Francis Charles Chacksfield was born in Battle, East Sussex, and as a child learned to play piano and organ. He appeared at Hastings Music Festivals by the time he was 14, and then became deputy church organist at Salehurst. After working for a short period in a solicitor's office he decided on a career in music, and by the late 1930s led a small band at Tonbridge in Kent. At the beginning of World War II he joined the Royal Corps of Signals, and, following a radio broadcast as a pianist, was posted to ENSA at Salisbury where he became the arranger for Stars In Battledress, an armed forces entertainment troupe, and shared an office with comedian Charlie Chester.[1][2]
After the war, he worked with Chester and on BBC Radio as an arranger and conductor. He also worked as musical director for both Henry Hall and Geraldo, and began recording under his own name in 1951 as "Frank Chacksfield's Tunesmiths". In early 1953 he had his first top ten hit, "Little Red Monkey", on the Parlophone label. This was a novelty recording featuring Jack Jordan on the clavioline, and reportedly the first record featuring an electronic instrument to feature on the UK pop chart.[citation needed] He signed a recording contract with Decca Records in 1953, and formed a 40-piece orchestra with a large string section, the "Singing Strings". His first record release for Decca, Charlie Chaplin's themes for his film Limelight, won him a Gold Disc in the USA, and in Britain, where it reached #2 in the charts, won him the New Musical Express award as Record of the Year. His next 78 single, "Ebb Tide", became the first British instrumental recording to reach #1 in some American charts, providing a second Gold Disc, and he was voted the most promising new orchestra of the year in the US.[1]
He became one of Britain's most well known orchestra leaders internationally, and is estimated to have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide.[2] His material was "mood music", similar to that of Mantovani, including ballads, waltzes, and movie themes.[3] In 1954 he began presenting a series on BBC TV, which continued occasionally until the early 1960s. Chacksfield was responsible for the musical arrangement of the first UK entry into the Eurovision Song Contest 1957; "All" by Patricia Bredin.[citation needed] He continued to write music, release singles and albums through the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared regularly on BBC radio.[2]
He continued to record occasionally until the 1990s, from the 1970s primarily on the Phase 4 label.[1] He also developed business interests in publishing and recorded for Starborne Productions, a company supplying "canned music" for use by easy listening radio stations and others. Many of these recordings were made commercially available in 2007. His last album was Thanks for the Memories (Academy Award Winners 1934-55), released in 1991.[1] Chacksfield died in Kent in 1995, after having suffered for several years from Parkinson's Disease.[2]
His song, "Après Ski", was featured in the 2006 video game Saint's Row for the Xbox 360.[4]
Still
Frank Chacksfield Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I gaze out of my window
At the moon in it's flight
My thoughts all stray, stray to you
In the still of the night
While the world lies in slumber
Oh the times without number
Do you love me
Just like I love you
Are you my life to be
That dream come true
Or will this dream of mine
Will it fade way out of sight
Just like that moon growing dim
Way out on the rim of the hill
In the still of the night
The lyrics of "In the Still of the Night" by Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra evoke a sense of longing and romantic yearning as the singer gazes out of his window at the moon in its flight. As the world lies in slumber, the singer's thoughts drift towards his beloved, and he wonders whether his feelings are reciprocated. The lyrics pose the question of whether the singer's dream of being with the one he loves will fade away like the moon growing dim on the rim of the hill.
The lyrics use the images of the stillness of the night and the moon in its flight to create a romantic and dreamy atmosphere. The theme of unrequited love is a common one in romantic songs, but the imagery and language used in this song add a layer of wistfulness and depth to the lyrics. The use of the moon as a metaphor for the singer's feelings adds a touch of magic and whimsy to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
In the still of the night
As the night is silent and peaceful
As I gaze out of my window
While staring outside through the window
At the moon in it's flight
Observing the journey of the moon across the sky
My thoughts all stray, stray to you
My mind wanders and reflects on you
While the world lies in slumber
While everyone is asleep and oblivious
Oh the times without number
As many times before
When I say to you
When I express my feelings to you
Do you love me
Do you have affection for me
Just like I love you
As deeply as I feel for you
Are you my life to be
Are you meant to be the one I spend my life with
That dream come true
The fulfillment of my long-held desire
Or will this dream of mine
May this aspiration of mine
Will it fade way out of sight
Gradually disappear from reality
Just like that moon growing dim
Much like the moon gradually losing its light
Way out on the rim of the hill
On the edge of the horizon
In the still of the night
In the silence and calmness of the night
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@patrickdcyau
TRACKING INDEX:
0:00:00 [1] The Continental
0:02:53 [2] Lullaby Of Broadway
0:05:38 [3] The Way You Look Tonight
0:08:44 [4] Sweet Leilani
0:11:56 [5] Thanks For The Memory
0:15:43 [6] Over The Rainbow
0:19:23 [7] When You Wish Upon A Star
0:22:52 [8] The Last Time I Saw Paris
0:24:59 [9] White Christmas
0:28:12 [10] You'll Never Know
0:31:04 [11] Swinging On A Star
0:33:49 [12] It Might As Well Be Spring
0:37:26 [13] On The Atchison, Topeka & The Santa Fe
0:40:03 [14] Zip-A Dee-Doo-Dah
0:42:36 [15] Buttons And Bows
0:45:16 [16] Baby, It's Cold Outside
0:47:35 [17] Mona Lisa
0:50:24 [18] In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
0:52:41 [19] High Noon
0:56:00 [20] Secret Love
0:59:27 [21] Three Coins In The Fountain
1:03:13 [22] Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
1:05:52 [23] Whatever Will Be, Will Be
1:08:08 [24] All The Way
1:11:44 [25] Gigi
1:16:15 [26] High Hopes
1:18:11 [27] Never On Sunday
1:20:34 [28] Moon River
1:24:10 [29] Days Of Wine And Roses
1:28:03 [30] Call Me Irresponsible
1:30:21 [31] Chim Chim Cher-ee
1:32:33 [32] Shadow Of Your Smile
1:35:14 [33] Born Free
1:37:25 [34] Talk To The Animals
@100teresa1000
So soothing and calming...WELL DONE!!! VERY GOOD!!!
@jazz51ful
Grazie Gustavo, ero bambino e in Italia negli anni 50 la radio trasmetteva spesso lunghi momenti di musica di grandi orchestre che accompagnavano lo scorrere più lento e umano della vita...grazie ancora.
@hebleenporrashidalgo7358
Excelente música. Saludos desde Costa Rica, América Central.
@whiskeypapa8842
Thank you Gustavo for this musical enrichment! Such a pleasure.
@marta1858
Great memories with this music, this it is the real music, I love it, thanks.
@jonhayden6235
Thank you once again for sharing another great collection, Gustavo! (Pity that those few who give this a "thumb down" can't think of a legitimate reason why they do so.)
@rubewaddell1704
Whilst I enjoy this it is not everyone's cup of tea. How do you know they don't have a legitimate reason for putting a thumbs down? Not everyone has the same taste in music. Or maybe they think it's not as good as the original versions? There could be lots of reasons.
@jonhayden6235
@@rubewaddell1704 Well, that's precisely the point: none of us know unless they take the time to leave a comment/explanation.
@rubewaddell1704
@@jonhayden6235 True but does it bother you that much? Why not just enjoy the music and not worry about what other people think.
@michaelvainer3350
Thanks for the memory !