Baxter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles for further studies at Pepperdine College. Abandoning a concert career as a pianist, he turned to popular music as a singer. At the age of 23 he joined Mel Tormé's Mel-Tones, singing on Artie Shaw records such as "What Is This Thing Called Love?".
Baxter then turned to arranging and conducting for Capitol Records in 1950, and was credited with the early Nat King Cole hits, "Mona Lisa" and "Too Young", but both were actually orchestrated by Nelson Riddle.[1] (In later releases of the recordings the credit was corrected to Riddle.[citation needed]) Not a uncommon practice these days: Baxter himself had arranged Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy" in 1947 for a recording conducted by Frank De Vol. In 1953 he scored his first film, the sailing travelogue Tanga Tika. With his own orchestra, he released a number of hits including "Ruby" (1953), "Unchained Melody" (1955) and "The Poor People Of Paris" (1956). The latter recording sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.[2]He also achieved success with concept albums of his own orchestral suites: Le Sacre Du Sauvage, Festival Of The Gnomes, Ports Of Pleasure, and Brazil Now, the first three for Capitol and the fourth on Gene Norman's Crescendo label. The list of musicians on these recordings includes Plas Johnson and Clare Fischer.
Baxter also wrote the "Whistle" theme from the TV show Lassie.
Baxter did not restrict his activities to recording. As he once told Soundtrack! magazine, "I never turn anything down".
In the 1960s, he formed the Balladeers, a besuited and conservative folk group that at one time featured a young David Crosby.[citation needed] He operated in radio as musical director of The Halls of Ivy and the Bob Hope and Abbott and Costello shows.
Like his counterparts Henry Mancini, Lalo Schifrin and James Horner, Baxter later worked for the film industries from 1960s to 70s. He worked on movie soundtracks for American International Pictures where he composed and conducted scores for Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe films and other horror stories and teenage musicals, including The Pit and the Pendulum, Panic in Year Zero!, Beach Party, The Comedy of Terrors,The Dunwich Horror, and Frogs. Howard W. Koch recalled that Baxter composed, orchestrated, and recorded the entire score of The Yellow Tomahawk (1954) in a total of three hours for $5,000.[3]
With less soundtrack work in the 1980s, he scored music for theme parks and SeaWorlds. In the 1990s, Baxter was widely celebrated, alongside Martin Denny and the Arthur Lyman Group, as one of the progenitors of what had become known as the "exotica" movement. In his 1996 appreciation for Wired magazine, writer David Toop remembered Baxter thus:
"Baxter offered package tours in sound, selling tickets to sedentary tourists who wanted to stroll around some taboo emotions before lunch, view a pagan ceremony, go wild in the sun or conjure a demon, all without leaving home hi-fi comforts in the white suburbs".
Baxter has a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6314 Hollywood Blvd.
Joy
Les Baxter and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cotton lisle is out of style
Honey child
Jump for joy
Don't you grieve, little Eve
All the hounds I do believe
Have been killed
Jump for joy
Have you seen pastures groovy?
Green pastures was just a technicolor movie
When you stomp up to heaven and you meet old Saint Pete
Tell that boy
The lyrics from Les Baxter and His Orchestra's song "Joy" paint a vivid picture of a departure from the traditional way of life in the South, represented by the symbolic "land of cotton." The opening lines "Fare thee well, land of cotton, Cotton lisle is out of style" suggest a farewell to the old ways and a shift away from the historical reliance on cotton production. The phrase "Honey child, Jump for joy" could be seen as an invitation to embrace this change with excitement and optimism, despite any feelings of nostalgia or resistance.
The following lines address a character named Eve, reassuring her not to grieve as it seems that a perceived threat or obstacle, represented by the hounds, has been overcome or eliminated. This victory is celebrated with the exclamation "Ain't ya thrilled?" conveys a sense of relief and triumph. The repeated directive to "Jump for joy" serves as a joyful exhortation to celebrate the newfound freedom or release from whatever may have been holding them back.
The lyrics then contrast the idealized image of "pastures groovy" with the reality that "Green pastures was just a technicolor movie," suggesting that the idyllic images we may have of paradise or happiness are often just illusions. This frank observation could be interpreted as a call to ground oneself in reality and not get caught up in idealized fantasies. The reference to meeting "old Saint Pete" in heaven implies a sense of humor or irreverence, challenging conventional religious beliefs with a lighthearted tone.
Overall, the lyrics to "Joy" by Les Baxter and His Orchestra seem to convey themes of change, resilience, and perspective. The imagery of leaving behind the past, overcoming obstacles, and confronting illusions is intertwined with a message of embracing joy and celebration in the face of uncertainty. The song's playful and ironic tone adds depth to its exploration of the complexities of human experience and the constant flux of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Fare thee well, land of cotton
Goodbye to the era of cotton fabric as a fashion trend
Honey child
Sweet child
Jump for joy
Be happy and celebrate
Don't you grieve, little Eve
Do not be sad, young Eve
All the hounds I do believe
I think all the troubles have been resolved
Have been killed
Have been eliminated
Ain't ya thrilled?
Aren't you excited?
Have you seen pastures groovy?
Have you experienced the delightful pastures?
Green pastures was just a technicolor movie
The beautiful green pastures were like a visually stunning movie
When you stomp up to heaven and you meet old Saint Pete
When you ascend to heaven and meet St. Peter
Tell that boy
Share the news with him
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, SID KULLER, PAUL WEBSTER, PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind