It would seem that NOW IS THE HOUR is very close to the hearts of the people of New Zealand.
As an island nation like Ireland I presume emigration is a loss they suffer in every swing of the local economy
and up to relatively recently, most likely these emigrants were never able to return due to the cost of travel.
In many ways, coming from Ireland, I can understand the desolation felt by families as their members left their homes,
to make a new life elsewhere in the hope of prosperity and can understand why such a short and simple song can mean so much to them.
Which might explain why they would sing it when someone is about to leave them with little possibility of returning;
A link to the song and it's history and Maori lyrics is here :
Do follow the link and click the PLAY button for a beautiful rendition of the song.
www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/sound/now-is-the-hourNow Is The Hour
Now is the hour,
when we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing,
far across the sea.
While you're away,
Oh please remember me.
When you return,
you'll find me waiting here.
which explains the following passage from Nana Mouskouri's book Memoirs.
About her Farewell Concert in Christchurch around October / November 2006
Page 372 / 373
That night in Christchurch I responded to as many encores as I could,
It was obvious that the audience was in a mood of extraordinary fervor.
The spectators had been on their feet since the very first encore and
there was such an intense feeling in the air that I was choking back a sob.
But I had to make an end, I had to say goodbye and the sign that I would
not be back was that little white rose which I had plucked from the microphone
at the very end, after singing "My Way" and tossed into the audience.
When I threw them that flower the auditorium was almost in
darkness. The musicians had left the stage and I was alone, tracked
by just one spotlight. But the audience was still on its feet, Still
cheering. To avoid turning my back on them, I retreated from
the stage walking backward, waving and feeling the tears begin to
flow.
I was just backing into the wings when the applause abruptly died.
"That's very strange" , I thought, " that's never happened before."
And I stopped , half hidden by the curtain.
Then I heard a kind of murmur rising from the auditorium. My God,
what could that be ? I listened, the murmur rose, grew louder,
and only then did I realise that the audience was singing. But with
one voice, as if a message had been passed around.
"They're singing for me", I said to myself, " They're singing for me ! "
And suddenly, the feelings that swept over me were so intense
that I went back onstage.
It was something I had never dreamed of in fifty years of singing :
Several thousand spectators on their feet, singing for a performer
standing alone and weeping on the stage. Because of course I was
absolutely incapable of holding back my tears.
And this is what they sang :
Now is the Hour
When we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing, far across the sea.
When you return
You'll find me waiting here
While you're away, oh please remember me.And I cried and I cried...
Farewell, and thank you.
......................................................................
The more I find out about this song, the more I am looking forward to hearing Hayley's version of this beautiful song.
