Mancini was born Enrico Nicola Mancini in the Little Italy neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the steel town of West Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. His parents emigrated from the Abruzzo region of Italy. Mancini's father, Quinto, was a steelworker, who made his only child begin flute lessons at the age of eight. When Mancini was 12 years old, he began piano lessons. Quinto and Henry played flute together in the Aliquippa Italian immigrant band, "Sons of Italy". After high school, Mancini attended the renowned Juilliard School of Music in New York. In 1943, after roughly one year at Juilliard, his studies were interrupted when he was drafted into the army. In 1945, he participated in the liberation of a South German concentration camp.
Mancini recorded over 90 albums, in styles ranging from big band to classical to pop. Eight of these albums were certified gold by The Recording Industry Association of America. He had a 20 year contract with RCA Records, resulting in 60 commercial record albums that made him a household name composer of easy listening music.
Mancini's range also extended to orchestral and ethnic scores (Lifeforce, The Great Mouse Detective, Sunflower, "Tom and Jerry: The Movie", Molly Maguires, The Hawaiians), and darker themes ("Experiment In Terror," "The White Dawn," "Wait Until Dark," "The Night Visitor").
Mancini was also a concert performer, conducting over fifty engagements per year, resulting in over 600 symphony performances during his lifetime. Among the symphony orchestras he conducted are the London Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the Boston Pops, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He appeared in 1966, 1980 and 1984 in command performances for the British Royal Family. He also toured several times with Johnny Mathis and with Andy Williams, who had sung many of Mancini's songs.[citation needed]
Mancini had experience with acting and voice roles. In 1994 he made a one-off cameo appearance in the first season of the sitcom series Frasier, as a call-in patient to Dr. Frasier Crane's radio show. Mancini voiced the character Al, who speaks with a melancholy drawl and hates the sound of his own voice, in the episode "Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast?" Mancini also had an uncredited performance as a pianist in the 1967 movie Gunn, the movie version of the series Peter Gunn, the score of which was originally composed by Mancini himself.
Mancini was nominated for an unprecedented 72 Grammys, winning 20 Additionally he was nominated for 18 Academy Awards, winning four. He also won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for two Emmys.
Mancini won a total of four Oscars for his music in the course of his career.
Mancini died at the age of 70 in Beverly Hills/Los Angeles, California of pancreatic cancer. He was working at the time on the Broadway stage version of Victor/Victoria. At the time of his death, Mancini was married to singer Virginia "Ginny" O´Connor, with whom he had three children. Ginny Mancini went on to found the Society of Singers a non profit organization which benefits the health and welfare of professional singers worldwide. Additionally the Society awards scholarships to students pursuing an education in the vocal arts and holds the annual Ella Awards.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers(ASCAP) Foundation "Henry Mancini Music Scholarship" has been awarded annually since 2001.
Baby
Henry Mancini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watch the baby elephants go by.
The beat is groovy.
It's a brand new dance you ought to try,
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction,
Baby elephants in action walk.
See the big baboon beat on the bongo
Down in the Congo,
All the swinging monkeys do this dance,
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction.
Baby elephants in action walk.
If you plan on joining a safari,
Don't get dressed for going on a cruise.
The thing to carry is an extra pair of dancing shoes.
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction.
Baby elephants in action walk.
The lyrics to Henry Mancini's song "Baby" depict an imaginary jungle scene in which the listener is encouraged to pretend they are watching baby elephants walk by while swinging monkeys do a groovy dance. The song's lyrics invoke a sense of adventure and exoticism, as the listener is encouraged to abandon their normal surroundings to experience the sights and sounds of the jungle first-hand.
The song's opening lyrics invite listeners to step into a make-believe world where they can observe the majestic beauty of baby elephants moving rhythmically to a groovy beat. The song's chorus encourages listeners to visit the jungle to witness the animal attraction for themselves, where they can see baby elephants in action and experience the excitement of the scene. The lyrics suggest that this is a unique and thrilling experience, one that is not to be missed.
As the song continues, the listener is drawn further into the jungle scene, watching as big baboons beat on bongos while the baby elephants continue to move with grace and precision. The song's message seems to be that this is a world where anything is possible, where music and dance are central to everyday life, and where nature and humanity are in perfect harmony.
Overall, "Baby" is a song that celebrates the beauty and wonder of the natural world, encouraging listeners to step outside their comfort zones and explore new and exciting experiences. It is a testament to the power of imagination and the joy that can be found in discovering new worlds and cultures.
Line by Line Meaning
Make believe you're in a jungle movie.
Imagine yourself in a movie set in a jungle.
Watch the baby elephants go by.
Observe the cute baby elephants walking past.
The beat is groovy.
The rhythm is catchy.
It's a brand new dance you ought to try,
You should attempt this new dance style.
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction,
Visit the jungle to witness the various animals there.
Baby elephants in action walk.
You can view the young elephants walking and playing.
See the big baboon beat on the bongo
Observe the large baboon playing the bongo drum.
As the baby elephants advance.
As the little elephants move forward.
Down in the Congo,
In the region of Congo,
All the swinging monkeys do this dance,
All the playful monkeys dance like this.
If you plan on joining a safari,
If you intend to participate in a safari,
Don't get dressed for going on a cruise.
Don't dress as if you were going on a cruise.
The thing to carry is an extra pair of dancing shoes.
Bring an additional pair of shoes specifically for dancing.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@samborton6613
This song actually deserves a medal for being the most known least known song of all time.
@Tj7223
true, and wow, I've found my twin.
@samborton6613
Tj7223 Eyyyyyy
@beelzebumb
Ehhh, i bet there is a song less known
@benbrinton6315
nice
@user-df4zw7yb4v
No i heard it in my schools concert.
@masonwelsh9718
This song absolutely has the energy of a baby elephant
@TheGraveyardDog
I have no doubt!!
@trevordennis2631
Perfect song to kill your parents to. I think Danny and Arin might agree.
@BATTIS94
@@trevordennis2631 Jeez, enough with the Game Grumps.