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.
I Believe in Music
Ray Conniff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As long as I'm making my music ain't gonna do nobody no harm
And who knows maybe I'll come up with a song
To make people want to stop all this fussing and fighting
Long enough to sing along
I believe in music
I believe in love
I believe in love
Music is love and love is music if you know what I mean
People who believe in music are the happiest people I've ever seen
So clap your hands and stomp your feet and shake those tambourines
Lift your voices to the sky tell me what you see.
I believe in music
I believe in love
I believe in music
I believe in love
Music is the universal language, and love is the key
To peace hope and understanding, and living in harmony
So take your brother by the hand and come along with me
Lift your voices to the sky, tell me what you see
I believe in music
I believe in love
I believe in music
I believe in love
The song I Believe in Music by Ray Conniff is about the power of music in bringing people together and spreading love and peace. The lyrics suggest that making music can bring joy and happiness while also being a force for positive change in the world. The opening lines express a love for music and a desire to create it, but also acknowledge that music can have a greater purpose beyond just personal enjoyment. The songwriter hopes to create a song that can unite people and inspire them to come together in singing and dancing, putting aside their conflicts and differences for a moment of harmony.
The chorus repeats the singer's belief in the power of music and love, connecting the two as intertwined forces that can bring people happiness and fulfillment. The lyrics suggest that those who believe in music are among the happiest people in the world, and encourage everyone to join in singing and dancing to lift their spirits. The final verses emphasize the universal nature of music and love, which can transcend language and culture to promote peace and understanding. The songwriter calls on listeners to take each other's hands and join a collective celebration of music and love, offering a vision of a world where everyone is united in joy and harmony.
Overall, I Believe in Music is a song about the transformative power of music in bringing people together and promoting love and peace. The lyrics suggest that music is a universal language that can transcend boundaries and create a shared sense of joy and community. By emphasizing the connections between music and love, the song offers a vision of a better world where people are united by their shared passions rather than divided by their differences.
Line by Line Meaning
I could just sit around making music all day long
I can spend my entire day engrossed in making music without harming anyone.
As long as I'm making my music ain't gonna do nobody no harm
I believe that music has only a positive impact on everyone around, and I will keep making music as long as it adds joy in people's lives.
And who knows maybe I'll come up with a song
I am open to the possibility that a new song may emerge, which can inspire people to drop their differences and come together in peace.
To make people want to stop all this fussing and fighting
My music can motivate people to let go of their arguments and hostility towards each other.
Long enough to sing along
People will join me in singing my song, which will, in turn, keep them together till the end of the song.
Music is love and love is music if you know what I mean
Love and music have a profound connection that becomes apparent to anyone who understands this connection.
People who believe in music are the happiest people I've ever seen
Musicians and music lovers have a unique sense of happiness that is reflected in their works and demeanor.
So clap your hands and stomp your feet and shake those tambourines
Join me in celebrating music by playing instruments or making sounds with body parts.
Lift your voices to the sky tell me what you see.
Sing with me and raise your voices to the heavens, and we shall discover what lies above.
Music is the universal language, and love is the key
Music is an all-encompassing language that everyone can understand, and love is the linchpin that strengthens its power.
To peace hope and understanding, and living in harmony
Music and love guide us towards tranquility and mutual understanding, which nurture an environment of peaceful coexistence.
So take your brother by the hand and come along with me
Let's welcome everyone, regardless of their differences, as our equals and join them on the journey of music and love.
Lift your voices to the sky, tell me what you see
Together, we can raise our voices to the divine, behold the beauty and majesty of the universe with appreciation and gratitude.
I believe in music
Music has the power to transform society, bring people together, and spread kindness and happiness.
I believe in love
Love is a force that propels us towards progress, fosters empathy, and unlocks the power of music to unite humanity.
I believe in music
Music is not just art but a way of life, and it can transform lives with its beauty and power.
I believe in love
Love is a beautiful emotion that makes life meaningful, and it can create positive change in the world when we allow it to infuse everything we do.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MAC DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@luizantoniobronislawski3987
all ray conniff albums are beautiful but this one is fantastic, wonderful
@christianpetyt2469
merci pour vos videos de Ray Conniff je suis fan de cette formation depuis 40 ans et cet orchestre a toujours autant de fraicheur et m'apporte beaucoup d'émotions je ne connaissais pas ce titre salut
@nelsemardasneves
Fico feliz por ter encontrado as músicas que gostava de ouvir depois de tanta procura. Achei-as graças ao YouTube
@antoniomadrigal7351
Timeless. Message and words. Appropriate for today.
@2040every1willbmixd
love blazing to this song
from north cali,
first time I heard this song, I was on that purp, listened it with speakers hella close, felt hella coo
cried yo, cuz it was so bueno, the vibe
@rguerke
It's true !