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.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Ray Conniff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was to certain poor shepherds
In fields as they lay
In fields where they lay watching their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them afar
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
Hark, the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations, rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark, the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hail, the Heaven Prince of peace
Hail, the Son of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Hark, the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Hark, the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah
Adeste fideles læti triumphantes
Venite, venite in Bethlehem
Natum videte
Regem angelorum
Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Dominum
Oh come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
Oh come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels
Oh come, let us adore Him
Oh come, let us adore Him
Oh come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
We wish you a lot of presents
We wish you a lot of presents
We wish you a lot of presents and a lot of the cheer
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
The lyrics of "Christmas" by Ray Conniff Singers set in a cozy scene of wintertime holiday cheer. The first verse describes the amusement of roasting chestnuts on an open fire while watching snowflakes falling outside, as well as the winter-perfect atmosphere with the cold air causing Jack Frost to nip at your nose. The imagery of a choir singing Yule-tide carols and people dressed up in Eskimo outfits completes the picture of a traditional Christmas.
The second verse leaps into the holiday cheer, a turkey and mistletoe to decorate and bring brightness to the season. The little ones eagerly await the arrival of Santa Claus, with "toys and goodies" in his sleigh to make them happy.
Finally, the song reaches its climax with the singer offering a simple message of "Merry Christmas to you" to all the children from one to ninety-two. The song is filled with the festive spirit and aimed at spreading Christmas joy to all who hear it.
Line by Line Meaning
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
The aroma of chestnuts cooking over an open flame, creating an ambiance of warmth and holiday joy.
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
The chill of winter signifies the arrival of Jack Frost, biting at people's noses and creating a sense of excitement for the coming holidays.
Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir
People gathered together to sing carols during the festive season, embodying the spirit of Christmas and spreading warmth and joy.
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.
People bundled up in thick winter clothing, resembling Eskimos in order to combat the cold winter weather and enhance the holiday season.
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
The traditional holiday staples of turkey and mistletoe are widely recognized by people during this time of the year.
Help to make the season bright
These holiday symbols help to lighten up the festivities and create a feeling of warmth and joy.
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Small children are in awe of the magical nature of the holiday season, creating a sense of anticipation and wonder.
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.
The excitement and anticipation of the holiday gifts make it difficult for children to fall asleep on Christmas Eve.
They know that Santa's on his way
Children believe that Santa Claus is coming to deliver their gifts, creating a sense of enchantment and magic during the holiday season.
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
Toys and gifts that are brought by Santa Claus make up the magical essence of Christmas, making children excited and creating a festive atmosphere.
And every mother's child is gonna spy
Every child eagerly awaits the arrival of Santa Claus, creating a sense of excitement and anticipation during the holiday season.
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.
Children are inquisitive about the magical qualities of holiday iconography, such as flying reindeer, adding to the sense of enchantment and magic.
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
The phrase being offered is a message of goodwill and happiness to everyone during the festive holiday season.
To kids from one to ninety-two
This message of goodwill and cheer is being conveyed to everyone, from children to adults, encompassing all generations and ages.
Although it's been said many times, many ways
This message of goodwill and cheer has been conveyed multiple times, in various forms and mediums, throughout history.
Merry Christmas to you!
A cheerful and festive greeting, conveying wishes of happiness and kindness to all during the holiday season.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kevin Olusola, Scott Hoying, Avriel Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado, Mitchell Grassi, Ben Bram
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind