Larry Elgart was born in 1922 in New London, Connecticut, four years younger than his brother, Les. Their mother was a concert pianist; their father played piano as well, though not professionally. Both brothers began playing in jazz ensembles in their teens, and while young Larry played with jazz musicians such as Charlie Spivak, Woody Herman, Red Norvo, Freddie Slack and Tommy Dorsey.
In the mid-1940s, Les and Larry started up their own ensemble, hiring Nelson Riddle, Bill Finegan and Ralph Flanagan to arrange tunes for them. Their ensemble was not successful, and after a few years, they scuttled the band and sold the arrangements they had commissioned to Tommy Dorsey. Both returned to sideman positions in various orchestras.
In 1953, Larry met Charles Albertine and recorded two of his experimental compositions, "Impressions of Outer Space" and "Music for Barefoot Ballerinas". Released on 10" vinyl, these recordings became collector's items for fans of avant-garde jazz, but they were not commercially successful at the time. Larry and Albertine put together a more traditional ensemble and began recording them using precise microphone placements, producing what came to be known as the "Elgart sound". This proved to be very commercially successful, and Larry enjoyed a run of successful albums and singles in the 1950s.
In 1954, the Elgarts left their permanent mark on music history in recording Albertine's "Bandstand Boogie," for the legendary television show originally hosted by Bob Horn, and two years later, Dick Clark. Clark took the show national, to ABC-TV, in 1956 and remained host for another 32 years. Variations of the original surfaced as the show's theme in later years. Les and Larry reunited in 1963, but it would not last long. Les moved to Texas and performed for the rest of his life with The Les Elgart Orchestra while Larry continued to perform and record regularly for decades.
Larry's biggest exposure came in 1982, with the smash success of a recording called "Hooked on Swing". The instrumental was a medley of swing jazz hits - "In the Mood", "Cherokee", "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree", "American Patrol", "Sing, Sing, Sing", "Don't Be That Way", "Little Brown Jug", "Opus #1", "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart" and "A String of Pearls" - that became so popular it even cracked the US Billboard Pop Singles chart (at #31) and Adult Contemporary chart (#20). This was the final hit for any artist in the year-long "medley craze," that lasted from 1981 to 1982. Billed as "Larry Elgart and His Manhattan Swing Orchestra," the LP from which the tune was taken hit #24 on the US charts. The follow-up, Hooked on Swing 2, debuted at #89 on the album charts, and soon after Larry was back to the jazz touring circuit. He continued to tour internationally and record into the 2000s.
Les Elgart began playing trumpet as a teenager and was playing professionally by the age of twenty. During the 1940s he was a member of bands led by Raymond Scott, Charlie Spivak, and Harry James, occasionally finding himself alongside his brother Larry. They formed the Les & Larry Elgart Ensemble in 1945, hiring Nelson Riddle, Ralph Flanagan, and Bill Finegan to write arrangements. The union was short-lived, however, due to the Musician's Union strike and the waning of swing jazz's popularity. The ensemble broke up in 1946.
In 1952, the brothers reunited and released albums on Columbia Records, many to considerable sales success. Among their popular tunes was "Bandstand Boogie", which was used by Dick Clark as the theme song for the television dance show American Bandstand. By the end of the decade, Elgart quit performing, preferring to handle the business aspects of the band.
The brothers reunited again in 1963, hiring arrangers Charles Albertine and Bobby Scott for music that could be categorized as easy listening. Les Elgart worked until his death from heart failure in 1995.
April In Paris
Les & Larry Elgart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When we discovered romance, like we never knew.
My head was in the clouds, My heart went crazy too,
And madly I said: "I love you."
Too soon I heard you say:
"This dream is for a day"
That's Portugal and love in April!
Those tears I know so well,
They told me it was spring fooling me.
I found my April dream in Portugal with you
When we discovered romance, like I never knew.
Then morning brought the rain,
And now my dream is through
But still my heart says "I love you."
This sad reality, To know it couldn't be,
That's Portugal and love in April!
The music and the wine convinced me you were mine,
But it was just the spring fooling me.
I found my April dream in Portugal with you
When we discovered romance, like I never knew.
Then morning brought the rain,
And now my dream is through
But still my heart says "I love you."
The lyrics of "April In Paris" by Les & Larry Elgart capture the bittersweet essence of a fleeting love found in the picturesque setting of Portugal. The song delves into the singer's experience of discovering a newfound romance that felt like a dream come true, igniting intense emotions within them. The mention of finding their "April dream" with their partner in Portugal sets the scene for a whirlwind of passion and enchantment.
As the love blossoms, the singer describes feeling as though their head was in the clouds and their heart was overwhelmed with emotions, leading them to passionately declare their love to their partner. The lyrics convey a sense of euphoria and infatuation that often accompanies the early stages of a relationship, with the singer feeling consumed by the intensity of their feelings.
However, the idyllic portrayal of their romance is soon disrupted by the harsh reality of impermanence. The lyrics reflect a moment of heartbreak as the partner expresses that the dream of their love is only temporary, likening it to the ephemeral nature of the April weather in Portugal. The imagery of tears falling like showers symbolizes the sorrow and disappointment that accompany the realization that their love may not endure beyond the fleeting moment.
Despite the pain of this realization, the singer's heart still holds on to the love they felt during their time in Portugal. The nostalgic longing for what once was, even in the face of heartbreak, underscores the enduring power of love and memory. The lyrics encapsulate the conflicting emotions of joy and sorrow, hope and acceptance, painting a poignant picture of love found and lost in the romantic backdrop of April in Portugal.
Line by Line Meaning
I found my April dream in Portugal with you
I experienced the epitome of joy and love with you in Portugal during April
When we discovered romance, like we never knew.
We found a deep connection and love that was completely new to us.
My head was in the clouds, My heart went crazy too,
My mind was filled with happiness and my heart was overwhelmed with love.
And madly I said: 'I love you.'
In a burst of emotion, I declared my love for you.
Too soon I heard you say:
Unfortunately, you quickly expressed the harsh truth
'This dream is for a day'
That our love was temporary and fleeting.
That's Portugal and love in April!
Highlighting the bittersweet nature of romance in Portugal during the month of April.
And when the showers fell,
As the rain fell from the sky
Those tears I know so well,
I recognize those tears of disappointment and heartbreak
They told me it was spring fooling me.
The tears revealed that my happiness and love were only temporary illusions brought on by the season of spring.
Then morning brought the rain,
As the new day arrived, bringing with it sorrow and disappointment
But still my heart says 'I love you.'
Despite the sadness, my heart still holds on to love for you.
This sad reality, To know it couldn't be,
Facing the painful truth that our love could not last.
The music and the wine convinced me you were mine,
The enchanting atmosphere and intoxicating drinks made me believe you were truly mine.
But it was just the spring fooling me.
In reality, it was the season of spring that deceived me into thinking our love was lasting.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Kennedy, Raul Ferrao
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind