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.
You better Know
Mark Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because I like you much too much,
You have a way with you;
You ought to know now
Just why I like you very much,
The night was gay with you!
There's the moon above
In your eyes there's love,
And the way I feel it must be Spring!
I want you so now,
You have lips I love to touch;
You better go now,
You better go because I like you much too much.
There's the moon above
And it gives my heart a lot of swing;
In your eyes there's love,
And the way I feel it must be Spring!
I want you so now,
Have lips I love to touch;
You better go now,
You better go because I like you much too much,
You better go because I like you much too much.
"You Better Go Now" is a song by Bickley Reichner and Redd Evans, originally recorded by Jeri Southern in 1952. This version by Mark Murphy embodies a playful, yet poignant sentimentality, infused with a sense of urgency. The lyrics communicate a sense of affection and attachment between the singer and the subject of the song. The singer feels a strong attraction towards the other person, but acknowledges that their feelings are too intense to handle. The repetition of the phrase "You better go now" emphasizes the tension between the desire to be with the person versus the need to step back for their own well-being. The line "You have a way with you" suggests that the person has a certain charm or charisma that the singer finds irresistible. The imagery of the moon and spring also highlight the romantic, almost dreamlike quality of the song.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of vulnerability and honesty. The singer is open about their emotions, even when it may be difficult or uncomfortable. The music itself is composed of soft, jazzy chords, conveying a sense of intimacy and tenderness. This song represents a classic example of the "torch song" genre, celebrating the beauty and heartache of love.
Line by Line Meaning
You better go now
I think it's time for you to leave
Because I like you much too much,
I have a strong attraction towards you
You have a way with you;
You possess a unique quality that appeals to me
You ought to know now
I feel it's necessary to let you know something
Just why I like you very much,
Allow me to explain the reasons behind my attraction
The night was gay with you!
I had a wonderful time spending time with you
There's the moon above
Observing the moon up high
And it gives my heart a lot of swing;
It fills my heart with joy and excitement
In your eyes there's love,
I can see love and affection in your eyes
And the way I feel it must be Spring!
It feels like the season of new beginnings and hope
I want you so now,
I desire you strongly now
You have lips I love to touch;
I find your lips incredibly irresistible
You better go now,
I still think it's best if you leave
You better go because I like you much too much.
My feelings for you are overwhelming, hence it's best to leave
You better go because I like you much too much.
Reiterating the point that leaving is best for both of us
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BICKLEY REICHNER, IRVIN GRAHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind