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.
Marcia di Sacco e Vanzetti
Ennio Morricone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vous dormez au fond de nos cœurs
Vous étiez tous seuls dans la mort
Mais par elle vous vaincrez
Maintenant Nicolas et Bart
Vous dormez au fond de nos cœurs
Vous étiez tous seuls dans la mort
Maintenant Nicolas et Bart
Vous dormez au fond de nos cœurs
Vous étiez tous seuls dans la mort
Mais par elle vous vaincrez
Maintenant Nicolas et Bart
Vous dormez au fond de nos cœurs
Vous étiez tous seuls dans la mort
Mais par elle vous vaincrez
Maintenant Nicolas et Bart
Vous dormez au fond de nos cœurs
Vous étiez tous seuls dans la mort
Mais par elle vous vaincrez
These lyrics are from the song "Marcia di Sacco e Vanzetti," composed by Ennio Morricone. The song pays tribute to Nicolas Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian-American anarchists who were wrongfully convicted and executed for a robbery and murder they did not commit in the 1920s.
The repeated lines "Maintenant Nicolas et Bart, vous dormez au fond de nos cœurs" (Now Nicolas and Bart, you sleep deep in our hearts) express the enduring memory and impact of Sacco and Vanzetti's story on the collective consciousness. Despite their tragic fate, they are fondly remembered and cherished by those who believe in their innocence.
The next line, "Vous étiez tous seuls dans la mort" (You were all alone in death), acknowledges the isolation and vulnerability that Sacco and Vanzetti faced during their trial and subsequent years in prison. The injustice of their conviction is highlighted by the fact that they were left to face their fate without proper support or legal representation.
The line, "Mais par elle vous vaincrez" (But by it, you will prevail), suggests that even though Sacco and Vanzetti lost their lives, their cause and the ideals they fought for will ultimately triumph. Despite their physical absence, their memory and the injustices they experienced continue to inspire future generations to fight for truth, justice, and equality.
The final line, "Mais par elle vous vaincrez" (But by it, you will prevail), is repeated multiple times, emphasizing the lasting impact of Sacco and Vanzetti's story. It serves as a call to action, encouraging listeners to remember the past, learn from it, and work towards a future where such injustices are not repeated. The lyrics convey a sense of hope and resilience, suggesting that even in death, Sacco and Vanzetti's spirit and ideals live on.
Line by Line Meaning
Maintenant Nicolas et Bart
Now Nicolas and Bart
Vous dormez au fond de nos cœurs
You sleep deep in our hearts
Vous étiez tous seuls dans la mort
You were all alone in death
Mais par elle vous vaincrez
But through it, you will conquer
Writer(s): Ennio Morricone
Contributed by Samuel P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.