question

[latebloomer]

Hi, Doc. Here's a question for you: "Dream of Owen", a song by Charles Williams (and the theme for an old British movie, “While I Live”) is a longtime favorite of mine. Just now I heard “Theme From the Apartment” (actually entitled "Jealous Lover”), also by Charles Williams, and also an old favorite. To my astonishment, I’m pretty certain they are identical. Can’t figure out how I never noticed before. Any idea how I can find out if they really are identical?

You’re the best researcher (detective) I’ve ever known. If you have no idea, I’m sunk!

As ever,
Latebloomer

[mike edwards66]

.

[drjohncarpenter]

Hi, Doc. Here's a question for you: "Dream of Owen", a song by Charles Williams (and the theme for an old British movie, “While I Live”) is a longtime favorite of mine. Just now I heard “Theme From the Apartment” (actually entitled "Jealous Lover”), also by Charles Williams, and also an old favorite. To my astonishment, I’m pretty certain they are identical. Can’t figure out how I never noticed before. Any idea how I can find out if they really are identical?

You’re the best researcher (detective) I’ve ever known. If you have no idea, I’m sunk!

As ever,
Latebloomer

Thank you for the kind words.

Here's something I dug out, can't say for sure if it's actually of value or just plain garbage.

Answer: Had a listen, The Dream Of Olwen and Theme from The Apartment are similar, very so, but not the same.

Interestingly, the melody to Jealous Lover/Theme from The Apartment first appeared in the 1949 film The Romantic Age (aka Naughty Arlette - in America) - music by Charles Williams.

Also, The Dream Of Olwen borrows a little from Puccini (and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies borrows from both Apartment and Olwen).

Hope that helps.

Will check some more and return soon!

[mike edwards66]

.

[drjohncarpenter]

Hi, Doc. Here's a question for you: "Dream of Owen", a song by Charles Williams (and the theme for an old British movie, “While I Live”) is a longtime favorite of mine. Just now I heard “Theme From the Apartment” (actually entitled "Jealous Lover”), also by Charles Williams, and also an old favorite. To my astonishment, I’m pretty certain they are identical. Can’t figure out how I never noticed before. Any idea how I can find out if they really are identical?

You’re the best researcher (detective) I’ve ever known. If you have no idea, I’m sunk!

As ever,
Latebloomer

It's basically an example of a songwriter revamping material for a later project. We've seen plenty of examples of this from Presley's songwriting stable, so it must have been common then.

Charles Williams first issued "Jealous Lover" in 1949.




"Jealous Lover" Charles Williams and his Concert Orchestra (Columbia UK DX 1569, Jun 1949)
"With Arthur Dulay at the Piano," recorded April 12, 1949.



The revamp became a top ten hit in the U.S. in 1960.




"Theme from The Apartment" Ferrante and Teicher With Their Orch. & Chorus (UA 231, May 16, 1960)



So, there you go.

[latebloomer]

Mike and Doc, thank you for both the movie and the music, and the explanations. Great work!

I first heard 'The Dream of Olwen' at a high school concert freshman year, played by a very talented sophomore, so it will always be that for me. Sure would like to see the movie of the same name, but so far have found only a short clip. Don't think I've ever seen "The Apartment."

[mike edwards66]

.

[drjohncarpenter]

Doc, thank you for both the movie and the music, and the explanations. Great work!

I first heard 'The Dream of Olwen' at a high school concert freshman year, played by a very talented sophomore, so it will always be that for me. Sure would like to see the movie of the same name, but so far have found only a short clip. Don't think I've ever seen "The Apartment."

Happy to help.

Do know I rarely visit this section of the forum these days. All the topics are basically duplicates of ones created in "All Elvis."

Here's a place where you can enjoy Billy Wilder's "The Apartment":

https://archive.org/details/artists-and-models.-1955/THE+APARTMENT+1960.avi


The other movie you seek is actually called "While I Live":




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/While_I_Live
https://letterboxd.com/film/while-i-live/
https://www.silversirens.co.uk/productions/while-i-live-1947/
https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150053362


You can see it online in excellent quality on YouTube Movies or Amazon Prime for a small fee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOWLVitHcvo
https://www.amazon.com/Where-I-live-Dream-Olwen/dp/B07HSH96Q9