Bruns was born in Sandy, Oregon and went to college at Oregon State University, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, graduating in 1936. In the 1930s he worked as a musician with various groups in the Portland, Oregon area. In 1946 he was appointed musical director at radio station KEX in Portland, Oregon, and also was the bandleader for the Rose Bowl room of the Multnomah Hotel. From 1947 to 1949 he performed and recorded on trombone with Portland's Castle Jazz Band, led by banjoist Monte Ballou.
In the late 1940s he moved to Los Angeles, where he did studio work, and performed and recorded with trombonist Turk Murphy's Jazz Band. In 1953 he was hired by Walt Disney as an arranger, eventually becoming Disney's musical director, a position he held until his retirement in 1976. Despite his retirement he continued to work on Disney projects.
Among his work is the song "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" (which he co-wrote with Xavier Atencio), used in the Disney theme park attraction Pirates of the Caribbean and the movies based on that ride. He also co-wrote "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" with Tom W. Blackburn, as well as the song "Love" for the Disney animated film Robin Hood. During the mid-1950s, he adapted the music from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet for use as background score in the 1959 Disney film version. He also composed the score for The Jungle Book and provided Herbie the Love Bug with his sprightly theme song featured prominently throughout the series.
During his tenure with Disney Studios, Bruns continued to play dixieland jazz, leading his Wonderland Jazz Band on two recording sessions, and playing and recording occasionally with the Disney "house" band, the Firehouse Five Plus Two.
Bruns retired from Disney in 1976 and moved back to Sandy, Oregon. He taught part-time at Lewis & Clark College and continued to play and compose music, including recording at least one locally distributed album of jazz.
Finale
George Bruns Lyrics
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I walked with you once upon a dream
I know you,
That look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
And I know its true
That visions are seldom all they seem
But if i know you
I know what you'll do
Once upon a night,
I dreamed we'd be together
In love forever.
Once upon a night,
I was wishing for a never,
A never ending.
Once upon a night
Once upon a time
Once upon a wish
Once upon a dream.
The song "Finale" from the 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty is a beautiful and romantic piece that is played during the final scene of the movie when Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip share a dance. The lyrics of the song are sung by the chorus, and they reflect the magical and dreamlike quality of the story. The first verse of the song expresses a sense of familiarity and recognition between the two characters, despite having only just met. The chorus insists that they know each other from a previous dream, and that they will fall in love again in reality just as they did in their dream. The second verse of the song continues this theme and adds a sense of longing for their love story to continue.
The lyrics of "Finale" are meant to convey the idea that the love between Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora is meant to be, and that they have a deep and lasting connection that transcends time and space. The dreamlike quality of the lyrics represents the enchanting and magical world of the film, where anything is possible. The song also emphasizes the timeless nature of true love and suggests that it can outlast any obstacle or challenge that comes its way.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you,
I am familiar with you and recognize who you are,
I walked with you once upon a dream
I have previously been in a dreamlike state or romantic relationship with you, which makes you memorable to me,
That look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
I recognize a familiar expression or emotion in your eyes that reminds me of our past interactions,
And I know its true
I believe without a doubt that what I am saying is accurate,
That visions are seldom all they seem
Dreams or idealized scenarios are often not what they initially appear to be,
But if i know you
Based on my prior experiences and knowledge of your personality characteristics,
I know what you'll do
I feel assured in my prediction of how you will act or respond,
You'll love me at once,like what you did once upon a dream.
You will instantly fall in love with me, just as you did in our past romantic dream scenario.
Once upon a night,
Referring to a specific time in the past when a significant event took place,
I dreamed we'd be together
I had a vision or fantasy of us being in a romantic relationship,
In love forever.
I imagined our love as being eternal or long-lasting,
I was wishing for a never,
I hoped to avoid negative or undesirable experiences altogether,
A never-ending.
I desired something that would last forever or never come to a conclusion,
Once upon a time
Referring to a specific time in the past where an event occurred or a story began,
Once upon a wish
Referring to a specific desire or hope that existed in the past,
Once upon a dream.
Referring to a specific dream or fantasy that occurred or was hoped for in the past.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GEORGE BRUNS, JACK LAWRENCE, SAMMY FAIN, STEVE ALLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind