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.
Beauty and the Beast
Mark Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly
Just a little change
Small to say the least
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast
Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
And ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Ever just the same
And ever a surprise
Ever as before
And ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bitter-sweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Certain as the sun
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and...
Beauty and the Beast
The song "Beauty and the Beast" by Mark Murphy is a beautiful ballad that expresses the story of a love that develops between two unlikely characters. The first few lines of the song refer to the well-known fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast," which tells the story of a beautiful young woman who falls in love with a beast, seeing beyond his outward appearance to his inner beauty. The lyrics convey the idea that true love can spring from an unexpected place and circumstance, and that people can grow and change together.
The chorus of the song discusses the constancy of love, suggesting that it is both unpredictable and enduring. The lines "Ever just the same / Ever a surprise / Ever as before / And ever just as sure / As the sun will rise" express the idea that love can be a constant presence in one's life, yet it can also be surprising and unpredictable, like the rising and setting of the sun. The final verse speaks to the transformative nature of love, suggesting that it can change people for the better and help them see things in a new light.
Line by Line Meaning
Tale as old as time
The story of two different entities falling in love has been recurring throughout history.
True as it can be
The love between two unlikely beings is genuine and authentic.
Barely even friends
The two lovers are not intimately acquainted with each other and do not have an existing bond of friendship.
Then somebody bends
One of the lovers makes an unexpected change or compromise for the sake of their newfound love.
Unexpectedly
The change that one of the lovers undergoes is not something that was predicted or foreseen.
Just a little change
The change one of the lovers makes is small and appears insignificant initially.
Small to say the least
The change that was made is not significant enough to attract much attention or concern.
Both a little scared
Both of the lovers are feeling apprehensive and uncertain about the path they have embarked on.
Neither one prepared
The new journey of love is causing both lovers to feel unprepared and unready for the challenges ahead.
Ever just the same
The feeling of love and affection between the two entities remains constant and steady throughout their journey.
Ever a surprise
Surprises continue to occur throughout their journey despite their love remaining stable and consistent.
Ever as before
Their love and the challenges they face are similar to what has been experienced in the past.
And ever just as sure
Despite the familiar nature of their journey, their love remains strong and unwavering.
As the sun will rise
Their love is certain, much like the occurrence of each new day.
Tune as old as song
The melody of love that they share is familiar and timeless, much like an ancient song.
Bitter-sweet and strange
Their love between two different entities is both sorrowful and surprising.
Finding you can change
Their love is transformative and can change an individual in ways they did not think was possible.
Learning you were wrong
In the pursuit of love, it is not uncommon to discover that previously held beliefs or perceptions were incorrect or misguided.
Certain as the sun
Their love is as reliable and true as the regular occurrence of the sunrise.
Rising in the east
The sun consistently rises in the east, much like the constancy of their love.
Beauty and the Beast
The tale concerns the story of love between two dissimilar entities, Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty and...
The story revolves around the beautiful human woman and the beast who both come to appreciate each other's differences through their love.
Beauty and the Beast
The tale concerns the story of love between two dissimilar entities, Beauty and the Beast.
Writer(s): Wayne Shorter
Contributed by Callie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.