Mostly recognized as the stoic Vulcan, Mr. Spock from the original Star Trek series, Leonard Nimoy’s career in film and television was a diverse one, which included revisiting his iconic character in the sci-fi franchise throughout the decades.
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Born March 26, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts, Leonard Simon Nimoy moved to Los Angeles after college and started teaching acting and starring in minor roles by the early 1950s. After serving in the U.S. Army, Nimoy returned to TV and film roles, along with a few B-movies, before landing his breakout role on Star Trek.
Much like his original Star Trek co-star, (Captain Kirk) William Shatner, Nimoy also explored a career in music in the 1960s and released his Star Trek-inspired debut, Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock’s Music from Outer Space. Released in 1967, Nimoy recorded the album as Mr. Spock before releasing Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy, featuring a collection of more original tracks, including one written by the actor.
Nimoy went on to release three more albums through his final offering, The New World of Leonard Nimoy, before exploring more roles on stage throughout the ’70s, along with starting work as a voice actor, which he continued doing through the 2010s.
Throughout his career, Nimoy also reanimated his Spock character on the animated Star Trek show, and by starring in later iterations of TV series and six films within the franchise—he also directed three of them—along with voicing several related video games from the ’90s through 2010s.
In 1986, Nimoy also starred in The Bangles‘ music video for their Katrina and the Waves cover “Going Down to Liverpool” and nearly 20 years later in Bruno Mars‘ “The Lazy Song.”
Though his musical career was short-lived, Nimoy did leave behind a small capsule of his own songs.
Here’s a look at four songs Nimoy wrote.
1. “Once I Smiled” (1968)
Written by Leonard Nimoy and Charles R. Grean
In 1966, Nimoy signed with Dot Records and had a short music career from 1967 through 1970. After releasing a more Star Trek-inspired Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock’s Music from Outer Space, followed by Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy, which still featured more outer space sound effects and Spock-inspired songs, the actor also showed more of his “other side” with a song he wrote, reminiscing on young love “Once I Smiled.”
Once I smiled a smile so rare
Loved a girl with golden hair
Acted like a human boy
That would pause on clouds of joy
Ran through fields like a child of the ground
Kissed and touched with a silent sound
Swung from trees like a monkey pup
Saw the world from down side up
2. “Please Don’t Try to Change My Mind” (1968)
Written by Leonard Nimoy and Don Christopher
Nimoy’s third album, The Way I Feel, had a more ’60s folk-pop vibe with covers of Joni Mitchell‘s “Both Sides Now” and Pete Seeger’s “If I Had a Hammer.” He also penned two songs, “Consilium” with Charles R. Grean and “Please Don’t Try to Change My Mind.”
The latter track, which Nimoy released as a single, captured some of the essence of Johnny Cash‘s “I Walk the Line“; Nimoy later covered the 1956 Cash hit on his 1970 album, The New World of Leonard Nimoy.
Tomorrow I’ll be going to just where I’m not quite sure
There are seeds I must be sowing for my life is too obscure
There are questions I must ask, there are answers I must find
So, please, don’t try to change my mind, girl
Please don’t try to change my mind
Within me there’s a yearning, I feel too unfulfilled
Both my heart and mind are burning with a fire that must be stilled
There’s so much of life to taste, I must leave you here behind
So please, don’t try to change my mind
3. “The Man I Would Like to Be” (1969)
Written by Leonard Nimoy and George Tipton
Nimoy’s fourth album, The Touch of Leonard featured four more songs written by Nimoy, including “Maiden Wine,” “Contact,” and “Piece of Hope.” He also sings about unrequited love in “The Man I Would Like To Be,” which he co-wrote with George Tipton.
The man I would like to be
Tries hard to make believe
That the warmth and taste and love of you
Are things that you leave for me
But the man I want you to see
Won’t dare to let you know
That the child within me cries, within me dies
Each time you go
Sometimes, I think you know the truth
And love the child inside
And act as though you love the man
Just to let me keep my pride
4. “The Sun Will Rise” (1970)
Written by Leonard Nimoy
Shortly after releasing The Touch of Leonard Nimoy, the actor released his fifth and final album, The New World of Leonard Nimoy, featuring a number of covers, including Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line,” John Fogerty‘s “Proud Mary,” the Mel Tillis-penned “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” and Jackie DeShannon‘s 1969 hit “Put a Little Love in Your Heart,” along with several original songs.
The New World of Leonard Nimoy is a collection of songs centered on one of his recurring themes: love and human connection and it features just one last song penned by Nimoy: “The Sun Will Rise.”
I know the sun will rise tomorrow morning
Eastern skies will bring the dawn
And you and I
Shall be reborn
There are ways I spent my time but didn’t matter much
Worryin’ about politicians
There are ways I spent my time but didn’t matter much
I’ve wasted precious hours
And so many things that I’ve done
But I’ll get up every morning
To watch the rising sun (the rising sun)
Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
