"Que Sera, Sera"

Doris Day singing
"Que Sera, Sera" (1955)

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Doris Day sings
"Que Sera, Sera" (1955)

"Que Sera, Sera"
73 Hits 3D-Album (2012)

Preface: For Song #35, I've selected "Que Sera, Sera" (Whatever Will Be Will Be) sang by Doris Day (1956). (Lyrics). This song was written by Jay Livingston (music) & Ray Evans (lyrics) that was first published in 1955. Doris Day introduced it in the Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), singing it as a cue to their onscreen kidnapped son. The three verses of the song progress through the life of the narrator— from childhood, through young adulthood and falling in love, to parenthood— and each asks "What will I be?" or "What lies ahead?" The chorus repeats the answer: "What will be, will be." Day's recording of the song for Columbia Records made it to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one in the UK Singles Chart. It came to be known as Day's signature song. The song in The Man Who Knew Too Much received the 1957 Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was the third Oscar in this category for Livingston & Evans, who previously won in 1948 and 1950. In 2004 it finished at number 48 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.

[Verse 1]
When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, "What will I be?"
"Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?"
Here's what she said to me

[Chorus]
"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
"Que será, será
What will be, will be"

[Verse 2]
When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart, "What lies ahead?
Will we have rainbows day after day?"
Here's what my sweetheart said:

[Chorus]
"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
"Que será, será
What will be, will be"

[Bridge]
Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, "What will I be?
Will I be handsome? Will I be rich?"
I tell them tenderly

[Chorus]
"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
"Que será, será
What will be, will be"

[Outro]
"Que será, será

© Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com
June 30, 2023