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, 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 was posthumously 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 1940s), released 1963, featured additional trombone solos by Ray himself. Both albums are pure light jazz and did not feature any vocals.
Blue Moon
Ray Conniff Singers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
You heard me saying a prayer for
Someone I really could care for
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will ever hold
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold!
Blue moon!
Now I'm no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
The song "Blue Moon" by the Ray Conniff Singers is a classic love ballad that tells the tale of a lonely man who is searching for a true love. The lyrics begin by setting the scene with the singer standing alone, looking up at the sky, with a blue moon as his only companion. He feels empty and unfulfilled, with no dream in his heart or love of his own.
However, the blue moon seems to understand his yearning and desire for love, and it brings him a sign of hope. He begins to pray for someone he could care for, and then suddenly, the person he has been looking for appears before him. The moon turns from blue to gold, symbolizing the joy and happiness that fills his heart now that he has found the love he has been searching for.
In the end, the singer is no longer alone, and the void in his heart has been filled. The song is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of love and the hope it can bring into our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue moon you saw me standing alone
I was all by myself when the extraordinary moon came into my sight.
Without a dream in my heart
I had no aspirations and aim in life, I felt lost and disoriented.
Without a love of my own
I had no one to love or to be loved by, which left me feeling unfulfilled and lonely.
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
The moon exactly understood my purpose of being there in the night, alone and in need of connection.
You heard me saying a prayer for
The moon was witness to me sending out a prayer for assistance and love.
Someone I really could care for
I was hoping for someone who will matter to me, who I will love and cherish.
And then there suddenly appeared before me
Unexpectedly, someone came into my life.
The only one my arms will ever hold
That someone was very special to me, the one I want to be with forever.
I heard somebody whisper "Please adore me"
I heard the voice of that special someone, begging me to love them forever.
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold!
When I saw that person, the whole world transformed, even the moon seemed to glitter gold.
Blue moon! Now I'm no longer alone
Thanks to that special someone, I'm not alone anymore, even the moon shines bright with me.
Without a dream in my heart
I no longer feel aimless or lost because I have that special someone to share my dreams with.
Without a love of my own
I am blessed to have found my soulmate, my forever love who completes me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AntonioMartinez-dx9mk
Nunca morirá esta música, entra en el corazón te hace olvidar las penas y la nostalgia se convierte en alegría, para mi el mejor areglista de todos los tiempos
@AntonioMartinez-dx9mk
Muchos años felices con Ray conniff, para mi el mejor arreglista y esta melodía maravillosa, mi gran agradecimiento por la felicidad que a llevado a millones de humanos jamás me canso de escucharlo
@hilciaelvir2757
Imposible no pararme a bailar cuando escucho esta música y más si se trata del maestro Ray Connif.
@AntonioMartinez-dx9mk
Para mi el mejor hareglista de siempre, nunca me canso de escucharlo y disfrutar de esa música maravillosa
@conceicaooliveira2632
Lindissima esta música
@joseraimundobezerrademenez6472
Saudade de um tempo maravilhoso.
@balearicsoundwave89
pure gold,pure gold.
@MeryToste
My Brilliant RAY CONNIFF Forever In My Heart👏👏👏
@ronaldciccone260
Another Great American Song, Yes The Moon Is Blue. Thanks Ray
@jeanmarierivart8948
J'aime beaucoup Ray Conniff dont je possède bon nombre de CD