He was also musical director for a large number of musicals and other plays, including ones by Noel Coward. After the war, he concentrated on recording, and eventually gave up live performance altogether. He worked with arranger and composer Ronnie Binge, who developed the "cascading strings" sound (also known as the "Mantovani sound").[citation needed] His records were regulars in stores selling hi-fi stereo equipment, as they were produced and arranged for stereo reproduction. In 1952 Binge ceased to arrange for Mantovani, but his distinctive sound remained.
He recorded for Decca until the mid-1950s, and then London Records. He recorded over 50 albums on that label, many of which were top-40 hits. These included Song from Moulin Rouge and Cara Mia, which reached No. 1 in Britain in 1953 and 1954, respectively. The latter was also Mantovani's first U.S. Top Ten hit.
In the United States, between 1955 and 1972, he released over 40 albums with 27 reaching the Top 40 and 11 the Top Ten. His biggest success was with the album Film Encores, which made it to No. 1 in 1957. Similarly, Mantovani Plays Music From 'Exodus' and Other Great Themes made it to No. 2 in 1961 and sold over one million albums.
In 1959, Mantovani starred in his own syndicated television series, Mantovani, which was produced in England and which aired in the United States. 39 episodes were filmed.[1]
Mantovani made his last recordings in 1975.[citation needed]
[edit] Music style and influences
The cascading strings technique developed by Binge became Mantovani's hallmark in such hits arranged by Binge as "Charmaine". Binge developed this technique to replicate the echo experienced in venues such as cathedrals by arrangement alone, in an echo-free surrounding.
Author Joseph Lanza describes Mantovani's string arrangements as the most "rich and mellifluous" of the emerging light music style during the early 1950s. He stated that Mantovani was a leader in the use of new studio technologies to "create sound tapestries with innumerable strings", and that "the sustained hum of Mantovani's reverberated violins produced a sonic vaporizer foreshadowing the synthesizer harmonics of space music."[2]
In 1958 Mantovani and his family bought a holiday home in Bournemouth in Durley Chine Road, then in 1961 acquired a new property in Burton Road (now part of Poole). He moved, finally, to a new home in Martello Road in Poole.
Since his death at a care home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1980, his music has enjoyed a minor revival,[citation needed] with much of his catalogue reappearing on CD and an orchestra bearing his name performing concert tours. The saleability of the Mantovani name is underscored by new recordings being made as the Mantovani Orchestra. Unfortunately[neutrality is disputed], a large number of CDs are also available of unauthorized recordings, billed as Mantovani or Mantovani Orchestra.[citation needed] There have also been CDs released under the Mantovani name of recordings made by others while Mantovani was still alive.[citation needed] Thus, consumers of this music are advised to familiarize themselves with the conductor's discography. Material with the London Records logo on it is apt to be genuine Mantovani, while other recordings are less likely to be actual Mantovani recordings.[citation needed]
The continued popularity of Mantovani's music is evident by the number of original albums which are being released, on labels such as Dutton-Vocalion, and by the many compilations available throughout the world. In 2008, as a result of successful, ongoing CD sales, amongst other contributing factors, the Mantovani Orchestra (performing from the original scores) was recreated for a tremendously successful historical tribute concert, sponsored by Bentley Motors, held at the Lighthouse, in Poole, England, on 27 January, conducted by Sam Newgarth, MBE. Much critical acclaim has led to the planning of a second concert, to take place in January 2009, at the same venue. There are four Mantovani websites in honour of the maestro, a written biography by Colin MacKenzie entitled Mantovani - A Lifetime In Music (ISBN 1-905226-19-5). For further information, please visit http://www.hallowquest.com/mantiindex.htm; http://members3.jcom.home.ne.jp/torumonty; http://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk (re. ticket sales for 31 January 2009). A ten CD set 'The Wonderful World of Mantovani' was released in November 2008 in Japan (a link to the website in Japan may be found by visiting www.hallowquest.com/mantiindex.htm), featuring many rare tracks which have never been released on CD before, in a superbly remastered format, and, following the success of the Mantovani Orchestra's 2008 concert, 'More MANTOVANI Magic' took place at Lighthouse in Poole, England, on 31 January 2009, again conducted by maestro Sam Newgarth MBE. The concert was sponsored by Poole Audi, and also with the generous support of Richard Cox.
Little Green Apples
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With my hair down in my eyes and she says "Hi"
And I stumble to the breakfast table
While the kids are goin' off to school goodbye
And she reaches out 'n' takes my hand
And squeezes it 'n' says "How ya feelin', hon?"
And I look across at smilin' lips
That warm my heart and see my mornin' sun
And if that's not lovin' me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss
Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose, no nursery rhyme
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And when my self is feelin' low
I think about her face aglow and ease my mind
Sometimes I call her up at home knowin' she's busy
And ask her if she could get away and meet me
And maybe we could grab a bite to eat
And she drops what she's doin' and she hurries down to meet me
And I'm always late
But she sits waitin' patiently and smiles when she first sees me
'cause she's made that way
And if that ain't lovin' me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes
And there's no such thing as make-believe
Puppy dogs, autumn leaves 'n' BB guns
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis
The song “Little Green Apples” by Mantovani is a beautiful love song describing the unconditional love and support that the singer's partner shows him. The song starts with the singer waking up in the morning, with his hair down in his eyes, and his wife greeting him with a warm smile, asking him how he's feeling. The simple act of her taking his hand and showing concern for him warms his heart and brings sunshine to his day.
The chorus of the song has the singer expressing his love for his wife and saying that if that’s not love then nothing is, and goes on to state that there are certain things in this world that just don't happen, like little green apples or rain in Indianapolis in the summertime. This includes things like Dr. Seuss, Disneyland, Mother Goose, and nursery rhymes. The love that the two share is compared to these impossible things, emphasizing the idea that their love is unique and rare.
The second verse has the singer expressing his admiration for his wife, stating that even when he calls her while she's busy, asking her to meet up, she never says no. In fact, she drops everything and hurries to be with him. He notes that she's always patient with him, even when he's not on time. He talks about how her face always glows when she sees him, and how that eases his mind. It is a tribute to unwavering love and the bond that the two share.
Overall, the song Little Green Apples is a heartwarming story of the love between two people. It is a celebration of the little things that make a relationship so special, and it highlights the importance of unconditional love, support, and understanding in a lasting relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
And I wake up in the mornin'
I wake up in the morning and I'm greeted by the person I love
With my hair down in my eyes and she says 'Hi'
My hair is in my face, but it doesn't matter because the person I love says hello to me and makes everything better
And I stumble to the breakfast table
I walk unsteadily to the breakfast table because I am tired, but I am happy because I get to spend time with the person I love
While the kids are goin' off to school goodbye
The children are leaving for school, but I am not sad because I am with the person I love
And she reaches out 'n' takes my hand
The person I love takes my hand, reminding me that they are always there for me
And squeezes it 'n' says 'How ya feelin', hon?'
The person I love asks me how I am feeling and offers comfort and support
And I look across at smilin' lips
I see the smiling lips of the person I love, which brings me joy in my heart
That warm my heart and see my mornin' sun
The person I love warms my heart and brightens up my day like the sun
And if that's not lovin' me
If this isn't love
Then all I've got to say
Then I don't know what is
God didn't make little green apples
This love is so special and amazing, it's impossible to explain
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
Things that seem impossible can happen, like it not raining in the summer in Indianapolis
And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss
Things that seem impossible can happen, like Doctor Seuss not actually existing
Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose, no nursery rhyme
Things that seem impossible can happen, like Disneyland not existing and nursery rhymes not being real
And when my self is feelin' low
When I am feeling sad or down
I think about her face aglow and ease my mind
I think about the person I love and their happy face, which makes everything feel better
Sometimes I call her up at home knowin' she's busy
Sometimes I know the person I love is busy but I still call them because I want to talk to them and be close to them
And ask her if she could get away and meet me
I ask if they can come meet me, even if just for a short time, because being together is important to me
And maybe we could grab a bite to eat
We might go out and get something to eat together when we meet up
And she drops what she's doin' and she hurries down to meet me
The person I love drops what they are doing to come and be with me, showing me how much they care
And I'm always late
I am always late to our meetings, but the person I love is patient and understanding
But she sits waitin' patiently and smiles when she first sees me
Even though I am always late, the person I love waits for me patiently and greets me with a smile
'cause she's made that way
She is a kind and loving person, always willing to forgive and be there for me
And if that ain't lovin' me
If this isn't love
Then all I've got to say
Then I don't know what is
God didn't make little green apples
This love is so special and amazing, it's impossible to explain
And it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes
Things that seem impossible can happen, like it not snowing in Minneapolis during the winter
And there's no such thing as make-believe
Things that seem impossible can happen, like make-believe not being real
Puppy dogs, autumn leaves 'n' BB guns
Things that seem impossible can happen, like puppy dogs, autumn leaves, and BB guns not being real
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Robert Russell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind