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Oh Promise Me

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Oh Promise Me

Oh Promise Me is a song with music by Reginald De Koven and lyrics by Clement Scott. The song was written in 1887 and first published in 1889 as an art song. De Koven may have based the melody partly on a song composed by Stanislao Gastaldon, "Musica Proibita". In 1890, De Koven wrote his most successful comic opera, Robin Hood. After opening night, the contralto playing Alan-a-Dale, Jessie Bartlett Davis, demanded a song to better show off her voice, threatening to walk out of the production. De Koven inserted "Oh Promise Me" into the score for her.

The sheet music sold over a million copies in 1890 and continued to gain popularity for several decades, being performed by many artists. The song remains popular as a wedding song both in America and in the UK.

References

Oh Promise Me Wikipedia