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.
This One's For You
Henry Mancini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't see anyone but you
Sha bop sha bop
Are the stars out tonight
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
I only have eyes for you dear
But I can't see a thing in the sky
I only have eyes for you
I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue
You are here and so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
And I only have eyes for you
In Henry Mancini's song "This One's For You," the lyrics express a deep and intense love that consumes the singer's focus entirely. The opening line, "My love must be a kind of blind love," suggests that the singer's love is so strong that they are oblivious to anything or anyone else. They are captivated by their beloved, unable to see anyone but them. The repetitive "Sha bop sha bop" further emphasize the overwhelming nature of this love, almost enacting a state of enchantment or enchanting the listener.
The next couple of lines bring up the idea of the external world fading away in comparison to their beloved. The singer questions whether the stars are out tonight, but it doesn't matter because their attention is solely fixed on their loved one. Similarly, the moon may be high, but their focus is so intense that they cannot even see anything else in the sky. It is as if their love obstructs their perception of the world around them, reducing it to nothingness compared to their beloved.
Even in an ambiguous setting, whether a garden or a crowded avenue, the singer confirms their presence along with their loved one, acknowledging that countless people may pass by, but they all disappear from view. This intensifies the idea that their love has created a tunnel vision in which everything else becomes inconsequential. The song ultimately celebrates the all-consuming power of love, a love that renders everything else secondary and insignificant in comparison.
Line by Line Meaning
My love must be a kind of blind love
The intense love I feel for you is so overpowering that it blinds me to anyone else.
I can't see anyone but you
You are the only person who captures my attention and affection.
Sha bop sha bop
This phrase doesn't have a literal meaning, it serves as a melodic and rhythmic element in the song.
Are the stars out tonight
I wonder if the night sky is adorned with stars
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
I am oblivious to the weather conditions as my focus is solely on you.
I only have eyes for you dear
My attention, devotion, and attraction are exclusively directed towards you, my beloved.
The moon may be high
While the moon shines brightly in the sky
But I can't see a thing in the sky
I am unable to notice anything else in the sky, as my gaze is fixated on you.
I only have eyes for you
My vision is solely focused on you.
I don't know if we're in a garden
I am uncertain of our surroundings, whether we are in a beautiful garden or a busy street.
Or on a crowded avenue
It could be that we are in the midst of a bustling thoroughfare.
You are here and so am I
Both of us are present in this moment, supporting and being with each other.
Maybe millions of people go by
Numerous individuals may pass by us
But they all disappear from view
However, they all become insignificant and fade away from my sight.
And I only have eyes for you
My attention, affection, and admiration are exclusively reserved for you.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Al Dubin, Harry Warren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marianchacon5289
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!! MR. MANCINI IS ONE OF MY
FAVOURITE COMPOSERS.
MAGICAL!!! THIS IS MY
REVERIE!! MANCINI HAD
AM AMAZING TALENT!!!
GENTLE, MELLOW, QUITE
RELAXING. EXCELLENT
ORCHESTRATION.
I AM IN HEAVEN!!!
EXQUISITELY DONE!!!
THANK YOU!!!
@marianchacon5289
ESCUCHAR ESTA MUSICA ES BELLO. EXQUISITO, EVOCADORA!!!
ESTA MUSICA MAGICAMENTE LLENA EL
ESPIRITU!!! ESTA
MUSICA JAMAS PASARA
DE MODA!!! ME TRANSPORTA AL CIELO!!!!
ME LLENA DE MUCHOS
RECUERDOS LINDOS. ES
SENSUAL Y APACIONADA
Y RELAJANTE. UNO SE
OLVIDA DE LOS TIEMPOS INCIERTOS DE HOY, COVID-19. PRIMERO
DIOS QUE TODO ESTO
DIFICULTADES PASEN.
MIL GRACIAS!!!
@kathleendowns2894
I am 79 you and still listen to Mancini and others. those were the days and I am grateful for the memories. today the world is changing...thank you God, for giving me the wonderful life I have had.
@bibigems
Amen to that.
@MALLETPROBONO
Amen.
@fabioandrade8983
Eu tenho 80 anos e continuo fã do Henry Mancini .Seu estilo musical é pra toda vida .Maravilhoso.
@user-xv3xv2nk6u
EXELENTE TIENE DIEZ POR EL TEMA LA PANTERA ROSA Y OTROS TEMAS SOY DEL 1858 UN AMANTE DE LA MÚSICA ES MI MEJOR TERAPIA
@besthillsongworshipsongs48
If you are reading this right now, I pray you will get what you always pray for, I pray you will get the happiness you want in life, I pray things will work out for you. Never give up, Good days are coming.🙌❤🙏💯
@private56952
I love that. Almost made me cry
@amarilisbrea3702
gracias querido... Lo mismo para ti... bendiciones.@@private56952
@sphmoran28
thank you @besthillsongworshipsongs48 for the prayer. You made me cry.
@nancylee3575
At 81, we lived in the best of times in the music world. We had the last of the 40's Big Band era and slipped into the 50's Rock and Roll. The 60's and then the 70's great music. I really don't know much about the 80-90's. This Mancini collection brings back so many wonderful memories of the Way We Were.
My husband of 54 years is gone now, but he would have loved listening to this music as he sat reading one of his books, so relaxing. Thank you for sharing this collection with us.