“The Ballad of High Noon” (also known simply as “High Noon”, or by its opening lyric and better known title, “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’”) is a popular song published in 1952, with music by Dimitri Tiomkin and lyrics by Ned Washington. It is the theme song of the 1952 multiple Academy Award-winning movie High Noon (and titled onscreen as such in the film’s opening credits as sung by popular Country Music singer and actor Tex Ritter), with its tune repeated throughout the film. It was awarded the 1952 Academy Award for Best Original Son and was performed that night for the Academy by Ritter. There were only three instruments accompanying Ritter in the soundtrack: guitar, accordion, and the Hammond Novachord, the first electronic synthesizer which created an unusual gourd-like percussion background. The song appears at number 25 on “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs”. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all timeDo Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling” is an episode of the British science fiction-allegorical television series, The Prisoner (1967 series) which was filmed e exteriors for the series were primarily filmed in Portmeirion village near Porthmadog, North Wales, the location that partially inspired the show, At the request of Portmeirion’s architect Clough Williams-Ellis, the main location for the series was not disclosed until the opening credits of the last episode. Note: Prthmadog is my grandmother home town and yes I have been to Portmeirion where the Homes are all painted in pastel colors.
Songs with Banjo from Harold Hagler
