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.
Love Makes the World Go 'Round
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There′s been a lot of talk about the game of love,
It's what everybody, everywhere, is thinking of!
The love bug′s busy as he can be,
And I gotta a funny feeling that he just bit me!
'Cause love makes the world go 'round and around.
Your pulse will beat and your heart will pound,
′Cause love makes the world go 'round!
I met a little guy about four feet small,
Who fell in love with Annie who was eight feet tall!
Every time I see ′em comin' down the street,
I know true love just can′t be beat!
'Cause love makes the world go ′round and around.
Love makes the world go 'round!
Your pulse will beat and your heart will pound,
'Cause love makes the world go ′round!
A goose got loose at the county fair,
They looked high and low but she wasn′t there!
Up jumped a gander who said leave her alone,
When she misses old Dad, she'll come back home!
′Cause love makes the world go 'round . . . (and ′round and 'round!)
No matter what you do or where you go,
You get kinda lonely when the lights are low!
Everybody′s gotta have a love that's true,
And I just gotta have you, you, you!
'Cause love makes the world go ′round and around.
Love makes the world go ′round!
Your pulse will beat and your heart will pound,
'Cause love makes the world go . . .
Love makes the world go . . .
Love! Makes the world go round!
Yea, Yea and a Yea, Yeah!
The song "Love makes the World Go ‘Round" by Mantovani speaks about the power of love and its effect on people's lives. The song starts by stating that everyone is thinking about love, and the love bug is busy biting people. The chorus repeats that love makes the world go ‘round and around, and it makes the pulse beat and heart pound. The song then shares some interesting stories to exemplify this idea that love can happen in the most unexpected and unusual ways.
The second verse tells a story about a small guy who fell in love with a woman who was eight feet tall. The singer highlights how true love can beat all logic and physical differences. The third verse talks about a lost goose at the county fair, and how the gander was not willing to forget about her. Thus, true love knows no bounds even between different animal species.
The song concludes by saying that love makes people feel less lonely and they all want a love that is true. The song reinforces that love makes one's heart sing and keeps the world spinning.
Line by Line Meaning
There′s been a lot of talk about the game of love,
People all over are constantly talking about the concept of love
It's what everybody, everywhere, is thinking of!
Every human being, regardless of their geographic location, thinks about love
The love bug′s busy as he can be,
Love is an active force that is constantly at work in people's lives
And I gotta a funny feeling that he just bit me!
The singer believes that he has recently fallen in love
'Cause love makes the world go 'round and around.
The singer believes that love is a fundamental force that drives the world forward
Your pulse will beat and your heart will pound,
Being in love causes one's body to respond in a physical way
I met a little guy about four feet small,
The singer encountered a small individual
Who fell in love with Annie who was eight feet tall!
This small person fell in love with a very tall person
Every time I see ′em comin' down the street,
The singer witnesses these two individuals walking
I know true love just can′t be beat!
The singer believes that this couple represents true and authentic love
A goose got loose at the county fair,
An animal escaped from a county fair
They looked high and low but she wasn′t there!
People searched for this animal but could not find it
Up jumped a gander who said leave her alone,
Another animal, a male goose, suggested that people should not try to find the escaped goose
When she misses old Dad, she'll come back home!
The male goose believes that the escaped goose will return home on its own
No matter what you do or where you go,
Regardless of one's actions or location
You get kinda lonely when the lights are low!
People tend to feel lonely when they are alone in a dark environment
Everybody′s gotta have a love that's true,
All people need to experience genuine and authentic love
And I just gotta have you, you, you!
The singer is indicating that he needs the person he is singing to
'Cause love makes the world go ′round!
The fundamental force behind societal progress is love
Writer(s): Merrill Bob
Contributed by Jake J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.