Touching Performance Of 'I Wish I Was 18 Again' By George Burns

Jun 09, 2020

George Burns was known for many things. He had a unique look, an amazingly sharp wit, and he never completely slowed down, developing some of his best material at a point when many people would've retired. Passing away in 1996, only two months after his 100th birthday, Burns is a true showbiz legend.

Here, we reminisce with his touching performance of I Wish I Was 18 Again.

Something that he's not necessarily known for is his singing. In this video, Burns, late in his career and life, sings I Wish I Was 18 Again. Unmistakable in his familiar attire, featuring round glasses and cigar, Burns was greeted by strong applause from the audience.

Introducing the song with a smile, Burns discussed how the song "started a new career for him" and credited the song's writer, Sonny Throckmorton. Burns begins to sing wistfully against the beautiful orchestration, including rising and falling strings.

His voice has some grit in it, which adds to the poignancy of the lyrics, spoken from someone who was looking back at what he had left behind. Members of the audience were visibly moved by the performance, especially ones who were well past their youth. The younger members of the audience hopefully took special notice of the lyrics and how Burns sang them, making sure they didn't take their precious youth for granted.

The song closed out the program, and Burns was given a standing ovation. It was an emotional performance in many ways, happy, sad, hopeful, melancholy, and just beautiful all around. When Burns first came to fame, it might've not been on many people's minds that he would be able to move a crowd in such a way.

While Burns has passed away, moments like this show why he's such an indispensable part of pop culture. He was more than someone with a unique look and funny remarks. He was an amazing and talented human. He also shows that one is only as young as they feel and that people should take all the time they can to appreciate the moments they have.

What do you think of this performance? Show this to anyone you know who loves George Burns and moving musical performances.