Since 1946 Morricone composed over 500 scores for cinema and television, as well as over 100 classical works. His filmography includes over 70 award-winning films, including all Sergio Leone films since A Fistful of Dollars (including For a Few Dollars More, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West and Once Upon a Time in America), all Giuseppe Tornatore films (since Cinema Paradiso), The Battle of Algiers, the Animal Trilogy, 1900, Exorcist II, Days of Heaven, several major films in French cinema, in particular the comedy trilogy La Cage aux Folles I, II, III and Le Professionnel, The Thing, The Mission, The Untouchables, Mission to Mars, Bugsy, Disclosure, In the Line of Fire, Bulworth, Ripley's Game and The Hateful Eight.
After playing the trumpet in jazz bands in the 1940s, he became a studio arranger for RCA Victor and in 1955 started ghost writing for film and theatre. Throughout his career, he composed music for artists such as Paul Anka, Mina, Milva, Zucchero and Andrea Bocelli. From 1960 to 1975, Morricone gained international fame for composing music for westerns. His score to 1966's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is considered one of the most influential soundtracks in history and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. With an estimated 10 million copies sold, Once Upon a Time in the West is one of the best-selling scores worldwide. He also scored seven westerns for Sergio Corbucci, Duccio Tessari's Ringo duology and Sergio Sollima's The Big Gundown and Face to Face. Morricone worked extensively for other film genres with directors such as Bernardo Bertolucci, Mauro Bolognini, Giuliano Montaldo, Roland Joffé, Roman Polanski and Henri Verneuil. His acclaimed soundtrack for The Mission (1986) was certified gold in the United States. The album Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone stayed 105 weeks on the Billboard Top Classical Albums.
Morricone's best-known compositions include "The Ecstasy of Gold", "Se Telefonando", "Man with a Harmonica", "Here's to You", the UK No. 2 single "Chi Mai", "Gabriel's Oboe" and "E Più Ti Penso". He functioned during the period 1966–1980 as a main member of Il Gruppo, one of the first experimental composers collectives. In 1969, he co-founded Forum Music Village, a prestigious recording studio. From the 1970s, Morricone excelled in Hollywood, composing for prolific American directors such as Don Siegel, Mike Nichols, Brian De Palma, Barry Levinson, Oliver Stone, Warren Beatty and Quentin Tarantino. In 1977, he composed the official theme for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. He continued to compose music for European productions, such as Marco Polo, La Piovra, Nostromo, Fateless, Karol and En mai, fais ce qu'il te plait. Morricone's music has been reused in television series, including The Simpsons and The Sopranos, and in many films, including Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained.
As of 2013, Ennio Morricone has sold over 70 million records worldwide. In 1971, he received a "Targa d'Oro" for the worldwide sales of 22 million.[8] In 2007, he received the Academy Honorary Award "for his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music." He has been nominated for a further six Oscars. In 2016, Morricone received his first Academy Award for his score to Quentin Tarantino's film The Hateful Eight (2015), becoming the oldest person ever to win an Oscar. His other achievements include three Grammy Awards, three Golden Globes, six BAFTAs, ten David di Donatello, eleven Nastro d'Argento, two European Film Awards, the Golden Lion Honorary Award and the Polar Music Prize in 2010. He died in his home city of Rome, Italy in 2020 at the age of 91, leaving a grand legacy behind him.
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Ennio Morricone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There the outlaw band make their final stand
O.K. Corral
Oh, my dearest one, must I lay down my gun
Or take the chance of losing you forever
Duty calls, my back's against the wall
Have you no kind word to say before I ride away
Your love, your love, I need your love
Keep the flame, let it burn until I return
From the gunfight at O.K. Corral
If the Lord is my friend, we'll meet at the end
Of the gunfight at O.K. Corral
Gunfight at O.K.Corral
Boot Hill, Boot Hill, so cold, so still
There they lay side by side
The killers that died
In the gunfight at O.K. Corral
O.K. Corral
Gunfight at O.K. Corra-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-l
The lyrics to "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" by Ennio Morricone capture the tension and emotions surrounding a showdown between an outlaw band and authorities at the fateful O.K. Corral. The repeated mention of the location itself, O.K. Corral, serves as a solemn reminder of the setting where the outlaws make their final stand. The stark imagery of Boot Hill, the burial ground for those who perished in the gunfight, adds a haunting touch to the narrative.
The singer grapples with conflicting emotions, torn between duty and love. The lines "Oh, my dearest one, must I lay down my gun / Or take the chance of losing you forever" highlight the internal struggle faced by the character. The plea for a kind word before riding away underscores the weight of the impending conflict and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency and the stakes involved in the decision to confront danger.
The yearning for love and the flame that should be kept burning until the singer's return showcase a deep emotional connection and a desire for reassurance in the face of danger. The hope that the singer and their loved one will reunite after the gunfight, with the belief that if the Lord is on their side, they will meet again, adds a layer of faith and resignation to the unfolding events. The lyrics evoke a sense of sacrifice and the willingness to face the consequences, whatever they may be.
The references to the chilling stillness of Boot Hill and the killers who lay side by side in death serve as a grim reminder of the cost of the gunfight at O.K. Corral. The repetition of the location and the finality of the words serve to emphasize the aftermath of the confrontation and the legacy of those who lost their lives in the violent clash. The song paints a poignant picture of courage, love, and the harsh realities of the Old West, capturing the essence of a historical event through evocative storytelling.
Line by Line Meaning
O.K. Corral, O.K. Corral
The location where the final showdown will take place, the decisive moment
There the outlaw band make their final stand
The criminals are making their last stand at O.K. Corral
Oh, my dearest one, must I lay down my gun
Should I give up my weapon for love?
Or take the chance of losing you forever
Or risk losing you forever by holding onto my gun
Duty calls, my back's against the wall
I have no choice but to fulfill my duty, feeling pressured and cornered
Have you no kind word to say before I ride away
Do you have any words of comfort before I leave for the confrontation?
Your love, your love, I need your love
I need your love and support during this dangerous time
Keep the flame, let it burn until I return
Hold onto our love until I come back from the battle
From the gunfight at O.K. Corral
After the intense battle at O.K. Corral
If the Lord is my friend, we'll meet at the end
If I have faith, we might reunite after the battle
Of the gunfight at O.K. Corral
During the shootout at O.K. Corral
Boot Hill, Boot Hill, so cold, so still
The cemetery where the deceased lie peacefully
There they lay side by side
The adversaries rest next to each other in death
The killers that died
The individuals who lost their lives during the conflict
Gunfight at O.K. Corral
The decisive confrontation at O.K. Corral
O.K. Corral
The location of the dramatic showdown
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: DIMITRI TIOMKIN, NED WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind