Expert: Bong Santos - 7/6/2007

Question
Hi Bong.  Are you familiar with the tv series Beauty and the Beast? The song "The First Time I Loved Forever" was the theme song for that series.  I would like to find out who are the artists for that particular song. I would get different reponses so now I am confuse.

Some say its Melanie Safka.  Some would say its Lisa Angelie and Ron Pearlman (the Beast).  Then I read somewhere that this song used in the tv series was done by Lee Holdridge and Don Davis.

Please help.  Thank you

Answer
Dear SAMANTHA,

One of the most romantic songs which came from a television series in the 80's, that would be THE FIRST TIME I LOVED FOREVER. It is from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST which aired from 1987 to 1990. It starred LINDA HAMILTON and RON PEARLMAN (we know him more as HELLBOY). The melody which was written by LEE HOLDRIDGE is its main theme. The song with lyrics by MELANIE SAFKA appeared on the episode A DISTANT SHORE (Season 2, Episode 16, aired April 19, 1989) and won for HOLDRIDGE and SAFKA an Emmy award for outstanding achievement in music and lyrics. It was interpreted by country singer LISA ANGELLE and the guy you heard doing narration was RON PEARLMAN reciting excerpts from the poem SOMEWHERE I HAVE NEVER TRAVELED, GLADLY by e.e. cummings. DON DAVIS was credited for doing orchestration works together with LEE HOLDRIDGE. Here's its lyrics:

THE FIRST TIME I LOVED FOREVER / LISA ANGELLE

Poem:
“Somewhere I have never traveled
Gladly beyond any experience
Your eyes have their silence
And your most frail gesture of things
Which enclose me
But which I cannot touch
Because they are too near.”

The first time I loved forever
Was when you whispered my name
And I knew at once you loved me
For the me of who I am

The first time I loved forever
I cast all else aside
And I bid my heart to follow
Be there no more need to hide

And if wishes and dreams
Are merely for children
And if love's a tale for fools
I'll live the dream with you

Poem:
“oh, if your words be to close me
I, my life will shut, very beautifully
Suddenly, as when the heart of this flower
Imagines the snow carefully, everywhere
descending”.

For all my life and forever
There's a truth I will always know
When my world divides and shatters
Your love is where I'll go

Poem:
“I do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens. Only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses.
Nobody, not even the rain has such small hands.”

Maraming salamat po!!

BONG M. SANTOS
Manila, Philippines