Wallace was born on August 6, 1887 in London. After completing his musical training, he went to the United States, where he initially worked primarily on the West Coast as a conductor of theater orchestras and as an organist accompanying silent films. At the same time, he also made a name as a songwriter, writing tunes such as the popular "Hindustan". With the advent of the talking film era, he worked increasingly for Hollywood film studios in the 1930s.
In 1936 he joined Disney Studios, and quickly became one of the most important composers in the studio for short animated films. Wallace provided the music for more than 100 of these shorts. One of his best known pieces is the song Der Fuehrer's Face from the 1942 Donald Duck propaganda cartoon. This parody of a Horst Wessel song was, mainly through the version by Spike Jones & His City Slickers, one of the biggest hits during the Second World War. Other shorts Wallace scored include Ben and Me (1953), about Benjamin Franklin, and the Oscar-winning Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953), the first cartoon to use the new Cinemascope process. In 1949 Wallace composed the music and voiced Winkie in the Disney film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.
Walt Disney also had Wallace score full-length films for the studios. His first big success was Dumbo (1941), for which he, together with Frank Churchill, won his first and only Oscar in 1942. He went on to score Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp. Characteristic of all these productions was the cooperation of several composers in the creation of the music. Wallace understood this and integrated leitmotiv-like elements from the individual songs into the film scores.
When the Disney studios began increasingly producing full-length films, Wallace also wrote scores for these. In Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), Wallace wrote not only the score but also set the Lawrence Edward Watkin-penned popular songs, "Pretty Irish Girl" and "The Wishing Song". In Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with the Circus (1959), he appeared as an actor, playing the conductor of the circus band.
Starting with Seal Island (1948) Wallace also specialized in musical accompaniments for Disney documentaries, including nearly all the films for the "People and Places" series and some of the "True Life Adventures". The music of White Wilderness (1958) was even nominated for an Oscar in 1959, a rare event for a documentary film.
Overall, Wallace contributed music to nearly 150 Walt Disney productions. He remained active in the studio in Los Angeles until shortly before his death at the age of 76.
Awards:
* 1942 - Oscar for Dumbo - together with Frank Churchill
Wallace also received four other Oscar nominations for the music to the film Victory Through Air Power (1943), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), and White Wilderness (1957).
Filmography (selection):
Most of the films were scored in collaboration with other composers.
* 1941 – Dumbo – Score
* 1942 – Der Fuehrer's Face – Score and title song
* 1943 – Victory Through Air Power – Score (participation)
* 1947 – Fun and Fancy Free – Score (participation)
* 1948 – Seal Island – Score
* 1949 – The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad – Score
* 1950 – Cinderella – Score (participation)
* 1951 – Alice in Wonderland – Score
* 1953 – Peter Pan – Score and some songs
* 1953 – Ben and Me – Score
* 1953 – Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom – Score
* 1954 – Siam – Score
* 1955 – Men Against the Arctic – Score
* 1955 – Lady and the Tramp – Score (participation)
* 1957 – Old Yeller – Score and song
* 1958 – White Wilderness – Score
* 1958 – Tonka – Score
* 1959 – Darby O’Gill and the Little People – Score and song
* 1960 – Jungle Cats – Score
* 1960 – Ten Who Dared – Score
* 1961 – Nikki, Wild Dog of the North – Score
* 1962 – Big Red – Score
* 1962 – The Legend of Lobo – Score
* 1963 – Savage Sam – Score
* 1963 – The Incredible Journey – Score
Main Title /The Wag of a Dog's Tail
Oliver Wallace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a beautiful night
And we call it bella notte
Look at the skies
They have stars in their eyes
On this lovely bella notte
Side by side with your loved one
You will find the enchantment here
When the one you love is near, oh
This is the night
And the heavens all rise
On this lovely bella notte
Oh this is the night
It's a beautiful night
And we call it bella notte
Look at the skies
They have stars in their eyes
On this lovely bella notte
Side by side with your loved one
You will find the enchantment here
The night will weave its magic spell
When the one you love is near, oh
This is the night
And the heavens all rise
On this lovely bella notte
Oliver Wallace’s song Main Title /The Wag of a Dog's Tail is a beautiful and romantic piece that highlights the magic and enchantment of a beautiful night. The lyrics capture the essence of a night where everything is perfect, the skies are beautiful, and the stars are shining bright. The song begins with the passionate line, “Oh, this is the night, it’s a beautiful night, and we call it bella notte.” The line sets the tone for the rest of the song, introducing the listener to the beauty and magic of the night.
The following lines in the song highlight the beauty of the skies and how the stars seem to be shining just for those who are experiencing the lovely bella notte. The intimate line, “Side by side with your loved one, you will find the enchantment here” highlights the romantic aspect of the song, as it speaks to the magical chemistry that exists between two people in love, especially during a beautiful night.
Overall, the song Main Title /The Wag of a Dog's Tail paints a romantic and magical picture of what we all desire our perfect nights to be. It is a beautiful melody that celebrates love and the beautiful moments we have with our loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh this is the night
Tonight is a special night, worth cherishing and remembering.
It's a beautiful night
The night is a wonderful sight to behold.
And we call it bella notte
We refer to this night as a beautiful one.
Look at the skies
Observe the heavens.
They have stars in their eyes
The skies are adorned with stars that seem to shine with longing and wonder.
On this lovely bella notte
The beauty of the night is remarkable and stunning.
Side by side with your loved one
If you're with the one you love, you're in a good place.
You will find the enchantment here
If you're with your beloved, there's magic in the air.
The night will weave its magic spell
The night possesses an enchanting and bewitching aura.
When the one you love is near, oh
Being close to the one you love adds to the night's magic and allure.
And the heavens all rise
The skies seem to have physical and emotional elevation.
On this lovely bella notte
The beauty and enchantment of the night are truly remarkable.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: OLIVER WALLACE, PEGGY LEE, SONNY BURKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind