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.
The show goes on
Hans Zimmer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn't you expect it when you opened your door
To the man with the long coat and the long list of victims
Everybody watching knows he's the one keeping score
From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
People watching as the curtain falls down
See the lights do a long slow fade
Everyone watching all along
The show goes on, as the autumn's coming
And the summer's all gone
Still without you, the show goes on
Some say she's alright, some say she'll never learn
Some rush into things, some stand and wait their turn
I've been here all along standing here all this time
But you never noticed, just let the same tired flames burn
From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
People watching as the curtain falls down
See the lights do a long slow fade
The show goes on, and the sad-eyed sisters go walking on
Everyone watching all along
The show goes on, as the autumn's coming
And the summer's all gone
Still without you, the show goes on
Time is passing,slowly passing you by
You better try to find it before it passes you by
As I watch you walking to another cold dawn
And you keep on walking
And they keep on talking
Talking all along
From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
People watching as the curtain falls down
See the lights do a long slow fade
The show goes on, and the sad-eyed sisters go walking on
Everyone watching all along
The show goes on, as the autumn's coming
And the summer's all gone
Still without you, the show goes on
Hans Zimmer's "The show goes on" invites listeners to reflect on life's brevity and the inevitability of change. The song's opening lines suggest that tragedy can strike at any moment, as the man with the long coat and long list of victims comes knocking. Zimmer then turns the spotlight on society, accusing it of judging and condemning, standing idly by as the show goes on. The song's chorus - "the show goes on" - underscores this idea, emphasizing how life and time move inexorably forward, regardless of personal loss or trauma.
The song's second verse highlights the divergent paths that individuals take in response to life's challenges. Some rush headlong into life, while others wait, observing and learning. Zimmer then offers personal commentary, bemoaning the fact that he has been present and stalwart, yet ignored or unappreciated. Once again, society is the backdrop, its collective gaze fixed upon evolving circumstances, its collective drone of talking and judging never-ending.
The song's closing lines offer a final, haunting refrain, imploring listeners to seize the day and embrace the present before it is gone forever. Zimmer's powerful message - that life is a never-ending show, full of highs and lows, that will continue to go on - is one that resonates deeply with all who hear it.
Line by Line Meaning
What's the long face, what's all the crying for
Why are you so sad? What are you crying about?
Didn't you expect it when you opened your door
You knew what you were getting into when you let that person in.
To the man with the long coat and the long list of victims
Referring to a serial killer or someone with a history of hurting others.
Everybody watching knows he's the one keeping score
Everyone knows he's the responsible one for all the harm and pain he caused.
From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
People are judging her from their own perspective without understanding what she's going through.
People watching as the curtain falls down
People are observing the situation as it progresses towards its inevitable end.
See the lights do a long slow fade
The end is slow and inevitable and it is clear when it is happening.
The show goes on, and the sad-eyed sisters go walking on
Life continues, even when it is difficult, and we must keep going.
Everyone watching all along
People are always there, watching, even if we don't always realize it.
As the autumn's coming
Along with the coming of autumn, the cold season in life is upon us.
And the summer's all gone
The good times are over, and we must face reality.
Still without you, the show goes on
Even if someone we loved is gone, we must continue to live our lives.
Some say she's alright, some say she'll never learn
People have different opinions, but they don't always know what's really going on.
Some rush into things, some stand and wait their turn
People have different ways of living their lives.
I've been here all along standing here all this time
The singer has been there for the person, even if they didn't realize it.
But you never noticed, just let the same tired flames burn
The person didn't realize the support they had and continued to suffer.
Time is passing, slowly passing you by
Life is moving forward, and it's important to not let it slip away.
You better try to find it before it passes you by
Take action before it's too late.
As I watch you walking to another cold dawn, and you keep on walking
Life can be difficult, but we must continue moving forward.
And they keep on talking, talking all along
People will always have opinions, but we must focus on ourselves.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: BRUCE HORNSBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CIC4865
Myself 14 Years service in Fire Dept. Oldest brother still in service 19 years service. My dad 41 service this year still going. Greatest most fulfilling and humble job in the world. Salute to all the fallen brothers and still going brothers. Salute here from South Africa.
@jws1272
Thank you for your service in one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth!!! We dedicate this song to you!!!
@loubruno797
A Chicagoan all my life and had family in the Fire Department. This film captured the Department and my City. It’s different now but this movie tells us what it was like.
@joecalahan4068
One of the most emotional inspirational and impactful film scores in the Universal Studios archive
@craigcibrone4633
So proud of my Dad.He was a Pgh Pa City Fireman for over 30yrs.Blew out his knee climbing on a roof..Decided to retire.Thank god nothing serious.Enjoying his Forida retirement.Well deserved.Big shoutout to all fireman and firewomen out there.Stay safe.
@nicolelyle1522
I’m from Pittsburgh both my grandpas my biological one was for North Irwin and step grandpa was for North Huntington Pa we’re on the fire departments. They seen a lot.
@bobpenney9973
Backdraft is one of my favorite movies. Always makes me think of being a kid and going to fires with my Dad. Great memories.
@joenettey
This song reminds me of my late wife (the late Mrs. Abigail Kwatemaa Nettey) and makes me cry every time I listen. It is said that good people don't live long. May her soul rest in peace
@jws1272
That's so precious. Let us all remember Abigail when we hear this............
@craigmarino6501
Kia KAHA