After serving in the U.S. Army in World War II (where he worked under Walter Schumann), he was hired by Mitch Miller, then head of A & R at Columbia Records as their home arranger, and he worked with several artists, including Rosemary Clooney, Marty Robbins, Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis, Guy Mitchell and Johnnie Ray. He wrote a top 10 arrangement for Don Cherry's "Band of Gold" in 1955, a single that sold more than a million copies.
Amongst the hit singles he backed with his orchestra (and eventually with a male chorus) were "Yes Tonight Josephine" and "Just Walkin' in the Rain" by Johnnie Ray; "Chances Are" and "It's Not for Me to Say" by Johnny Mathis; "A White Sport Coat" and "The Hanging Tree" by Marty Robbins; "Up Above My Head," a duet by Frankie Laine and Johnnie Ray, and "Pet Me, Poppa" by Rosemary Clooney. He also backed up the albums "Tony" by Tony Bennett, "Blue Swing" by Eileen Rodgers, "Swingin' for Two" by Don Cherry. and half the tracks of "The Big Beat" by Johnnie Ray.
In these early years he also produced some similar sounding records for Columbia's Epic label under the name of Jay Raye (which stands for "Joseph Raymond") amongst them a backing album and singles with Somethin' Smith & The Redheads, an American male vocal group.
Because of the success of his backings Mitch Miller allowed him to make his own record, and this became the successful "'S Wonderful", a collection of standards that were recorded with an orchestra and a wordless singing chorus (four men, four women). He released many more albums in the same vein, including "Dance The Bop" (1957), "'S Marvelous" (1957, gold album), "'S Awful Nice" (1958), "Concert in Rhythm" (1958, gold album), "Hollywood in Rhythm" (1958), "Broadway in Rhythm" (1959), and "Concert in Rhythm, Volume II" (1959, gold album).
In 1959 he started the Ray Conniff Singers (12 women and 13 men) and released the album "It's the Talk of the Town. This group of word— not just syllable — singing singers brought him the biggest hit he ever had in his career: "Somewhere My Love" (1966). The title track of the album was written to the music of Lara's Theme from the film Doctor Zhivago (1965), and was a top 10 single in the US. The album also reached the US top 20 and went platinum, and Conniff won a Grammy. The single and album reached high positions in the international charts (a.o. Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Japan) as well. Also extraordinarily successful was the first of four Christmas albums by the Singers, "Christmas with Conniff" (1959). Nearly fifty years after its release, in 2004, Conniff posthumously was awarded with a platinum album/CD.
Musically different highlights in Conniff's career are two albums he produced in cooperation with Billy Butterfield, an old buddy from earlier swing days. "Conniff Meets Butterfield" (1960) featured Butterfield's solo trumpet and a small rhythm group; "Just Kiddin' Around" (after a Conniff original composition from the 1940's), released 1963, featured additional trombone solos by Ray himself. Both albums are pure light jazz and did not feature any vocals.
Later in the 1960's he produced an average of two instrumental and one vocal album a year. Among these are (Original albums only):
* "'s Wonderful" (1956)
* "Dance the Bop!" (1957)
* "'s Marvelous" (1957)
* "'s Awful Nice" (1958)
* "Concert in Rhythm, Vol.1" (1958)
* "Broadway in Rhythm" (1958)
* "Hollywood in Rhythm" (1958)
* "It's The Talk of the Town" (1959)
* "Conniff Meets Butterfield" (1959)
* "Christmas with Conniff" (1959)
* "Concert in Rhythm, Vol.2" (1959)
* "Young at Heart" (1960)
* "Say It with Music (A Touch of Latin)" (1960)
* "Memories Are Made of This" (1960, gold album)
* "Somebody Loves Me" (1961)
* "'S Continental" (1961)
* "So Much in Love" (1962, gold album)
* "Rhapsody in Rhythm" (1962)
* "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" (1962, gold album)
* "The Happy Beat" (1962)
* "You Make Me Feel So Young" (1963)
* "Speak to Me of Love" (1963)
* "Friendly Persuasion" (1964)
* "Invisible Tears" (1964)
* "Love Affair" (1965)
* "Music From 'Mary Poppins', 'The Sound of Music', 'My Fair Lady' & Other Great Movie Themes" (1965)
* "Here We Come A-Caroling" (1965)
* "Happiness Is" (1965)
* "Ray Conniff's World of Hits" (1966)
* "En Español (The Ray Conniff Singers Sing It in Spanish)" (1966)
* "This Is My Song" (1967)
* "Ray Conniff's Hawaiian Album" (1967)
* "It Must Be Him" (1967, gold album)
* "Honey" (1968, gold album)
* "Turn Around Look at Me" (1968)
* "I Love How You Love Me" (1968)
* "Live Europa Tournee 1969/Concert in Stereo" (1969)
* "Jean" (1969)
* "Concert In Stereo: Live At 'The Sahara Tahoe'" (1969)
* "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (1970)
* "We've Only Just Begun" (1970)
* "Love Story" (1970)
* "Great Contemporary Instrumental Hits" (1971)
* "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" (1971)
* "Love Theme from "The Godfather" (1972)
* "Alone Again (Naturally)" (1972)
* "I Can See Clearly Now" (1972)
* "Ray Conniff in Britain" (1973)
* "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (1973)
* "Harmony" (1973)
* "The Way We Were" (1973)
* "The Happy Sound of Ray Conniff" (1974)
* "Ray Conniff In Moscow" (1974)
* "Laughter in the Rain" (1975)
* "Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" (1975)
* "Love Will Keep Us Together" (1975)
* "I Write the Songs" (1975)
* "Live in Japan" (1975)
* "Send in the Clowns" (1976)
* "Theme from 'SWAT' and Other TV Themes" (1976)
* "After the Lovin'" (1976)
* "Exitos Latinos" (1977)
* "Ray Conniff Plays the Bee Gees and Other Great Hits" (1978)
* "I Will Survive" (1979)
* "The Perfect '10' Classics" (1980)
* "Exclusivamente Latino" (1980)
* "Siempre Latino" (1981)
* "The Nashville Connection" (1982)
* "Musik für Millionen" (partly produced for a German TV show in 1982)
* "Amor Amor" (1982)
* "Fantastico" (1983)
* "Supersonico" (1984)
* "Campeones" (1985)
* "Say You Say Me" (1986)
* "30th Anniversary Edition" (1986)
* "Always in My Heart" (1987)
* "Interpreta 16 Exitos De Manuel Alejandro" (1988)
* "Ray Conniff Plays Broadway" (1990)
* "'S Always Conniff" (1991)
* "Latinisimo" (1993)
* "40th Anniversary" (1995)
* "Live in Rio (aka Mi Historia)" (1997)
* "I Love Movies" (1997)
* "My Way" (1998)
* "'S Country" (1999)
* "'S Christmas" (1999)
* "Do Ray Para O Rei" (2000).
Between 1957 and 1968, he had 28 albums in the American Top 40, the most famous one being "Somewhere My Love" (1966). He topped the album list in Britain in 1969 with "His Orchestra, His Chorus, His Singers, His Sound". He also was the first American popular artist to record in Russia—in 1974 he recorded "Ray Conniff in Moscow" with the help of a local choir. His later albums like "Exclusivamente Latino", "Amor Amor" and "Latinisimo" made him very popular in Latin-American countries, even more so after performing in the Viña del Mar International Song Festival. In Brazil and Chile he was treated like a young pop superstar in the 1980s and 1990s when he was in his 70s and 80s. He even played live with his orchestra and eight-person chorus in large football stadiums as well as in Viña del Mar.
Ray Conniff was a quiet, modest sympathetic artist. He always worked in the background so that in the fifties there were rumours that this man didn't even exist and his name was just a name fake as then his orchestral sound was so sensational. Nevertheless he sold about 70 million albums world-wide and continued recording and performing until his death in 2002.
He died in Escondido, California, and is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
In 2004, a memorial two-CD compilation set, "The Essential Ray Conniff", was released, featuring many rare and previously unreleased tracks. "The Singles Collection, Vol.1" was released on the Collectables label in 2005. This also features many rare tracks.
Frosty The Snowman
Ray Conniff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal
Frosty the Snowman is a fairy tale they say
He was made of snow, but the children know
How he came to life one day
The old silk hat they found
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around
Oh, Frosty the Snowman was alive as he could be
And the children say he could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me, ah
Frosty the Snowman knew the sun was hot that day
So he said let's run, and we'll have some fun
Now before I melt away
Down to the village with a broomstick in his hand
Running here and there all around the square
Saying catch me if you can
He led them down the streets of town
Right to the traffic cop
And he only paused a moment
When he heard him holler, stop
For Frosty the Snowman had to hurry on his way
But he waved goodbye saying don't you cry
I'll be back again someday
I'll be back again someday
The song Frosty the Snowman is a well-loved Christmas classic that tells the story of a jolly snowman named Frosty who came alive with the help of a magic hat. The first verse tells us that Frosty was a jolly happy soul with a corncob pipe and a button nose, and two eyes made out of coal. The second verse informs us that Frosty was actually a fairy tale character made of snow, but children know how he came to life one day. The third verse explains that there must have been some magic in the old silk hat they found, and when they placed it on Frosty's head, he began to dance around. The verses that follow tell us how Frosty was alive as he could be, laughed and played with the children, and knew that he would eventually melt away in the sun. He led them on a fun-filled adventure, running around the village with a broomstick in his hand, playing catch me if you can, until they reached the traffic cop. He had to hurry on his way but not before waving goodbye and saying he'll be back someday.
The song Frosty the Snowman is a happy, whimsical song that conjures up images of snow and Christmas joy. The lyrics speak of the magic of childhood, the power of imagination, and the wonder of the holiday season. Young and old alike can appreciate the charm of Frosty as he laughs, frolics, and leads the children on an adventure. The song also serves as a reminder that life is short, and we should enjoy the moments we have while we can, just like Frosty knew he would eventually melt away in the sun.
Line by Line Meaning
Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul
Frosty was a snowman who was cheerful and content.
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
He had a corncob pipe and a nose made out of buttons.
And two eyes made out of coal
His eyes were formed by using coal.
Frosty the Snowman is a fairy tale they say
Frosty is considered a fictional tale.
He was made of snow, but the children know
How he came to life one day
The kids may know that he came to life one day despite being made of snow.
There must have been some magic in
The hat's power may have been enchanted.
The old silk hat they found
The hat they discovered was ancient and made of silk fabric.
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around
Frosty began to dance when the hat was put on his head.
Oh, Frosty the Snowman was alive as he could be
And the children say he could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me, ah
The children claimed that Frosty could laugh and play like everyone else.
Frosty the Snowman knew the sun was hot that day
So he said let's run, and we'll have some fun
Now before I melt away
Frosty recognized how hot it was outside, causing him to suggest running around before he melts.
Down to the village with a broomstick in his hand
Running here and there all around the square
Saying catch me if you can
Frosty proceeded to run around the town with a broomstick, inviting the kids to try and catch him.
He led them down the streets of town
Right to the traffic cop
Frosty led the kids towards a traffic cop down the roads.
And he only paused a moment
When he heard him holler, stop
Frosty momentarily paused when he heard the traffic cop shouting at him to stop.
For Frosty the Snowman had to hurry on his way
But he waved goodbye saying don't you cry
I'll be back again someday
I'll be back again someday
Frosty had to leave, but he promised to return someday and bade farewell to the children.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Rollins, Steve Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind