Mario Lanza - Song of India

Doe's anyone have the lyrics to: Song of India as sung by
Mario Lanza? been searching the 'net for years without success.
Even tried the Mario L. fan club.

Hope this helps:


SONG OF INDIA
(Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov / Modern Lyrics: Johnny Mercer)

Mario Lanza


And still the snowy Himalayas rise
In ancient majesty before our eyes,
Beyond the plains, above the pines,
While through the ever, never changing land
As silently as any native band
That moves at night, the Ganges Shines

Then I hear the song that only India can sing,
Softer than the plumage on a black raven's wing;
High upon a minaret I stand
Upon an old enchanted land,
There's the Maharajah's caravan,
Unfolding like a painted fan,
How small the little race of Man!

See them all parade across the ages,
Armies, Kings and slave from hist'ry's pages,
Played on one of nature's vastest stages.
The turbaned Sikhs and fakirs line the streets,
While holy men in shadowed calm retreats
Pray through the night and watch the stars,
A lonely plane flies off to meet the dawn,
While down below the busy life goes on,
And women crowd the old bazaars;

All are in the song that only India can sing,
Softer than the plumage on a black raven's wing;
Tune the ageless moon and stars were strung by,
Timeless song that only could be sung by
India, the jewel of the East.





Alternate version :


And still the snowy Himalyas rise,
In ancient majesty before our eyes,
Beyond the plains, above the pines.
While through the ever never changing land,
As silently as any native band,
That moves at night, the Ganges shine.
Then I hear the song that only India can sing,
Softer than the plumage on a black raven's wing.
High upon a minaret I stand
And gaze across the desert sand,
Upon an old enchanted land
There the Maharaja's caravan,
Unfolding like a painted fan,
How small the little race of man.
See them all parade across the ages,
All these kings and slaves from History's pages,
Laid on one of Nature's vastest stages.
The turbaned Sihks and beggars line the street,
While holy men in shadowed calm retreat,
Pray through the night and watch the stars,
The loney crane flies off to meet the dawn,
While down below the busy life goes on,
And women crowd the old bazaar
All are in the song that only India can sing,
India, the jewel of the East

Here is a transcription
of the original aria...

http://www.grandi-tenori.com/features/am/am.2004.08.php

English transcribed lyrics:

Do not count the diamonds in caves of stone
Do not count the pearls in the southern sea
Of distant India so full of wonders.
There is a wondrous stone, a ruby set in the warm sea;
And on that stone there is a Phoenix, a bird with the face of a maiden
Who keeps singly songs of paradise so sweetly,
Scattering her feathers and covering the sea.
Whoever hears this bird will forget everything.
Do not count the diamonds in caves of stone
Do not count the pearls in the southern sea
Of distant India so full of wonders.

Hello People.

As a music enthusiast, and a Computer Analyst/Programmer, I could not bear to see such inaccuracies in the lyrics of a song I grew up listening to.
After hours of studying the music, pronumciation, and formatting, I have the following which is true to every note the late Mario Lanza sang:

SONG OF INDIA
Mario Lanza

And still the snowy Himalayas rise,
in ancient majesty before our eyes,
beyond the plains, above the pines.
While through the ever never changing land,
as silently as any native band,
that moves at night; the Ganges shines.

Then I hear the song that only India can sing;
softer than the plumage on a black raven's wing.

High upon a minaret I stand
and gaze across the desert sand
upon an old enchanted land.
There's the Maharajah's caravan
unfolding like a painted fan
how small the little race of Man!

See them all parade across the ages,
armies kings and slaves from hist'ry's pages,
played on one of nature's vastest stages.
The turbaned Sikhs and beggars line the streets,
while holy men in shadowed calm retreats,
pray through the night, and watch the stars.
A lonely plane flies off to meet the dawn,
while down below the busy life goes on,
and women crowd the old bazaars.

All are in the song that only India can sing;
India, the jewel of the East!