Liner Notes

Movie Magic

We now pull out yet another one of the seven Henry Mancini albums my dad had. He’s one of my favorites too.

This one is a follow up to Mancini Plays The Great Academy Award Songs, the album you heard in Volume 43: Mancini and the Oscar Winners.

There’s just something about his music. You just recognize the sound right away.

So get ready to hear music from a composer arranger who had his hands on the scores for more than 100 big screen films in Volume 223: Mancini Movie Magic.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Henry Mancini – 12 Great Oscar Winners Volume 2
Label: RCA Victor – PRM-175
Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono
Released: 1965
Genre: Stage & Screen

Arranged By – Mr. Mancini
Chorus – The Chorus Of Henry Mancini
Orchestra – The Orchestra Of Henry Mancini
Prepared Expressly For B.F. Goodrich

We will hear 7 of the 12 songs on this album.

Call Me Irresponsible
Written By – Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen

High Hopes
Written By – Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen

Never On Sunday
Written By Manos Hadjidakis
The lyrics to the English version of the song were written by Billy Towne

Thanks For The Memory
song composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin
Over The Rainbow
Written By – Yip Harburg and Harlold Arlen

In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
Written By – Harold Carmichael and Johnny Mercer

Swingin’ On A Star
Written By – Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#henrymancini #oscarwinningmusic #musicalmemories #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 223 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

We now pull out yet another one of the seven Henry Mancini albums my dad had. He’s one of my favorites too.

This one is a follow up to Mancini Plays The Great Academy Award Songs, the album you heard in Volume 43: Mancini and the Oscar Winners.

There’s just something about his music. You just recognize the sound right away.

So get ready to hear music from a composer arranger who had his hands on the scores for more than 100 big screen films in Volume 223: Mancini Movie Magic.

[Music: Call Me Irresponsible]

The Henry Mancini Orchestra and Chorus with Call Me Irresponsible
Written By – Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen

To round out this prize-winning dozen, Mr Mancini moves up to 1963 and Call Me Irresponsible, from the Paramount film Papa’s Delicate Condition. Jackie Gleason was Papa in a bouncy comedy role that took him all the way from here to paternity.

That’s a couple lines from the back cover of the album liner notes. I’ll use them as an intro for each song.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

While these songs weren’t written by one of my favorite composers, they all get the Henry Mancini arrangement treatment.

My dad had seven Mancini records and this is the fourth one we have pulled out. Each one is just as good as the last or the next.

Next up is one of the most uplifting songs there is. Once sung by Laverne and Shirly on their TV show.

Frank Sinatra and Edward G Robinson were the headliners in A Hole in the Head, a comedy concoction of 1959. For the occasion the songwriting team of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen came up with
High Hopes, and their own high hopes were realized a few months later when they waltzed off with the Oscar.

[Music: High Hopes]

High Hopes
Written By – Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Henry Mancini – 12 Great Oscar Winners Volume 2
Label: RCA Victor – PRM-175
Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono. There’s a stereo version of this album too.
Released: 1965
Genre: Stage & Screen

All songs were arranged by Henry Mancini.

This album was prepared Expressly For B.F. Goodrich.

We will hear 7 of the 12 songs on this album.

There is one big section above the main section of liner notes. I’ll read that and some of the notes that don’t have to do with specific songs.

As sequel to the acclaimed first volume of Academy Awards songs, this lush and lovely album recapitulates two main themes: the ever-growing stature AND versatility of Henry Mancini. While most of the superlatives have been exhausted, Mancini’s creative wellsprings have not. He continues to be one of the very few whose orchestrations are as original as the music he writes, and whose impact and influence universally resound with every new score. For the above evergreens of Hollywood he has charted some of the most fresh, persuasive arrangements of the decade. Listen, then, as the orchestra and chorus of Henry Mancini perform these Academy Awards songs for today’s audience, the most fortunate in music history.

As for Oscar, he’s 36 years old, stands 10 inches tall and weighs in at a neat 7 lb, his full title: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences award. Melted down, Oscar’s golden form would fetch a bare hundred dollars, but on a Hollywood mantlepiece, he has a value beyond price. For, in an industry much given to metals and plaques and all other honor areas, Oscar still stands alone as the ultimate symbol of achievement.

The 12 Songs in this album are Oscar all the way. And, as is fitting, they’ve been arranged and conducted by a man who’s a multi Academy Award winner himself Henry Mancini.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

It’s only ever been sold once. October 23, 2020 for a buck. The stereo version I looked at has never been sold.

My dad’s record is in really good condition. And I know he often had Mancini music available in his to play stack. There’s not much crackle at all. Just a couple of pops here and there.

The surface is still relatively clean. Just a few scuff marks where the automatic turntable spindle system likes to scratch records.

The cover is in fair condition. Some wear along the edges, but no tears. There’s no real record wear mark worn into the front cover like you see on so many of my dad’s covers. There is a bit of one on the back along with the word Posted stamped there.

The front cover has an ever present address label.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at a buck.

Jules Dassin’s Never on a Sunday was a naughty but nice Fable of life and love in modern athens. The film rocketed Melina Mercouri to International stardom. and its title song triggered a jukebox vogue for the exotic Bouzouki music of the Balkans. The year was 1960.

Now, I noticed something when digitizing this song. At two points in the first chorus it sounds like they’re starting a record with the needle already on it, or the tape had to get back up to speed. It was a weird effect.

[Music: Never On Sunday]

Never On Sunday
Written By Manos Hadjidakis
The lyrics to the English version of the song were written by Billy Towne.

We’ve talked a lot about Henry Mancini in previous episodes, so let’s just give you a quick summary.

Henry Mancini was an American composer and conductor, born on April 16, 1924, in Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up in Pennsylvania and started learning music at a young age, inspired by his father, who played the flute. Mancini studied at the Juilliard School of Music but paused his education to serve in World War II. After the war, he joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra, where he began arranging music. Later, he worked for Universal Studios, contributing to over 100 films. Mancini became famous for his ability to mix jazz with orchestral music, creating a unique sound that stood out in Hollywood.

Mancini’s music is still celebrated today. He composed iconic scores for movies and TV shows, including “The Pink Panther,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and “Peter Gunn.” His song “Moon River” from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” won an Academy Award and became a timeless classic. Over his career, Mancini won four Academy Awards and 20 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most honored composers in history. His work continues to inspire musicians and bring joy to audiences around the world. He passed away on June 14, 1994, but his legacy lives on through his unforgettable melodies. Henry Mancini was 70 years old.

Thank you Henry for the memories.

Back to music.

Paramount started a musical trend with the Big Broadcast of 1936. The next year the studio came back with the Big Broadcast of 1937. and the following year, what else? the Big Broadcast of 1938. Third time lucky, so they say; and indeed the Third Edition hit the Oscar jackpot with Thanks for the Memory. The Big Broadcasts are museum pieces now, but Thanks for the Memory, thanks to Bob hope, is still going strong

[Music: Thanks For The Memory]
[Music: Over the Rainbow]

A song I will take every opportunity to play on this show…Over The Rainbow
Written By – Yip Harburg and Harlold Arlen

Over the Rainbow almost lost out on the Oscar because it was almost cut out of the movie, by studio decision. But somebody up there liked it and rescued Rainbow from the cutting room floor. The song went on to win honors for Harold Arland and E.Y. Harburg and hearts for a teenaged Judy Garland. The year was 1939. The movie, MGM’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Before that we heard Thanks For The Memory
song composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with another famous movie composer who added his presence to a famous detective theme recording.

Composer John Williams played piano on the original 1958 recording of “Peter Gunn,” written and conducted by Henry Mancini. Williams was then known as Johnny T. or Curly. Williams met Mancini while both were working for Universal Studios. Al Schmitt, sound engineer on the recording sessions for “Peter Gunn,” recalled of Williams, “He was a sweet guy…The last time I saw him, I said, ‘You’re big now, but in those days, I could get John Williams for three hours – and for just 42 bucks.’” Williams played “Peter Gunn” on piano again in 2017 – part of a fundraising tribute to Henry Mancini in Beverly Hills – and was conducted by Quincy Jones that time! Both Williams and Jones credited Mancini with opening doors for them.

I will never listen to that song the same again.

Moving on now with music from a couple of familiar songwriters. This one has such clever lyrics…like “when the party’s getting a glow on.”

Next comes a hit from Here Comes the Groom, a Bing Crosby starrer, vintage 1951. The highlight in the film’s gentle zaniness was Der Bingle’s rendition of the Hoagy Carmichael Johnny Mercer song, In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening.

[Music: In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening]

In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
Written By – Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

Any piece of music that has been touched by Henry Mancini always had some extra magic on it. And this album showed off his movie magic.

I think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house. My dad had a lot of Mancini albums lying around.

The photo on the album cover is typical Mancini. Henry has music scores in one hand and a conductor’s baton in the other while leaning against one of those old monstrous movie cameras.

The top touts the Orchestra and Chorus of Henry Mancini with the title Academy Award Songs Volume Two 12 Great Oscar Winners.

It lists the songs from the album and then shows the BF Goodrich logo.

The back holds all the liner notes I read from along with the list of songs.

And there are four recent RCA Victor albums by Henry Mancini that you will enjoy over a row of four album covers.

OK, let’s swing on out of here.

Paramount’s Going My Way just about made a clean sweep of the Oscars in 1944. The film was voted best picture of the year. Bing Crosby walked off with the best actor award and Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen shared the best song kudos for Swingin’ on a Star.

[Music: Swingin’ On A Star]

Swingin’ On A Star
Written By – Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke

And there you have selections from the second album filled with music from a composer who loved his movies.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 223: Mancini Movie Magic

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 224: Big Band Bards Record 2

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.