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.
Temptation
Les Baxter and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I should have known you were temptation
You smiled, luring me on
My heart was gone, you were temptation
It would be thrilling
If you were willing
If it can never be
Pity me for you are temptation and I am yours
Here is my heart, take it and say
We'll never part
I'm just a slave
Only a slave to you, temptation
You were born to be kissed
I can't resist.
You are temptation and I am yours
Here is my heart, take it and say
We'll never part
I'm just a slave
Only a slave to you, temptation
The song Temptation, written by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed and performed by Les Baxter, explores the idea of being lured by temptation and the inevitable consequences that come with it. The opening line sets the scene with the singer being alone and vulnerable when they encounter Temptation. In the next line, the singer acknowledges that they should have known that Temptation was going to be trouble for them. However, Temptation's smile and alluring nature quickly pull the singer in, causing them to fall in love despite their better judgment.
The chorus of the song explores the idea of being completely powerless when in the grip of Temptation. The singer admits that they would be thrilled if they could be with Temptation, but they know it can never be. This leads the singer to feel pity for themselves, as they are completely under Temptation's spell. The second verse continues to emphasize the singer's vulnerability, with the offer of their heart to Temptation, knowing that they will never be able to resist them. The song ends with the singer declaring themselves to be Temptation's slave, completely at their mercy.
Line by Line Meaning
You came, I was alone
You entered my life, and I was lonely before that.
I should have known you were temptation
I failed to recognize that you were the source of the temptation in my life.
You smiled, luring me on
You enticed me to follow you with your attractive smile.
My heart was gone, you were temptation
You robbed me of my heart, as you were the irresistible temptation.
It would be thrilling
If we both took the risks, it would be exciting.
If you were willing
If only you would be ready to take the leap of faith.
If it can never be
However, if it is not feasible,
Pity me for you are temptation and I am yours
I'm falling for you, and you're the cause. It's beyond my control.
Here is my heart, take it and say
Here is my heart that beats for you, take it and turn it into a permanent fixture in your life.
We'll never part
Promise me that we will never part from this moment on.
I'm just a slave
I'm trapped and helpless to resist you.
Only a slave to you, temptation
I'm just a mere servant of temptation, and you own me.
You were born to be kissed
You were created with irresistible charm that makes you perfect for loving.
I can't resist.
My desires for you have taken over, and I cannot fight them anymore.
You are temptation and I am yours
You are the bewitching force that I am drawn to, and you have power over me.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: LARRY JOHNSON, LARRY CURTIS JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MyTroubadour
Une bien belle interprétation de ce classique.