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.
S Wonderful
Ray Conniff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we breathe in the cool salty air
You turn to me with a kiss in your eyes
And my heart feels a thrill beyond compare
Then your lips cling to mine
It's wonderful, wonderful
Oh, so wonderful, my love
And we gaze at the earth and the sky
I turn to you and you melt in my arms
There we are, darling, only you and I
What a moment to share
It's wonderful, wonderful
Oh, so wonderful, my love
The world is full of wondrous things it's true
But they wouldn't have much meaning without you
Some quiet evening I sit by your side
And we're lost in a world of our own
I feel the glow of your unspoken love
I'm aware of the treasure that I own
And I say to myself
It's wonderful, wonderful
Oh, so wonderful, my love
And I say to myself
It's wonderful, wonderful
Oh, so wonderful, my love
The lyrics to Ray Conniff's song Wonderful! Wonderful! express the deep love and connection that exists between the singer and the subject of the song. It showcases how beautiful the moments they share together are, whether it be hand in hand by the sea, standing on top of a hill, or simply sitting by each other's side. The singer is so enamored with their significant other, with their kisses and love bringing an unparalleled thrill and joy to their heart.
As the song progresses, we see how the world is full of wondrous things, but that they wouldn't matter much without the presence of the singer's love. It emphasizes the importance of the bond they share and how it makes every moment, even the quiet ones, so much more wonderful. The lyrics provide a beautiful tribute to love and the feelings that it can inspire.
Overall, "Wonderful! Wonderful!" is a beautiful ode to love and the special moments shared between two people. With its romantic lyrics and gorgeous melodies, it has become a classic love song that continues to resonate with listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes we walk hand in hand by the sea
At times we stroll along the seaside holding hands
And we breathe in the cool salty air
As we do, we inhale the refreshing briny breeze
You turn to me with a kiss in your eyes
Your eyes glistening with desire, you lean towards me and plant a tender kiss
And my heart feels a thrill beyond compare
Such an exhilaration fills my heart that no one can match
Then your lips cling to mine
Your lips lock onto mine, igniting a passion that burns brightly
It's wonderful, wonderful
It is magnificent, magnificent
Oh, so wonderful, my love
Oh, so magnificent, my dearest
Sometimes we stand on the top of a hill
Occasionally, we stand atop a hill
And we gaze at the earth and the sky
And we marvel at the land and the heavens above
I turn to you and you melt in my arms
I look at you, and you tenderly surrender to my embrace
There we are, darling, only you and I
In that moment, my dearest, it is only you and I present
What a moment to share
What a moment to cherish
It's wonderful, wonderful
It is magnificent, magnificent
Oh, so wonderful, my love
Oh, so magnificent, my dearest
The world is full of wondrous things, it's true
Undoubtedly, the world abounds with marvels
But they wouldn't have much meaning without you
Yet, they wouldn't hold much significance without you
Some quiet evening I sit by your side
On some peaceful evening, I sit beside you
And we're lost in a world of our own
And we get lost in our own realm
I feel the glow of your unspoken love
I feel the warmth of your unsaid, unspoken love for me
I'm aware of the treasure that I own
I'm cognizant of the preciousness of what I possess
And I say to myself
And I whisper to myself
It's wonderful, wonderful
It is magnificent, magnificent
Oh, so wonderful, my love
Oh, so magnificent, my dearest
And I say to myself
And I whisper to myself
It's wonderful, wonderful
It is magnificent, magnificent
Oh, so wonderful, my love
Oh, so magnificent, my dearest
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BEN RALEIGH, SHERMAN EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@53Rhona
I was a little girl when my older brothers used to have parties every weekend at home back in the early 60's. These songs are part of my happy childhood. Ray Conniff was a big hit here in Brazil at that time.
@fernanven
First hit of Ray Conniff, composed by George Gershwin, Im 44 years old but learning about this fabulous years, thanks
@bulldogbarks55
Thanks, I'll listen Sunday 1/13/13. Ray Conniff was sort of the "house band" at Columbia in the 1950s-1960s accompanying Johnny Mathis, Johnnie Ray, singer Don "Band of Gold" Cherry, Marty Robbins, Guy Mitchell and Rosemary Clooney. He worked under Rochester, NY native Mitch Miller who was the A&R guy at Columbia Records in those days. Conniff's rich, lavish blend of orchestra and chorus into a perfect sound is unforgettable. Ray and Mitch produced real music, not today's crap.
@jerveesiopongco5228
I love his collections, everytime I wake up in the morning and baking pancakes for my breakfast, I always hear these songs. I miss Lebanon :((
that's 14 years ago
@jmrodas9
One of those early Ray Conniff records I used to hear on the radio when I was a kid. It brings to me remembrances of my time in the last years of elementary school. And how my late kid sister and I used to play around the house.
@jmrodas9
I was a kid in fourth grade elementary when this record was released. Liked to hear it on the radio after finishing my homework. It had a quality most of today's music does not have. I remember my Mother taught me to dance with this tune. Great!!!
@gabrielcamargo3350
Im at my grandmas house, she said to me she likes Ray Coniff so I put it to play and we are happy now! Nice moment! ;D
@PY2ERH
Never again will we have this quality sound.
The analog was wonderful.
@CanadaguyRudey1
Best Conniff song ever- remember as a kid my parents playing this in the early 70's
@heterosectional
S'WONDERFUL was Ray Conniff's "come back" album. He was an arranger and musician for Columbia Records. Columbia laid off guys like Conniff when rock came in. He was an old MOR arranger and musician. So he got a job as a laborer for a construction company when someone at Columbia found him. All the while, he had in his head arranging old standard songs with voices along with his well-known thumpity thump beat. So Columbia gave it a try. And he was back in business. This is a true story. I was in the biz.