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.
Song From "Moulin Rouge"
Les Baxter and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I worry and wonder.
Your lips may be near,
but where is your heart?
It's always like this,
I worry and wonder.
You're close to me here,
It's a sad thing to realize
that you've a heart that never melts.
When we kiss, do you close your eyes,
pretending that I'm someone else?
You must break the spell,
this cloud that I'm under.
So please won't you tell, darling,
where is your heart?
In these poignant lyrics, the singer expresses vulnerability and insecurity in a relationship where there seems to be a disconnect between physical intimacy and emotional connection. The repeated refrain of "I worry and wonder" conveys the singer's constant unease and uncertainty about the depth of their partner's feelings. The juxtaposition of physical proximity with emotional distance creates a sense of longing and anguish, as the singer questions where their lover's heart truly lies.
The imagery of kissing is used as a metaphor for intimacy, but also serves to highlight the underlying lack of emotional fulfillment in the relationship. The fear of unreciprocated love is palpable, as the singer grapples with the possibility that their partner may be physically present but emotionally detached. This internal conflict between desire and doubt is a central theme throughout the lyrics, adding layers of complexity to the search for emotional authenticity and connection.
The lines "You've a heart that never melts" and "When we kiss, do you close your eyes, pretending that I'm someone else?" speak to a deeper emotional detachment and a sense of betrayal or disillusionment. The singer grapples with the painful realization that their partner may be incapable of fully engaging in a genuine emotional connection, prompting them to question the authenticity of their shared moments of intimacy.
Ultimately, the plea for the partner to "break the spell" and reveal where their heart truly lies underscores the desperate need for clarity and honesty in the relationship. The final plea for transparency and emotional honesty serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of genuine emotional connection in love, and the devastating impact of emotional distance and secrecy on the fragile bonds between two individuals. Through these sorrowful and introspective lyrics, the singer conveys the universal experience of yearning for love that is reciprocated and authentic, while navigating the painful uncertainty of a relationship marred by emotional ambiguity.
Line by Line Meaning
When ever we kiss,
Every time we kiss,
I worry and wonder.
I feel anxious and uncertain.
Your lips may be near,
Physically, you are close to me,
but where is your heart?
but emotionally, you seem distant.
It's always like this,
This is a recurring feeling,
I worry and wonder.
I am constantly concerned and curious.
You're close to me here,
You are physically present with me,
but where is your heart?
but emotionally, you seem disconnected.
It's a sad thing to realize
It's disheartening to understand
that you've a heart that never melts.
that you have a heart that remains cold and distant.
When we kiss, do you close your eyes,
During our kisses, do you shut your eyes,
pretending that I'm someone else?
imagining that I am someone different?
You must break the spell,
You need to break free from this illusion,
this cloud that I'm under.
this emotional confusion that I am experiencing.
So please won't you tell, darling,
So, could you please open up and share, my dear,
where is your heart?
where do your true feelings lie?
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Georges Auric, William Engvick, Jacques Larue
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidbarnett9312
Before Elvis, Fats, Chuck, and others, this is what AM radio sounded like. I was fortunate to have this kind of music imprint on my soul, even though I eventually turned to Elvis, et. al. I remember this song very well and it occupied my mind today, so I came here to soothe my soul in what has become riot torn, disease torn, fragmented America.
@markberryhill2715
Four years later and we've survived long enough to enjoy these instrumental favorites once again.
@yeruchom
Let us not forget that Felicia Sanders is the vocalist in this piece. A great vocalist, wonderful arrangement and top notch orchestra came together to make this timeless and memorable classic.
@houstonvanhoy2198
Thanks for your comment. My wife and I discussed this, but couldn't arrive at the answer that you gave.
👍
@marthahenrich1185
This song is for you mom. You passed away tonight, in the early hours of March 2 2019. You have told me over the years that you used to sing this to me as you rocked me when I was a baby. The movie came out in 1952 and I was born in 1953.You had a beautiful voice and I loved it when you would sing. I love you. My brain knows you're gone but not my heart.
@jodyquinn182
Sending sweet condolences, Martha Henrich. You & I share the same year of birth (1953) as well as losing a mother. While she was in hospital isolation, I sat bedside with Mom. I couldn't stay as I was in the midst of breast cancer treatment. Sadly, she passed away about 1 hour after I left for home. I can honestly say that losing my Mom has been the worst pain in my life; in contrast loving my Mom has been an extraordinary gift.
@HolgerRuneFan
I hope you're still listening to this and thinking of your mom, Martha.
@JeanneReiter-f9r
I love old music! Percy was a favorite of mine. Listening to this has me in tears. Timeless! ❤
@robinsauls4551
Needed to hear this today. This was my husband's favorite movie music and he died nearly 19 years ago. Miss him every day. So glad it is on YouTube, especially this arrangement.
@lindseyrampersad7931
This song undoubtedly epitomizes all the attributes that are pure and genuine in persons and nature at large