrics by Roy Clarke.  Alan said: "They were sung originally on the first feature-length film 'Getting Sam Home', and altered for 'Just a small funeral' They have never been recorded. But a recording was made about twenty-five years ago with another set of lyrics (the name Norman Newell lurks in my memory)."

The colour of summer's gone,

Of golden days when I was young,

Of girls who came but soon moved on.

Is in my summer wine.   

The perfumes of earth and vine,

Of meadows when the rain has gone,

Of women with their finery on.

Is in my summer wine.   

The memories I can see,

Here in my cup,

Of sweet short days, bitter days,

Now all drunk up.   

The taste of the life that slips,

From day to day through fingers blind,

The honey from the woman's lips,

Is in my summer wine.

JUST  A SMALL FUNERAL

The following are the lyrics sung over the montage in the 'Just a Small Funeral' episode.  They were slightly changed from the original to make them more reflective and appropriate to Compo's funeral. We appreciate the help of producer Alan JW Bell in adding these to the website. 

Now all of his summer's gone

Those urgent days when he was young

Those girls he loved but soon moved on

To drink his summer wine.

Now perfumes of earth and vine

Of meadows when the rain has gone

These friends with their black armbands on

Salute his summer wine.

The memories he left to me

Here in my cup

Of sweet short days, bitter days

Now all drunk up.

The fullness of the life that slipped

The other day all mortal pain

Free now to roam fresh hills and lanes

And taste eternal wine.