Born in Syracuse, New York, in 1932, Murphy was raised in a musical family, his parents having met as members of the local Methodist Church choir. He grew up in the nearby small town of Fulton, New York, where his grandmother and then his aunt were the church organists. Opera was also a presence in the Murphy home. He started piano lessons at the age of seven.
Murphy joined his brother's jazz dance band as the singer when a teenager, citing influences from Nat "King" Cole, June Christy, Anita O'Day, and Ella Fitzgerald. The Jazz pianist Art Tatum was also an influence.
Murphy graduated from Syracuse University in 1953, majoring in Music and Drama. University life included performing on campus and also in a club – playing piano and singing.
In 1954, Murphy moved to New York City, working part-time as an actor and singer. He appeared in productions for the Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company and a musical version for television of Casey at the Bat. Also, he twice took second place at the Apollo Theatre amateur contests.
Murphy was eventually introduced to record producer Milt Gabler, who was an artist and repertoire director (A & R) for Decca. His resulting debut recording was Meet Mark Murphy (1956), followed closely by Let Yourself Go (1957).
In 1958 Murphy moved to Los Angeles and recorded for Capitol, but returned to New York in the early '60s and recorded the album Rah! (1961) on Riverside Records, performing "Angel Eyes", a version of Horace Silver's "Doodlin'", and "Green Dolphin Street", featuring Bill Evans, Clark Terry, Urbie Green, Blue Mitchell and Wynton Kelly as accompanists. His favorite recording to date, That's How I Love the Blues, soon followed. In 1963, Murphy hit the charts across the country with his single of "Fly Me to the Moon" and was voted New Star of the Year in Down Beat Magazine's Reader's Poll.[citation needed]
In the late 1960s Murphy moved to London, England, where he worked primarily as an actor. He continued however, to cultivate his jazz audiences in Europe. He returned to the States in 1972 and began recording an average of an album a year for more than fourteen years on the Muse label. These projects - including the albums Nat King Cole Songbook Vol. I and II, Bop for Kerouac, Kerouac Then And Now, Living Room, Satisfaction Guaranteed, Beauty And the Beast and, Stolen Moments - gained numerous Grammy nominations.[citation needed] This last album contains Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments" with lyrics by Murphy.
In 1984 together with Viva Brasil he recorded the album Brazil Song (Cancões do Brasil), which featured original material written by Brazilian songwriters including work by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Milton Nascimento.
In 1987, Murphy recorded Night Mood, an album of songs by Brazilian composer Ivan Lins, followed by the Grammy-nominated September Ballads on Milestone Records. Murphy has also appeared on U.F.O.'s last two releases (for Polydor Records), in which he wrote and rapped lyrics on songs composed with the group. This collaboration opened up further new audiences in the acid-jazz and hip-hop genres, demonstrating jazz's timelessness while transcending generations and styles.
In August 1997, BMG/RCA Victor released Song For The Geese, for which he has received his sixth Grammy nomination. Also in August 1997, the 32 Records label Joel Dorn and Michael Bourne released a double CD anthology Stolen and Other Moments, which features some of his recordings for the now defunct Muse label. The CD features material from the two "Kerouac" albums and a selection of "the best of Mark Murphy".
Murphy’s release Once to Every Heart (2005), on the Verve label, features sensuous ballads, where the listener can capture him singing in top form, with superb musicians and sounding better than ever. In 2007 Love is What Stays was released on Verve. Both albums were produced by German trumpeter Till Brönner.
Murphy has also collaborated with Five Corners Quintet, a modern Finnish jazz band. He appears on their albums Chasin' the Jazz Gone By (2005) and Hot Corner (2008).
In 2010 he released the independently produced CD, Never Let Me Go, on which he is supported by pianist Misha Piatigorsky, bassist Danton Boller and drummer Chris Wabich. A limited edition EP/MP3, "Beautiful Friendship: Remembering Shirley Horn" on Gearbox Records was released in 2013.
Murphy continued to tour internationally into his 80s, appearing at festivals, concerts, in jazz clubs and on television programs, throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia and Japan, as well as other places. John Bush at AllMusic.com described Murphy as "a major name in vocal jazz." A longtime resident of the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey, he died there on October 22, 2015.
All My Tomorrows
Mark Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Except for just a dream or two
But I've got lots of plans for tomorrow
And all my tomorrows belong to you
Right now it may not seem like spring at all
We're drifting and the laughs are few
But I've got rainbows planned for tomorrow
No one knows better than I
That luck keeps passing me by, that's fate
But with you there at my side
I'll soon be turning the tide, just wait
As long as I've got arms that cling at all
It's you that I'll be clinging to
And all the dreams I dream, beg, or borrow
On some bright tomorrow they'll all come true
And all my bright tomorrows belong to you
In Mark Murphy's song All My Tomorrows, the singer reflects on his current state of having little except for a few dreams, but he emphasizes his plans and dreams for the future, which are all for the person he is singing to. The lyrics speak to the hope and optimism that the singer has, in spite of his present difficulties, as he looks forward to a brighter future with his loved one. The song speaks of the power of love and the hope that it provides even in the face of adversity, as the singer is determined to cling to his loved one and see their dreams come true together.
The song has a universal and timeless message which resonates with people across generations. The lyrics suggest that no matter what one's present circumstances may be, hope, faith and love make the future brighter. The song also reminds us of the power of love to transform lives and to make a positive difference in the world. The lyrics are simple and heartfelt, with a focus on the importance of relationships, the future and the endless possibilities it holds.
Line by Line Meaning
Today I may not have a thing at all
Even though I may lack possessions and wealth today
Except for just a dream or two
I do have some hopes and aspirations to hold onto
But I've got lots of plans for tomorrow
I have many goals and ambitions for the future
And all my tomorrows belong to you
I want to share my future and my life with you
Right now it may not seem like spring at all
Our current situation may feel bleak or uninspiring
We're drifting and the laughs are few
We may feel lost or disconnected, not finding much joy
But I've got rainbows planned for tomorrow
I have hope and optimism for better days ahead
And all my tomorrows belong to you
I want to share my positive outlook and future with you
No one knows better than I
I am fully aware that
That luck keeps passing me by, that's fate
I have experienced setbacks and failures due to circumstances beyond my control
But with you there at my side
I believe that having you by my side
I'll soon be turning the tide, just wait
I will overcome these challenges and improve my situation
As long as I've got arms that cling at all
As long as I have the ability to hold onto someone or something
It's you that I'll be clinging to
I will choose to hold onto you and our relationship
And all the dreams I dream, beg, or borrow
All of my hopes and aspirations, no matter how big or small
On some bright tomorrow they'll all come true
Will someday be realized in a better future
And all my bright tomorrows belong to you
I want to share all the positive possibilities of my future with you
Lyrics © THE MUSIC GOES ROUND
Written by: PAUL RYAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind