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.
ravel's bolero
Ray Conniff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he's lying, just a dying
And he gets himself up onto one elbow
And he turns to his mates, and he says
Watch me wallabies feed, mate
Watch me wallabies feed
They′re a dangerous breed, mate
So watch me wallabies feed, altogether now
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Keep me cockatoo cool, Curl
Keep me cockatoo cool
Don't go acting the fool, Curl
Just keep me cockatoo cool, altogether now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Take me koala back, Jack
Take me koala back
He lives somewhere out on the track, Jack
So take me koala back, time to sing again
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Let me Abos go loose, Lew
Let me Abos go loose
They're of no further use, Lew
So let me Abos go loose, altogether now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Mind me platypus duck, Buck
Mind me platypus duck
Don′t let him go running amok, Buck
Just mind me platypus duck, let me hear it now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Play your didgeridoo, Blue
Play your didgeridoo
Keep playin′ 'til I shoot through, Blue
Play your didgeridoo, sing it easy now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tan me hide when I′m dead, Fred
Tan me hide when I'm dead
Haven′t tanned me hide when I've died, Clyde
And then just hang it on the shed, altogether now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down
One more time, tie me kangaroo down
The lyrics of "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" by Rolf Harris tell the story of an Australian stockman on his deathbed, surrounded by his mates. The dying man reminisces about his life and what he wants to happen upon his death. He gives them some practical instructions about taking care of his animals and his things, mixed in with some lighthearted humor. The refrain “Tie me kangaroo down, sport” is repeated throughout the song, reinforcing the idea that he wants his affairs to be taken care of before he dies.
The lyrics highlight Australian wildlife, culture, and informal language such as "mate," "sport," "curl," and "lew." They also reflect the humor and laid-back attitude often associated with Australians. The song is catchy and easy to sing along to, making it a popular tune around the world.
Interestingly, the song has been used in diverse contexts. Its popularity in Australia led to its use as a cricket anthem, while in the UK, it has been used for football and rugby chants. The song has also been used in films, TV shows, and commercials.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, there's an old Australian stock man
This song starts off by introducing an old man from Australia who likely has some stories to tell.
And he's lying, just a dying
Unfortunately, the man is on his deathbed, and he doesn't have long left.
And he gets himself up onto one elbow
Despite his condition, the man manages to prop himself up on one elbow to address his mates.
And he turns to his mates, and he says
The man is speaking to his friends or acquaintances, possibly to impart some final words of wisdom or humor.
Watch me wallabies feed, mate
The man's first request is for his friends to watch the wallabies feed.
They're a dangerous breed, mate
The man warns his friends that wallabies can be dangerous animals, not to be trifled with.
So watch me wallabies feed, altogether now
Despite the danger, the man is determined to show off and have his friends watch him interact with the wallabies.
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
The man follows up his request with a repeated line that has become the song's chorus. He asks his friends to tie his kangaroo down, which could mean a few different things.
Keep me cockatoo cool, Curl
The man moves on to his next request, asking someone named Curl to keep his cockatoo cool.
Don't go acting the fool, Curl
The man is no doubt aware that his friends might be inclined to act foolishly during his final moments, and he implores Curl to remain level-headed.
Take me koala back, Jack
The man asks Jack to take his koala back with him. It's unclear where the koala came from or why he wants him gone.
Let me Abos go loose, Lew
The man's next request is for Lew to let his Aborigines go free. It's unclear what he means by 'letting them go,' but it's likely a reference to their rights and autonomy.
Mind me platypus duck, Buck
Buck is tasked with keeping an eye on the man's platypus duck, which could be a reference to any number of things.
Play your didgeridoo, Blue
The man asks Blue to play his didgeridoo, a traditional aboriginal musical instrument.
Keep playin' 'til I shoot through, Blue
The man doesn't want the music to stop until he passes away.
Tan me hide when I'm dead
The man's final request is for his friends to tan his hide after he's passed away.
Haven't tanned me hide when I've died, Clyde
The man expresses confusion and disappointment that his hide hasn't been tanned yet, possibly implying that he's been trying to convince his friends to do it for a while.
And then just hang it on the shed, altogether now
The song ends with the repeated chorus and the image of the man's hide being hung on a shed after he's passed away.
Writer(s): Ravel Maurice Joseph
Contributed by Natalie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.