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.
Kung Fu Fighting
Hans Zimmer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your mind becomes fast as lightning
Although the future is a little bit frightening
It's the book of your life that you're writing.(x2)
You're a diamond in the rough,
A brilliant ball of clay.
You could be a work of art,
Now what would it take to break?
I believe that you can bend,
Not only do you have to fight,
But you have got to win.
(chorus)
Everybody is Kung fu fighting,
Your mind becomes fast as lightning
Although the future is a little bit frightening
It's the book of your life that you're writing
You are a natural,
Why is it so hard to see?
Maybe it's just because,
You keep on looking at me.
The journey's a lonely one,
So much more than we know,
But, sometimes you've got to go
Go on and be your own hero.
(chorus)
Everybody is Kung fu fighting,
Your mind becomes fast as lightning
Although the future is a little bit frightening
It's the book of your life that you're writing.
You're a diamond in the rough,
A brilliant ball of clay.
You could be a work of art,
If you just go all the way.
Now what would it take to break?
I believe that you can bend,
Not only do you have to fight,
But you have got to win.
(chorus)
Cause everybody is Kung fu fighting,
Your mind becomes fast as lightning
Although the future is a little bit frightening
It's the book of your life that you're writing.
(chorus)
Cause everybody is Kung fu fighting,
Your mind becomes fast as lightning.
Although the future is a little bit frightening,
It's the book of your life that you're writing.
The lyrics to Hans Zimmer's "Kung Fu Fighting" encourage the listener to embrace their own potential and strive for success. The song compares life to a book that we each write, making it clear that we are the authors of our own destiny. The first verse suggests that by practicing martial arts, one can train their mind to think quickly and efficiently. The second verse speaks of the potential of each individual; we are likened to a "diamond in the rough" or a "brilliant ball of clay." The chorus repeats the earlier notion of becoming skilled in Kung Fu fighting as a means of mastering one's mental agility. The repeated line of "it's the book of your life that you're writing" emphasizes the importance of taking control of our lives and making deliberate choices. The final verse encourages the listener to step out and be their own hero, despite the potential loneliness of the journey towards success.
Overall, the lyrics offer the message that everyone has the potential to achieve great things if they work hard and focus on their goals. The song draws on the imagery of Kung Fu and martial arts to suggest that perseverance and mental agility are the keys to success.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody is Kung Fu fighting,
Everyone is fighting for their dreams and ambitions.
Your mind becomes fast as lightning
Your thinking process becomes faster, sharper and more intelligent.
Although the future is a little bit frightening
The uncertain future can be scary and overwhelming.
It's the book of your life that you're writing.
You control the narrative of your life; your choices and actions shape who you are.
You're a diamond in the rough,
You have immense potential that has yet to be realized.
A brilliant ball of clay.
You are moldable, adaptable, and capable of becoming something great.
You could be a work of art,
You have the potential to become something beautiful, valuable and unique.
If you just go all the way.
If you put in the effort and dedication, your potential can be realized.
Now what would it take to break?
What are the obstacles standing in the way of achieving your dreams?
I believe that you can bend,
You have the ability to overcome challenges and obstacles that stand in your way.
Not only do you have to fight,
You have to work hard, stay focused and committed to your goals.
But you have got to win.
You have to come out on top and achieve your goals.
You are a natural,
You have natural talents and abilities.
Why is it so hard to see?
Sometimes we underestimate our own abilities and potential.
Maybe it's just because,
Perhaps it's because you're too focused on the wrong things.
You keep on looking at me.
Sometimes we need to look within ourselves rather than seeking validation from others.
The journey's a lonely one,
The path to success is often solitary and requires perseverance.
So much more than we know,
There are many obstacles on the path to success that we can't anticipate.
But, sometimes you've got to go
Sometimes we need to take a leap of faith and pursue our dreams despite the risks.
Go on and be your own hero.
Become the artist of your story and create your own success story.
Contributed by Addison V. 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