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.
Music On The Way
Henry Mancini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You made life worth the price we all pay
When the whole world goes wrong
The magic of your song creates a place
Here in my soul where hope can stay
And I loved the music on the way
Did you know that I've won come what may?
I am part of your song
And you knew it all along
You gave me music on the way
With your song in my heart
I'd laugh about the starts and starts
And all that I have lost along the way
I am part of your song
What you knew is all along
You gave me music on my way
In Henry Mancini's song "Music On The Way," the lyrics speak to the power of music in our lives and the connection we can feel to certain songs and artists. The opening lines, "Oh, my friend, we'll meet again someday / You made life worth the price we all pay / When the whole world goes wrong," suggest a sense of loss or separation from someone who brought joy and meaning to the singer's life. The music they created together was able to help them find hope and meaning even in difficult times. This sentiment is echoed in later lines, "The magic of your song creates a place / Here in my soul where hope can stay / And I loved the music on the way."
The second verse expresses gratitude for the role that music has played in the singer's life: "With your song in my heart / I'd laugh about the starts and starts / And all that I have lost along the way." The repetition of the line "I am part of your song / What you knew is all along / You gave me music on my way" emphasizes the idea that the connection between the singer and the musician is deep and meaningful, and that the music they created together has had a lasting impact on the singer's life.
Overall, "Music On The Way" is a poignant reminder of music's power to connect us to others and offer us solace and hope in difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, my friend, we'll meet again someday
The singer hopes to reunite with someone who made their life meaningful.
You made life worth the price we all pay
The individual in question gave the singer purpose.
When the whole world goes wrong
During difficult times, the singer finds solace in their memories of the person.
The magic of your song creates a place
The song creates an emotional connection between the artist and the person.
Here in my soul where hope can stay
The artist feels a sense of optimism thanks to the person's influence
And I loved the music on the way
The singer is grateful for the journey they experienced with the person.
Did you know that I've won come what may?
The singer feels successful regardless of setbacks.
I am part of your song
The artist identifies with the message the person conveyed.
And you knew it all along
The artist thinks the person anticipated their impact.
You gave me music on the way
The person's influence granted the artist emotional fulfillment on their journey.
With your song in my heart
The singer is emotionally connected to the person's music.
I'd laugh about the starts and starts
The artist recognizes that life is full of interruptions.
And all that I have lost along the way
The singer acknowledges their challenges.
What you knew is all along
The singer believes the person was aware of their impact (repetition of line 8).
You gave me music on my way
Reiteration of the person's positive influence on the singer's journey (repetition of line 10).
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Manager Robak
Just beautiful. According to Wikipedia: The music was written by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Frank Sinatra sang it in the film "The Joker Is Wild." Only Henry M. could make such a gorgeous arrangement. Thanks for posting this.
vinylhound43
I have this album, and I love it. I dubbed it to digital and gave it as a CD to my sister, who played it for years while doing paperwork in her car, waiting for her kids at soccer practice, etc.
Socratess2007
The best easy & relaxing music ! Thanks for sharing !
Barry I. Grauman
Just great....as is the entire album set.
DaneWraith
Thank you for the information you provided about the songs origin. There is NOTHING I can find on this particular song of Mr. Mancini's in his collected works of when it was first recorded and on which album that would be. This was a good place to start. Many Thanks
Louis Gonzalez
Used to be my fav. song back in '58. But Mancini added his sophisticated vibes to this gem. Now you
ask who was that singer back in '58?????.....Frank who,????
Irma Gaudutis
Linds, this made my morning. So nice to listen what you have sent me while drinking my morning coffee.
jovito unamo
relax total...
Kush kung Vivo
Thumbs