Baxter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory and Pepperdine College in Los Angeles. After he completed school, he abandoned the piano and became a vocalist. When he was 23, he joined Mel Tormé's Mel-Tones. The group sang on Artie Shaw records, including the hit "What Is This Thing Called Love."
In 1950, he became an arranger and conductor for Capitol Records, working on hits by Nat King Cole, including "Mona Lisa." Around the same time, Baxter began recording his own albums. In 1948, he released a triple-78 album called Music out of the Moon, which ushered in space-age pop with its use of the theremin. Four years later, he began recording exotica albums with Le Sacre du Sauvage.
On his early-'50s singles Baxter was relatively straightforward, performing versions of standards like the number one hits "Unchained Melody" and "The Poor People of Paris," but on his albums he experimented with all sorts of world musics, adapting them for his orchestra. As he was recording his exotica albums, Baxter was also the musical director for the radio show Halls of Ivy, plus Abbott & Costello radio shows; he also composed over 100 film scores, concentrating on horror movies and teenage musicals and comedies, though he also did dramas like Giant.
Baxter's heyday was in the '50s and '60s. Although he continued to compose and record in the '70s, his output was sporadic. Nevertheless, a cult following formed around his exotica recordings that persisted into the '90s.
April in Portugal
Les Baxter & His Orchestra Lyrics
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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 to Les Baxter & His Orchestra's song "April in Portugal" beautifully captures the highs and lows of a blossoming romantic relationship. The singer opens the song by reminiscing about finding their "April dream" in Portugal with their lover. The experience was so new and exhilarating that their head was "in the clouds" and their heart was "crazy too." The thrill of discovering this romance was so powerful that the singer admits to having said "I love you" to their partner in a fit of passionate emotion.
However, the singer soon discovers that their dream may not last forever when their partner tells them that "this dream is for a day." The singer is heartbroken, and the tears that they shed are "so well known," serving as reminders that this love was simply a product of the season, and that they were just "spring fooling" each other. Still, the singer acknowledges that even though their dream is over, their heart still beats with the love that they feel for their partner.
The lyrics speak to the universal experience of falling in love, where the initial high eventually fades, leaving behind the reality of the situation. At the same time, the song also celebrates the magic of romance, even if it is fleeting. Through the lyrics, the singer is able to capture the emotions of the moment, which makes the song so powerful and evocative.
Line by Line Meaning
I found my April dream in Portugal with you
I found a dreamy and romantic moment with you in Portugal
When we discovered romance, like we never knew.
We experienced a level of love and affection that we never knew existed
My head was in the clouds, My heart went crazy too,
I was completely infatuated and swept away by my emotions for you
And madly I said: "I love you."
I could not contain my feelings any longer and confessed my love to you
Too soon I heard you say:
"This dream is for a day"
Unfortunately, our time together was limited and short-lived
That's Portugal and love in April!
Such fleeting romances are commonplace in Portugal during the springtime
And when the showers fell, Those tears I know so well,
As it started to rain, I couldn't help but cry knowing that our love was too good to be true
They told me it was spring fooling me.
The rain and tears were a reminder that my emotions were simply a result of springtime passion and not long-lasting love
Then morning brought the rain, And now my dream is through
After a night of passion and romance, the reality of the situation set in and my dream was no longer a possibility
But still my heart says "I love you."
Despite the sadness and heartbreak, my feelings for you remain strong
This sad reality, To know it couldn't be,
The realization of our limited time together and that our love was not meant to last is a painful truth
The music and the wine convinced me you were mine,
The setting, the music and the drinks made me believe that you were truly in love with me
But it was just the spring fooling me.
The romantic ambiance was simply a factor of the season and not a true reflection of our relationship
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY KENNEDY, RAUL FERRAO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind