'I've Waited 64 Years': 82-Year-Old Releases Debut Love Song For Wife

At 82 years old, Morton Block has released his debut single: a love song he wrote for his wife in 1958.

Morton Block and his grandson Matt Block released "My Love" on March 18. Morton, who lives in Philadelphia, posted a portion of the jazz tune on TikTok with the music playing over reel footage of his wife from their honeymoon in 1960. The video went viral, garnering 1.4 million views and thousands of comments from viewers touched by the love story.

Morton told Newsweek that he was 19 and his wife Susan was 17 when they met. He was in the navy at the time, and after a date with Susan in Atlantic City, he was deployed to Europe.

He immediately knew he was in it for the long haul, but on that ship out to sea, he wasn't sure if she felt the same way. That was when he wrote the words to a melody that already swam in his head.

"I miss you more each day, since you've gone away, I long for your touch, I need you so much, my love," said the lyrics to the song that was finally released 64 years later.

Morton continued to play the song over the years, but he had other careers, working in the kitchen and bath industry, consulting and sales. He retired during the pandemic at 80 years old.

Decades after Morton wrote "My Love," his grandson Matt, who lives in Brooklyn, decided the world had to see it.

Inspired by his grandfather's lifelong love for music, Matt and his brother Jacob had founded a record label called La Reserve in 2017. One day, when Matt was home for the holidays, his grandfather pulled out the chart for "My Love." He had heard Morton play the song before, but at that moment, the idea of releasing it on his record label became real.

"We've always made music together, just the two of us at his house," Matt told Newsweek.

The family collaborated with Benny Benack III, who sang the vocals.

Morton said that when he and his wife first heard the recording of "My Love," they were overcome. Susan wept with joy.

"We just couldn't believe it," he said. "We would just sit and listen and realize who we were back then."

Although young artists and founders receive plenty of media attention through platforms such as the "Forbes 30 Under 30" list, many others do not gain recognition for their passions until later in life. Harry Bernstein wrote in obscurity for much of his life, before he achieved fame at the age of 96 with his first published book, The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers. Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as Grandma Moses, began a prolific painting career at the age of 78.

Morton Brock is starting to see some of that recognition. Under the video in TikTok, people left words of appreciation for the creation of the work.

"Sir, this song is legit. Thank you for sharing it with us. It's a gift," said a comment from an account called WaldenBooks.

Another "thought this was a [F]rank Sinatra song," and added, "this song is insanely good my man."

"THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. It's rare to see vintage style music being released today. Beautiful work," another wrote.