The Echo Of A Piper's Song

.

Sandpipers - relatives of the Killdeer which are among my favorite signs and sounds of spring.


The Shadow of Your Smile

One day we walked along the sand
One day in early spring
You held a piper in your hand
To mend its broken wing
Now I'll remember many a day
And many a lonely mile
The echo of a piper's song
And the shadow of a smile

The shadow of your smile
When you are gone
Will color all my dreams
And light the dawn
Look into my eyes
My love and see
All the lovely things
You are to me

Our wistful little star
Was far to high
A teardrop kissed your lips
And so did I
Now when I remember spring
All the joy that love can bring
I will be remembering
The shadow of your smile  
  

The Shadow of Your Smile, by songwriters Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster, was introduced in the 1965 film The Sandpiper, which is why it is also known as Love Theme From Sandpiper. It won the 1965 Academy Award for Best Original Song. Tony Bennett's version won the 1966 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

The movie, filmed in Big Sur, CA, starred Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Eva Marie Saint and Charles Bronson. And while I have some memories of the movie, I have more memories of the song.