He was born in San Piero Patti, Sicily, Italy. His family emigrated to the United States in 1920 and settled in Santa Rosa, California. He began his career in music playing the baritone horn, like his father, but he quickly branched out into other instruments, notably the French horn and the piano. He received a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State College, and then went on to study composition with Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland, California and earn his master's degree.
After he graduated, he was hired as an arranger and composer by guitarist and bandleader Johnny Richards. He spent World War II playing with altoist Paul Desmond in an army band.
After WWII, Rugolo worked for Stan Kenton, who headed one of the most musically 'progressive' big bands of the era. Rugolo provided arrangements and original compositions that drew on his knowledge of 20th century music, sometimes blurring the boundaries between jazz and classical music.
While Rugolo continued to work occasionally with Kenton in the 1950s, he spent more time creating arrangements for pop and jazz vocalists, including June Christy, Peggy Lee, the Four Freshmen, and Billy Eckstine, Nat King Cole, and Miles Davis. During this period he also worked for a while on film musicals at MGM, and served as an A&R director for Mercury Records in the late 1950s. Among his many albums were Adventures in Rhythm, Introducing Pete Rugolo, Rugolomania, Reeds in Hi-Fi and Music for Hi-Fi Bugs.
In the 1960s and 1970s Rugolo did a great deal of work in television, contributing music to a number of popular shows including Leave It to Beaver, Thriller, The Fugitive, Run For Your Life, Felony Squad, The Challengers, The Bold Ones: The Lawyers and Family. He also provided scores for a number of TV movies and a few theatrical features. Rugolo's small combo jazz music featured in a couple of numbers in the popular movie Where The Boys Are, under the guise of Frank Gorshin's "Dialectic Jazz Band." While his work in Hollywood often demanded that he suppress his highly original style, there are some striking examples of Rugolo's work in both TV and film. The soundtrack for the last movie on which he worked, This World, Then the Fireworks (1997), demonstrates his gift for writing music that is both sophisticated and expressive.
[edit]Death
Rugolo died, aged 95, on October 16, 2011.
Angel Eyes
Pete Rugolo and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still it's uncomfortably near
My own heart ain't gainin' no ground
Because my Angel Eyes ain't here
Angel Eyes that old devil sent
They glow unbearably bright
Need I say that my love's mis-spent
So drink up, drink up all you people
And order anything you see
Have fun you happy people
The drink, and the laugh's, on me
Pardon me, but I gotta run
The fact's uncommonly clear
I gotta find who's now number one
And why my Angel Eyes ain't here.
(Short Musical Break)
I gotta find who's now the number one
And why my Angel Eyes ain't here.
'Scuse me while I disappear.
The song Angel Eyes by Pete Rugolo and His Orchestra speaks about lost love, the suffering that comes as a result of it, and the desire to move on. The first verse tells of the struggle to forget about love that is uncomfortably close, yet impossible to attain, as it is dependent on the presence of Angel Eyes. The refrain that follows in the second verse speaks to the dangers of Angel Eyes, whose radiance is irresistible, leading the singer to admit that his love is indeed mis-spent. The third verse sums up the singer's plight, offering to buy drinks for everyone, as they have all been through the heartache of lost love and the resulting desire to forget.
However, the singer himself can never forget and will always be searching for his lost love. The final musical break shows the singer's true vulnerability, as the repetition of the previous verse points to his inability to move on, as he disappears, still in search of Angel Eyes.
In general, the lyrics of Angel Eyes are an expression of the pain and acceptance of a broken heart, the dangerous allure of love, and the despair of the search for love's replacement. The song speaks to the universality of human experience and the struggles that everyone can relate to, such as heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Try to think that love's not around
I am trying to ignore the existence of love
Still it's uncomfortably near
But love is still too present to ignore completely
My own heart ain't gainin' no ground
Despite my efforts, my heart is not healing
Because my Angel Eyes ain't here
Due to the absence of my loved one, whom I call Angel Eyes
Angel Eyes that old devil sent
I refer to my loved one as Angel Eyes, though I know love can be a devilish force
They glow unbearably bright
The love between us is intense and almost unbearable
Need I say that my love's mis-spent
I know that my love and efforts are misplaced
Mis-spent with Angel Eyes tonight
I am wasting my love and affection on someone who cannot reciprocate
So drink up, drink up all you people
As a distraction, I encourage others to indulge in excess
And order anything you see
I want everyone to have a good time, regardless of expense
Have fun you happy people
I want to cheer others up, even if I can't cheer myself up
The drink, and the laugh's, on me
I'm willing to pay for everyone's drinks and make them laugh
Pardon me, but I gotta run
But eventually, I must leave
The fact's uncommonly clear
It's painfully obvious what I must do
I gotta find who's now number one
I have to figure out who has replaced me in my loved one's heart
And why my Angel Eyes ain't here.
And why my beloved Angel Eyes is no longer with me
(Short Musical Break)
A brief musical interlude
I gotta find who's now the number one
I am desperate to know who has won my loved one's devotion
And why my Angel Eyes ain't here.
And why I am alone and abandoned by my beloved Angel Eyes
'Scuse me while I disappear.
I must excuse myself and withdraw from others for a time
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Earl Brent, Matt Dennis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind