Zimmer spent the early part of his career in the United Kingdom before moving to the United States. He is the head of the film music division at DreamWorks studios and works with other composers through the company that he founded, Remote Control Productions, formerly known as Media Ventures. His studio in Santa Monica, California has an extensive range of computer equipment and keyboards, allowing demo versions of film scores to be created quickly.
Zimmer's works are notable for integrating electronic music sounds with traditional orchestral arrangements. He has received four Grammy Awards, three Classical BRIT Awards, two Golden Globes, and an Academy Award. He was also named on the list of Top 100 Living Geniuses, published by The Daily Telegraph.
Zimmer was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on 12th September 1957, and moved to London as a teenager. While he lived in London, Zimmer wrote advertising jingles for Air-Edel Associates. Zimmer began his musical career playing keyboards and synthesisers. In 1980 he worked with The Buggles, a New Wave band formed in 1977 with Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes, and Bruce Woolley, appearing briefly in the video for "Video Killed the Radio Star" (1979).
In the 1980s, Zimmer worked with film composer Stanley Myers, a prolific film composer who composed scores for over sixty films. Zimmer and Myers co-founded the London-based Lillie Yard recording studio. Together, Myers and Zimmer worked on fusing the traditional orchestral sound with state-of-the-art electronics. Some of their first movies with this new sound include "Moonlighting" (1982), "Success is the Best Revenge" (1984), "Insignificance" (1985), and "My Beautiful Launderette" (1985). In 1986, Zimmer joined David Byrne and Ryuichi Sakamoto on their Oscar-winning score for "The Last Emperor" (1988).
Soon afterwards, Zimmer began working on his own solo projects. During his solo career years, Zimmer experimented and combined the use of old and new musical technologies. His first solo score was for Chris Menges’s film "A World Apart" (1988). However, the turning point in his career came later that year when he was asked to compose a score for Barry Levinson’s film "Rain Man" (1988). In the score, Zimmer uses synthesizers mixed with steel drums. The score was nominated for an Academy Award in 1989. A year later Zimmer was asked to compose a score for Bruce Beresford's "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989), which won a Grammy Award 1991.
In 1994, Zimmer won his biggest commercial hit for Disney’s "The Lion King" (1994). He wanted to go to South Africa himself to record the soundtrack, but couldn't because he had a police record there for making subversive films. "The Lion King" soundtrack won numerous awards, including an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and two Grammys. It was then adapted for the Broadway musical version, which won the Tony for Best Musical in 1998.
Since the success of "The Lion King", Zimmer has written numerous film scores. His hundredth composition was for "The Last Samurai" (2003), for which he won both a Golden Globe and a Broadcast Film Critics nomination in 2004. After composing over a hundred film scores, Zimmer finally performed live for the first time in concert with a hundred-piece orchestra and a hundred-person choir at the twenty-seventh Annual Flanders International Film Festival.
He has received numerous honours and awards, including: Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in Film Composition from the National Board of Review, Frederick Loewe Award in 2003 at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, ASCAP’s Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement, and BMI's prestigious Richard Kirk Award for lifetime achievement in 1996. Today, Zimmer is considered to be the father of integrating the electronic musical world with traditional orchestral arrangements.
Zimmer's first wife was a model, Vicki Carolin, with whom he has a daughter, model Zoe Zimmer. Zimmer lives in Los Angeles with his second wife Suzanne Zimmer with whom he has an additional three children.
Quattro grammy, tre golden globe, due oscar; le sue colonne sonore sono tra le più amate della storia del cinema!
Dune, Spider-Man 2, Il Cavaliere Oscuro, Interstellar, Il Codice Da Vinci, Pearl Harbor, Il Gladiatore, Mission Impossible, Inception, Pirati dei Caraibi, Spirit, Wonder Woman, Madagascar – tutti i più grandi successi di Hans Zimmer – verranno eseguiti dalla famosa orchestra sinfonica di Kiev, Lords Of The Sound, riconosciuta in tutta Europa per la sua professionalità e bravura.
Nella sua carriera Hans Zimmer ha vinto quattro Grammy, due Oscar alla migliore colonna sonora su dodici candidature, tre Golden Globe e un Brit Award: è uno dei compositori contemporanei più influenti che ha trovato la sua fama dopo l’uscita del film cult “Rain Man”.
“Quando ho ideato la musica per Rain Man, ho continuato a pensare: non cercare di soffocare i personaggi. Non venire in primo piano. Raymond, il personaggio principale, non capisce davvero dove si trova. Vede il mondo in modo diverso da noi… Perché non creare “musica del mondo” per un mondo che esiste solo nella sua testa?” ricorda il compositore.
Da quel film e quella prima candidatura all’Oscar i migliori registi di Hollywood si sono messi in fila per lavorare con lui. La sua musica ha impressionato così tanto la Disney che gli ha commissionato la colonna sonora per il cartone animato “Il Re Leone”: il tema musicale del cartone animato ha portato al compositore tre dei premi più prestigiosi: “Oscar”, “Golden Globe” e “Grammy”.
Nella sua carriera Zimmer ha continuato ad essere premiato per i suoi lavori, diventando davvero il numero uno a Hollywood, tanto che ormai una cerimonia degli Oscar è rara senza una sua candidatura: anche nel 2022 ha vinto con il film Dune.
La straordinaria bravura dell’orchestra Lords of the Sound e le migliori composizioni di Hans Zimmer, faranno vivere al pubblico sensazioni indimenticabili, in un’atmosfera fiabesca e piena di bellezza.
Un concerto sinfonico, che riproporrà quelle che sono tra le colonne sonore più amate della storia del cinema, impreziosito dalla presenza di una rock band e una stupefacente produzione visual con luci e effetti speciali, potenti parti vocali di solisti e coristi e soprattutto un’energia inarrestabile che conquisterà il pubblico in sala.
Alex On The Spot
Hans Zimmer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feeling out of place, I'm feeling strange
Take me to a place where they know my name
Where everyone knows my name
Check it, check it out, I'm out to do my thing
King of the floor, king of the swing
Play a little beat, I'll be a dancing machine
They've got jungle fever, show 'em some love
This is my home, this is my home
King of the throne, this is my home
This is my home, this is my home
This is my home
See I've been travelin' and travelin' forever
But now that I found a home, feels like I'm in heaven
See I've been travelin' and travelin' forever
But now that I'm home feels like I'm in heaven
Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'ma work it, work it out
Check it, check it, check it out, I'm okay now
Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'ma work it, work it out
Check it, check it, check it out, I'm okay now
Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah
The opening stanza of "Alex on the Spot" by Hans Zimmer describes a feeling of being out of place and strange, as the singer has been traveling around the world in the pouring rain. The singer yearns to find a place where he is known and accepted, where everyone knows his name. He wants recognition and a sense of belonging that he has not yet found in his travels.
In the chorus, the singer claims to have found that sense of belonging in a particular place, which is his home. He is the king there, and it is his throne. Now that he is home, he feels like he is in heaven. The second stanza echoes this sentiment, as the singer expresses relief at having found a place to call home, where he belongs.
The bridge of the song contains an invitation to dance and to show "them," presumably the people of the home the singer has found, some love. It is a joyous and celebratory moment that reflects the feeling of belonging and acceptance that the singer has found.
Overall, "Alex on the Spot" is a song that explores the human need for a sense of belonging and recognition. The singer has been traveling the world in search of these things and finally finds them in a particular place. The song conjures up images of joy, celebration, dance, and community, making it a perfect soundtrack for a feel-good movie.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been around the world in the pouring rain
I have traveled far and wide, even in unpleasant weather conditions.
Feeling out of place, I'm feeling strange
I feel disconnected from my surroundings and it makes me uneasy.
Take me to a place where they know my name
I yearn for a place where I am recognized and accepted.
Where everyone knows my name
A place where I am familiar to all, and everyone is welcoming.
Check it, check it out, I'm out to do my thing
I am ready to show my skills and personality to the world.
King of the floor, king of the swing
I am in complete control and confidence in my movements.
Play a little beat, I'll be a dancing machine
I am energized by the beat and ready to dance without stopping.
Play a little jam, I'll come alive, alive, alive
When music is played, it brings me to life and evokes strong emotions within me.
They've got jungle fever, show 'em some love
They are fascinated by the unique qualities of the jungle music and culture, and I want to honor and embrace this fascination.
This is my home, this is my home
The place where I belong and feel a strong sense of attachment and comfort.
King of the throne, this is my home
I am the ruler of my environment and feel powerful in my surroundings.
See I've been travelin' and travelin' forever
I have been wandering around without a sense of direction for a long time.
But now that I found a home, feels like I'm in heaven
Finally finding a home brings me an immense sense of peace and happiness.
Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'ma work it, work it out
I am determined to put in effort to showcase my abilities and make the most of the opportunity.
Check it, check it, check it out, I'm okay now
I am now in a safe, secure place and can relax and be myself.
Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah
An enthusiastic exclamation signifying joy and excitement.
Contributed by Sydney K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Yuri Man
on Iris And Jasper
What it the meaning of "Iris and Jasper" for the title of the song in the movie ...The Holiday