Mantovani was born in Venice, Italy and his father was the concertmaster of… Read Full Bio ↴Mantovani was born in Venice, Italy and his father was the concertmaster of La Scala orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. His family moved to England in 1912, where he studied at Trinity College of Music in London. After graduation, he formed his own orchestra, which played in and around Birmingham. By the time World War II broke out, his orchestra was one of the most popular in UK, both on the BBC and in live performances.

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.

You've Got a Friend
Mantovani Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When you're down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep you head together
And call my name out loud
Soon you'll hear me knocking at you door

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there

Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend
You've got a friend

Ain't it good to know you've got a friend
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend

Overall Meaning

Mantovani's You've Got a Friend is a classic comforting song about the power of friendship, with lyrics that demonstrate a deep understanding of what it means to be there for someone when they're going through tough times. The song begins by describing a moment of difficulty, when nothing is going right and you need someone to offer a helping hand. In this moment, the listener is urged to close their eyes and think of the singer, who promises to be there for them to brighten up their darkest night.

The chorus then offers a simple and powerful reassurance: all you have to do is call, and the singer will come running to see you again, no matter the season or circumstance. The song highlights the importance of having a friend who you can rely on, particularly in times of trouble, and how this knowledge can bring comfort and stability to one's life. The final chorus reinforces this idea, reminding the listener that it's good to know they've got a friend who will be there, even when others may be cold, hurtful or unforgiving.

Overall, Mantovani's You've Got a Friend is a poignant and comforting song about the importance of friendship and the power of being there for someone in their time of need. Its message is universal and timeless, resonating with audiences across generations and cultures.

Line by Line Meaning

When you're down and troubled
When you're feeling low and hopeless

And you need a helping hand
And you require someone to assist you

And nothing, nothing is going right
And everything is going wrong

Close your eyes and think of me
Imagine me in your mind

And soon I will be there
And I'll be there with you soon

To brighten up even your darkest night
To bring some brightness to even your most depressing moments

You just call out my name
You only have to say my name

And you know wherever I am
And wherever I am in the world

I'll come running to see you again
I'll rush to see you once more

Winter, spring, summer or fall
In any season of the year

All you have to do is call
You only need to ask me