Silver Threads Among The Gold
written by HART PEASE DANKS
lyrics by EBEN E. REXFORD
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SILVER THREADS AMONG THE GOLD
MUSICAL MEMORIES (COLOR CLASSICS) 1935
MUSICAL MEMORIES (COLOR CLASSICS) 1935
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Silver Threads Among The Gold was composed in 1873 by American musician and composer Hart Pease Danks. He had recently moved to New York to pursue a full-time music career when he wrote this immensely popular love ballad with poet and writer Eben E. Rexford. Rexford worked his way through collage writing flower and garden articles for magazines. Danks had written the 18 year old requesting lyrics for songs, and ended up paying Rexford $3. each for 6 songs. Amongst them was Silver Threads Among The Gold, which was revised version of a poem he previously sold to a magazine titled "Growing Old." Rexford first heard the song composition when it was performed by a group of Oneida Indians in a concert. (Several known performers are descendent of the Oneida, including the late recording artist Aaliyah.) Silver Threads Among The Gold was Danks' most popular song, and it sold more than 3 million copies in the days when the popularity of a song was measured by the sales of the published sheet music. The song is known to be one of the first songs recorded mechanically. The first known recording was made by Richard Jose in 1903 - it was one of the earliest practical sound recordings. It was also one of the most recorded songs of the early 20th century. Danks is credited with writing over 1,000 songs, including many operettas and church hymns. In 1970, both Danks and Rexford were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame - they were among the fist group of songwriters given this honor. Danks sold the rights to Silver Threads Among The Gold, and ultimately he died penniless in a Philadelphia boarding house in 1903. His final written words are famously reported to be "it's hard to die alone." Silver Threads Among The Gold is one of several turn-of-the-century classics featured in Max Fleischer's 1935 Color Classics short film Musical Memories.
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1903
RICHARD JOSE |
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1904
HENRY BURR |
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1905
MISS MARIE NARELLE |
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1912
ELISE BAKER |
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1912
WILL OAKLAND |
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1914
ELIZABETH SPENCER |
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1914
MAUD POWELL |
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1915
CHARLES ADAMS |
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19??
JACK TETER |
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19??
OLGA BIBOR |
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1926
JOHN McCORMACK |
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19??
CRITERION QUARTET |
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1923
AMELITA GALLI-CURCI |
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1925
RILEY PUCKETT |
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1930
CHICO MARX from ANIMAL CRACKERS |
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1930
LITTLE JACK LITTLE |
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1939
BLACK DYKE MILLS BAND |
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1947
BING CROSBY |
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1948
LARRY DOUGLAS |
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1950
JAN PEERCE |
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19??
GEORGE LEWIS |
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1955
from GUNSMOKE |
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1956
JERRY LEE LEWIS |
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19??
JO STAFFORD |
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1963
BOB McGRATH |
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1964
SLIM WHITMAN |
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1973
JERRY LEE LEWIS |
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19??
FOSTER & ALLEN |
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19??
CHINESE |
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1984
JIM DAVIDSON |
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1993
LOUISE MORRISSEY |
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19??
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2009
BONNIE PRINCE BILLY |
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19??
JANEY KIRK |
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20??
THE FUREYS & DAVEY ARTHUR |
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20??
TREVOR NASSER |
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20??
HAILEYBURY PIPES AND DRUMS |
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SING ALONG |
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SILVER THREADS AMONG THE GOLD
Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today,
Life is fading fast away.
But, my darling, you will be,
will be Always fair to me,
Yes, my darling, you will be
Always young and fair to me.
Chorus:
Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today;
Life is fading fast away.
When your hair is silver white,
And your cheeks no longer bright,
With the roses of the May,
I will kiss your lips and say,
Oh! My darling, mine alone, alone,
You have never older grown!
Yes, my darling, mine alone,
You have never older grown!
chorus
Love can never more grow old,
Locks may lose their brown and gold;
Cheeks may fade and hollow grow,
But the hearts that love will know,
Never, never winters frost and chill;
Summer warmth is in them still;
Never winters frost and chill,
Summer warmth is in them still.
Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today,
Life is fading fast away.
But, my darling, you will be,
will be Always fair to me,
Yes, my darling, you will be
Always young and fair to me.
Chorus:
Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today;
Life is fading fast away.
When your hair is silver white,
And your cheeks no longer bright,
With the roses of the May,
I will kiss your lips and say,
Oh! My darling, mine alone, alone,
You have never older grown!
Yes, my darling, mine alone,
You have never older grown!
chorus
Love can never more grow old,
Locks may lose their brown and gold;
Cheeks may fade and hollow grow,
But the hearts that love will know,
Never, never winters frost and chill;
Summer warmth is in them still;
Never winters frost and chill,
Summer warmth is in them still.
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