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.
Sleigh Ride
Ray Conniff Singers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "Yoo hoo"
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go,
Let's look at the show.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, it's grand
Just holding your hand.
We're gliding along with a song of a wintery fairy land.
Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we,
We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be.
Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two
Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Ray Conniff's song Sleighride is a lively and joyful song that captures the essence of the winter season. The lyrics revolve around the idea of two people taking a sleigh ride together in the beautiful snow. The opening lyrics, "Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing, ring-ting tingle-ing, too, Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you" set the tone for the song, with the cheerful sounds of sleigh bells and the suggestion that the weather is perfect for a romantic sleigh ride.
The second verse continues with the same festive tone, with the singer referring to the snow falling outside and friends calling in excitement as they prepare for their ride. The chorus is particularly intriguing, with the repetitive phrase "Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go," which suggests the excitement that the two riders are feeling. The chorus also includes the line, "We're riding in a wonderland of snow," which further emphasizes the magical and wintery atmosphere of their ride.
The third verse describes the intimate moment shared between the two riders, with lyrics such as "Just holding your hand, we're gliding along with a song of a wintery fairy land." The final verse encourages the couple to continue in their journey together, with the lyrics "Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two, Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you."
Overall, the lyrics to Sleighride by Ray Conniff create a whimsical and festive mood that perfectly captures the magic of the winter season.
Line by Line Meaning
Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing, ring-ting tingle-ing, too,
Let's take a moment to appreciate the joyful sound of the sleigh bells as they ring and tingle while we ride on this lovely sleigh.
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
The weather is perfect for us to take a sleigh ride together, so let's enjoy this special moment while we have it.
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "Yoo hoo"
Nature is giving us a beautiful snowfall while our friends are trying to capture our attention, reminding us that we're not alone in this world.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go,
We should make haste, as there is no time to waste on this adventure.
Let's look at the show.
Let's take in the sights around us and marvel at the wonder of this winter wonderland.
We're riding in a wonderland of snow.
We're traversing through a magical landscape of snow and ice that is unique and wondrous to see.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, it's grand
The journey is magnificent, a time to be cherished and relished for its beauty and grace.
Just holding your hand.
Above all else, what makes this moment special is the bond we share and the intimacy of holding each other's hands.
We're gliding along with a song of a wintery fairy land.
As we ride and dance through this enchanted land, the joy we feel is embodied in the song that we sing, a moment frozen in time for us to recall and relive throughout our lives.
Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we,
The chill in the air has painted our cheeks rosy, but we are comfortable in each other's embrace and feel at ease.
We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be.
Our love and connection is like that of two birds of a feather, sharing a bond that is unbreakable and one of a kind.
Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two
The path before us is filled with limitless possibilities, and so we should sing joyfully and let the world hear our happiness and love.
Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Once again, I remind you that this moment is special, and that we should celebrate and cherish it together, enjoying each other's company and reveling in the wonder of our lives together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEROY ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind