Song Lyric Sunday – August 2 2020 Gather Round

On By Peter's ponderingIn Education, Music, school, Service, Song Lyric Sunday, Weekly prompts

song-lyric-sundayJim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

Today, I offer a song from The Kinks‘ concept album Schoolboys in Disgrace, recorded in 1975.  The album was considered by critics to be the last album in what they dubbed the group’s “theatrical” period.  It is rooted in 1950s rock and roll, and also includes elements of doo-wop, hard rock, and arena rock.

When I went to school we didn’t have graduations, last assemblies, celebrations of class of 1959, or 1964, high school proms, or anything like that. Apparently such items are a thing now in the UK! Yet another thing we’ve copied from the USA.

This album is apparently quite a popular one to play on these occasions, and this track, in particular, is amongst the most played to commemorate a graduation party or even a funeral of a young person. Who knew?

I do hope that you enjoy it.

The Last Assembly

The Kinks

As I walked to the last assembly,
There were tears in the back of my eyes,
And I saw all my friends all around me,
They were there to wish me goodbye.

As I stood in a line with my comrades,
I felt such a feeling of pride,
And I forgot all the grief and the hatred inside,
As we sang for the very last time.

Gather ’round, gather ’round,
Everybody gather ’round.
Come and join our last assembly,
Let us smile, wipe away all the frowns.

Gather ’round, gather ’round,
Everybody gather ’round.
As we stood at the last assembly,
All my friends came to wish me goodbye.

Gather ’round, gather ’round,
Gather ’round, gather ’round,
Everybody gather ’round.
As I stand at the last assembly,
I just can’t keep the tears from my eyes.

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Raymond Douglas Davies

The Last Assembly lyrics © Sony/atv Tunes Llc Obo Davray Music Ltd.

 

16 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday – August 2 2020 Gather Round”

  4. I didn’t have anything like a last assembly. On the last day of school, however, Alan Nohlgren rode his motorcycle in one door, down the hall, and out the other door of my high school!

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  8. I loved the Kinks in the 60s and 70s but I can’t say I’ve ever heard this song. I can see how it could be used at modern graduations and probably funerals, too. It has a very sad and weepy sound to it – if you know what I mean. I think I’ll stick with Waterloo Sunset and Sunny Afternoon. Lola was a fun song, too. 😀

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  9. A reason I visited Facebook was to see William’s graduation photo. Four years old and leaving nursery! So cute, but what a ridiculous idea.

    I can’t remember the girl’s sixth form leaving assemblies being much more than speeches. Joss’s was wonderful. Someone had put together an amazing slide show of them all from when they joined the school at eleven years old. The music they played was this – and I cried!

    Liked by 1 person

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