Wallfisch was born on November 8, 1979 in London, England, the son of Elizabeth Wallfisch (née Hunt), an Australian Baroque violinist, and Raphael Wallfisch, a British cellist. He is the eldest of their three children. His paternal grandparents are pianist Peter Wallfisch and cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, who is one of the last known surviving members of the Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz.
Wallfisch began playing the piano at 5, composing at 6 and has been conducting since he was 14.
Between 1993 and 1997, he attended the Guildhall School of Music (Dept. of Initial Studies), and in 1997 obtained a place on the 'Joint Course' run concurrently by the Royal Northern College of Music and the University of Manchester, studying composition with Anthony Gilbert. In 2000 he graduated from the University with First Class Honours and the Proctor-Gregg award for outstanding achievement in composition.
As associate Conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra from 2003-2007, Wallfisch has conducted and recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra and City of London Sinfonia and has performed in venues such as the Barbican, Cadogan Hall, Royal Festival Hall and St. George’s Bristol in the UK. In 2005 he conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in a series of live broadcast Gala performances at the Sydney Opera House. In 2009, he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. Other recent guest conducting highlights have included the Bavarian Radio Philharmonic, Orchestre de Bretagne, Tivoli Symphony Orchestra, and an appearance in the 2007 Mecklenburg Festival with the Weimar Staatskapelle.
Wallfisch has performed live in over 100 concerts worldwide. He was lead orchestras including the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony at venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Sydney Opera House and Royal Festival Hall.
In 2004, Wallfisch made his scoring debut, composing the music for Thomas Vinterberg’s Dear Wendy, for which he was nominated Discovery of the Year in the 2005 World Soundtrack Awards, and a nomination for Best Original Score in the 2006 Danish Film Academy Awards. His subsequent score, for Rupert Wyatt’s suspense thriller The Escapist earned him a nomination as ‘Best Original Film Score’ in the 2009 Ivor Novello Awards and his second nomination in the 2008 World Soundtrack Awards.
In 2014, Wallfisch was appointed an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London. Also he Is A Member Of Remote Control Productions A Company By Hans Zimmer.
Benjamin resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife Missy.
My Edward and I
Benjamin Wallfisch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no one in the place 'cept you and me
So set 'em' up joe
I got a little story I think you oughtta know
We're drinking my friend
To the end of a brief episode
So make it one for my baby
And one more for the road
I know the routine
Put another nickel in that there machine
I'm feeling so bad
Won't you make the music easy and sad
I could tell you a lot
But you gotta to be true to your code
So make it one for my baby
And one more for the road
You'd never know it
But buddy I'm a kind of poet
And I've got a lot of things I want to say
And if I'm gloomy, please listen to me
'Til it's all, all talked away
Well, that's how it goes
And Joe I know you're gettin' anxious to close
So thanks for the cheer
I hope you didn't mind
My bending your ear
But this torch that I found
It's gotta be drowned
Or it soon might explode
So make it one for my baby
And one more for the road
The song "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" was originally written by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen in 1943. This version, performed by Benjamin Wallfisch, is a nostalgic and melancholic tribute to the original song. The lyrics evoke a lone bar patron sitting with the bartender, reminiscing about a failed relationship and contemplating his future. With lines like “We’re drinking my friend, to the end of a brief episode,” the song suggests that the patron is saying goodbye to a period of his life and moving on to something new.
The lyrics tell a story of heartbreak and loss as the singer tries to drown out his sorrows by drinking. He tells the bartender to “make it easy and sad” when playing the music, and admits that he has “got a lot of things I want to say.” The song culminates in a powerful climax, as the singer declares that he must “drown” the “torch” that he has found, or it will “soon might explode.”
Overall, "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" is a poignant tale of heartbreak and longing for something more. It speaks to the universal human experience of love and loss, and the ways in which we try to cope with these feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
It's quarter to three
It's late at night
There's no one in the place 'cept you and me
We are the only people in this bar
So set 'em' up joe
Please give us another round of drinks, Joe
I got a little story I think you oughtta know
I have something on my mind that I want to share with you
We're drinking my friend
We are here to drink together
To the end of a brief episode
We are celebrating the end of something short-lived
So make it one for my baby
Please pour another drink for me
And one more for the road
And another one for the journey ahead
I know the routine
I am familiar with the way things work
Put another nickel in that there machine
Please play some sad music for me on the jukebox
I'm feeling so bad
I am feeling very down
Won't you make the music easy and sad
Choose some slow and melancholy songs for me
I could tell you a lot
I have many things to share with you
But you gotta to be true to your code
But I trust that you will keep our conversation confidential
So make it one for my baby
Please pour another drink for me
And one more for the road
And another one for the journey ahead
You'd never know it
You wouldn't guess it by looking at me
But buddy I'm a kind of poet
I consider myself a bit of a wordsmith
And I've got a lot of things I want to say
I have many thoughts and feelings that I need to express
And if I'm gloomy, please listen to me
And if I seem sad or depressed, please hear me out
'Til it's all, all talked away
Until I have said everything I need to say
Well, that's how it goes
That's just the way life is sometimes
And Joe I know you're gettin' anxious to close
And I understand that you want to close up the bar soon, Joe
So thanks for the cheer
Thank you for your company and hospitality
I hope you didn't mind
I hope I didn't bother you too much
My bending your ear
Talking to you and sharing my thoughts with you
But this torch that I found
But this intense feeling that I have
It's gotta be drowned
I need to get rid of it
Or it soon might explode
Or else it will become too overwhelming
So make it one for my baby
Please pour another drink for me
And one more for the road
And another one for the journey ahead
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind