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.
Wake The Town And Tell The People
Les Baxter & His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Johnny Mathis
Music by Jerry Livingston and Words by Sammy Gallop
This version did not chart but
In 1955 Les Baxter with his Orchestra and Chorus with vocals by the Notables hit # 5 with it.
And Mindy Carson's competing version attained # 13
Sing it to the moon above
Wake the town and tell the people
Tell them that we're so in love (tell them that we're so in love)
Let's begin the celebration
Let's declare a holiday
Send the wedding invitation
To the neighbors right away
When you are close to me
And my heart is dancing with delight
I want the world to see
Heaven in my arms tonight
Shout it from the highest steeple
Ring the bells the whole night through
Wake the town and tell the people
Tell them I'm in love with you
I want the world to see
Heaven in my arms tonight
Shout it from the highest steeple
Ring the bells the whole night through
Wake the town and tell the people
Tell them I'm in love with you
I want the world to see
Heaven in my arms tonight
Shout it from the highest steeple
Ring the bells the whole night through
Wake the town and tell the people
Tell them I'm in love with you
(Wake the town and tell the people)
The lyrics to Les Baxter & His Orchestra’s song Wake the Town, and Tell the People are about expressing love out loud and for the world to see. The song invites the listener to join in celebrating love and declaring a holiday. The song suggests announcing the love for the entire town to hear through ringing bells from the highest steeple. The chorus underscores that the love is so overwhelming it needs to be shouted from the rooftops, so everyone can see the singer’s arms tonight with their lover.
The lyrics use hyperbole to emphasize the intense feelings the singer has for their lover. They want to declare a holiday and send wedding invitations to their neighbors. This is to show their love is so great it deserves to be treated like a national holiday. The lyric "Heaven in my arms tonight" suggests that the singer believes their love is that special, likening it to heaven. The song's message is about the importance of expressing affection and sharing it with the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake the town and tell the people
Spread the news of our love to everyone
Sing it to the moon above
Sing our declaration of love to the heavens
Tell them that we're so in love (tell them that we're so in love)
Make sure everyone knows that we are deeply in love
Let's begin the celebration
Let's start the festivities
Let's declare a holiday
Let's make this a special occasion
Send the wedding invitation
Invite our neighbors to our wedding
To the neighbors right away
Let's invite our neighbors as soon as possible
When you are close to me
When we are together
And my heart is dancing with delight
When I am filled with joy and happiness
I want the world to see
I want everyone to witness
Heaven in my arms tonight
The love and happiness I am experiencing with you
Shout it from the highest steeple
Announce our love from the tallest building
Ring the bells the whole night through
Make a lot of noise and celebrate all night
Tell them I'm in love with you
Declare my love for you to everyone
(Wake the town and tell the people)
(Spreading the news of our love)
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JERRY LIVINGSTON, SAMMY GALLOP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaellazzeri2069
Dad & Mom, This is for you. I know what hard years '54 & '55 were, but I do remember uou both loved this song when it came on the radio. Your oldest son misses you both, terribly. --------------------MJL, 76 y/o
@clydep9870
Starts out like Wanda Jacksons "Right or Wrong" which was popular almost six years later.
@shirleydupreez7430
The night I fell in love with my hubby xx
@McMilesE
Really?!
@user-vm4gv3xv6e
조회수 1,684회... 잘 들었습니다.
@johnnyjackson3923
Would you mind translating in English? I would love to hear your comment 😊
@EnlightenedPatriot1
@Johnny Jackson "1,684 views... Well heard." Thanks to Google translation :-)