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.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Ray Conniff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Prancer, Vixen
Comet, Cupid
Donner and Blitzen
Hold on now don't you recall?
The greatest reindeer of them all
Who?
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw him
You would even say it glows
Well
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then all the reindeer loved him
They went all around with glee
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
You'll go down in history
Oh, Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Got another funny side
He had a red trazolla
It was like a traffic light
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Didn't seem to mind at all
Matter of fact for Rudolf
He was quite having a ball
'Cause on a foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Rudolph with your nose so bright
You can guide my sleigh tonight?"
Oh, then how the reindeer loved him
They went all around with glee
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
You'll go down in history"
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen
Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen
Rudolph, Rudolph, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Rudolph, Rudolph, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Rudolph, Rudolph, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
The lyrics to "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" tell the story of Rudolph, a reindeer who was seen as an outcast by his peers because of his shiny, red nose. The song first introduces the other eight reindeer, and then focuses on Rudolph, who is described as having a very shiny nose that glows. The other reindeer used to laugh and call him names and didn't allow him to play in any reindeer games, which made Rudolph feel ostracized and alone.
However, on one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa Claus arrived and asked Rudolph to guide his sleigh that night because of his bright nose. This gave Rudolph the opportunity to prove his worth and show that his unique trait was actually a valuable asset. As a result, all of the reindeer began to appreciate Rudolph and shout with glee, acknowledging him as a hero who would go down in history.
The song speaks to the idea that being different can initially lead to exclusion and ridicule, but with time, those differences can be seen as strengths and can bring individuals the recognition and appreciation they deserve. "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" has become a beloved Christmas classic that is seen as a symbol of triumph over adversity and the power of one's individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
You know Dasher and Dancer
You are familiar with the reindeer named Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen
You are also familiar with the reindeer named Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid
Moreover, you know the reindeer named Comet and Cupid
And Donner and Blitzen
You are also aware of the presence of Donner and Blitzen among the set of reindeers
But do you recall
However, have you ever thought about or remembered
The most famous reindeer of all
The reindeer that has earned the most widespread recognition among all other reindeers who have ever existed
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Rudolph is a reindeer that has a unique red and shiny nose
Had a very shiny nose.
His nose was not just red, but it was also very bright
And if you ever saw him
If you ever caught a glimpse of Rudolph
You would even say it glows
It would be your immediate reaction to state that his nose is glowing
All of the other reindeer
All the other 8 reindeer who did not possess Rudolph's one unique ability
Used to laugh and call him names
They used to mock Rudolph and gave him derogatory names.
They never let poor Rudolph
They always excluded Rudolph and did not allow him to
Play in any reindeer games
participate in the games that the other reindeer played during. their free time
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
On a foggy Christmas Eve, when it was tough for any means of transportation outside to find their way through the fog
Santa came to say
Santa came ahead and expressed
"Rudolph with your nose so bright
"Oh Rudolph whose nose is brighter than anyone else's
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Would you please guide our sled together with the reindeer tonight?
Then all the reindeer loved him
After Rudolph guided Santa's sleigh through the fog successfully
As they shouted out with glee
All the other reindeer became happy
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
They then began to acknowledge Rudolph
You'll go down in history!
By stating that Rudolph will be remembered in history books for his bright red nose that saved Christmas from getting ruined.
Lyrics © DistroKid, ST. NICHOLAS MUSIC INC., Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Johnny Marks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind