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 theme for his film Limelight, won him a gold disc in the US, and in the UK, where it reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart, and won him the NME award as 'Record of the Year'. It spent eight weeks at #2 (an all-time UK chart record), and in all thirteen weeks in the top five chart positions, without dislodging Frankie Laine's, "I Believe".[3] His next 78 single, "Ebb Tide", became the first British instrumental recording to reach #1 in some American charts,[which?] 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 film themes.[4] 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]
The main theme from his Latin-American style track "Cuban Boy" was used as the theme music for some broadcast versions of the BBC Scotland sitcom Still Game.[5]
His song, "Après Ski", was featured in the 2006 video game, Saint's Row, for the Xbox 360.[6]
By the Sleepy Lagoon
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra Lyrics
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A sleepy lagoon and two hearts in tune in some lullaby land
The fireflies' gleam reflects in the stream
They sparkle and shimmer
A star from on high falls out of the sky
And slowly grows dimmer
The leaves from the trees all dance in the breeze
And float on the ripples
Of roses and dew
The memory of this moment of love
Will haunt me forever
A tropical moon, a sleepy lagoon
And you
The song "By The Sleepy Lagoon" by Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra paints a picturesque scene of a couple on an island, surrounded by the calming yet enchanting ambience of a sleepy lagoon and a tropical moon. The lyrics describe the beauty of the scenery, as reflected by the gleaming fireflies in the stream, the shining star that falls from the sky and the dancing leaves on the ripples of the lagoon. The nightingales' sweet songs add to the magical atmosphere, as they sing of roses and dew. The moment of love is captured and etched forever in the memories of the lovers.
The song is a timeless classic, originally composed in 1930 by Eric Coates as a tribute to a park located in Essex, England, called the "Jubilee Leisure Park". It was adopted by the BBC in the 1940s as the theme music for their long-running radio show, "Desert Island Discs". The song's serene melody and calming effect made it a popular choice to play during wartime broadcasts, as it helped to ease nerves and provide comfort to listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
A sleepy lagoon, a tropical moon and two on an island
Two people are on an island by a peaceful lagoon and a beautiful moon is shining above them
A sleepy lagoon and two hearts in tune in some lullaby land
The couple's hearts beat together in harmony in this tranquil place that feels like a lullaby
The fireflies' gleam reflects in the stream They sparkle and shimmer
The light from the fireflies dances on the surface of the water, twinkling and shining
A star from on high falls out of the sky And slowly grows dimmer
A shooting star streaks across the sky before fading away
The leaves from the trees all dance in the breeze And float on the ripples
The gentle breeze moves the leaves of the trees, causing them to dance and sway, and the leaves fall onto the water and float along the ripples
We're deep in a spell as nightingales tell Of roses and dew
The couple is under a spell as they listen to the nightingales singing songs about the sweet smells of roses and the fresh dew of the morning
The memory of this moment of love Will haunt me forever
This moment of love is so precious and special that it will stay in the singer's memory and heart for eternity
A tropical moon, a sleepy lagoon And you
The singer is in this tropical paradise with a sleepy lagoon and a lover by their side
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: ERIC COATES, JACK LAWRENCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind