I'm creating a list of opening title ballads with vocal accompaniment from the 1950 and 1960's. Examples: Jimmy Rodgers': The Long Hot Summer or Avalon's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Male or Female vocals. Does anyone have any good suggestions of some of the best ? Those that have sweeping orchestra accompaniment or big band or jazz arrangements are preferred. These would be songs and arrangements written specifically for a particular film. Exclude: musicals or film versions of stage musicals.
I agree with the EL DORADO song. It's one of my favorites, if not my favorite ballad from a western.
I might like to add something by my favorite male singer: Steve Lawrence. It may actually be from the '70's though, and that is Goldsmith's song from THE LAST RUN, with a lyric by Hal David.
I have just such a Playlist on my iTunes, with Title Songs and featured songs.
Here is part of it....
Main Title - "An Affair to Remember" (Our Love Affair) 1:51 Music by Hugo Friedhofer - Vocal: Vic Damone. An Affair to Remember ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
April Love (Film Version) 2:24 Pat Boone - Music by Alfred Newman & Cyril J. Mockridge April Love - Original Soundtrack Soundtrack
Prelude & Main Title - Boy On A Dolphin 4:11 Music by Hugo Friedhofer Boy on a Dolphin ( Original STEREO Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
Tammy 3:02 Debbie Reynolds - Music by Jay Livingstone & Ray Evans Tammy & the Bachelor - Original Soundtrack Soundtrack
Houseboat - Bing, Bang, Bong 2:20 Sophia Loren Sophia Loren - Music from Her Movies Soundtrack Houseboat - Almost In Your Arms 2:51 Sophia Loren Sophia Loren - Music from Her Movies Soundtrack
It's a Woman's World 2:58 The Four Aces Woman's World Sound Track
The Bus Stop Song (A Paper Of Pins) 2:17 The Four Lads Bus Stop Soundtrack
Main Title - Hallelujah Trail 2:34 Composed & Conducted by Elmer Bernstein & Chorus The Hallelujah Trail ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
Moon River - Vocal: Audrey Hepburn 1:45 Composed & Conducted by Henry Mancini Breakfast At Tiffany's ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
River Of No Return 2:16 Marilyn Monroe River Of No Return ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
Overture ( Original Film Version ) 2:25 Composed & Conducted by Ernest Gold It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
Main Title ( Vocal - Sheb Woolley ) 1:55 Music by Cyril J. Mockridge ( Conducted by Miklos Rozsa ) Many Rivers to Cross ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack The Berry Tree (Bonus Track) 0:56 Music by Cyril J. Mockridge ( Conducted by Miklos Rozsa ) Many Rivers to Cross ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
A Certain Smile 2:46 Johnny Mathis A Certain Smile ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
Nature Boy 2:55 Nat King Cole. 20 Greatest Hits Vocal
Mona Lisa 3:28 Nat King Cole. 20 Greatest Hits Vocal
On Days Like These - Vocal : Matt Monro 3:44 Composed & Conducted by Quincy Jones The Italian Job - ( Original Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
Charade (Vocal) 2:38 Composed & Conducted by Henry Mancini Charade ( Music from the Motion Picture ) Soundtrack
It Had Better Be Tonight ( Vocal ) 2:00 Composed & Conducted by Henry Mancini The Pink Panther ( Music from the Motion Picture ) Soundtrack
Main Title - Forever, Darling ( Vocal - The Ames Bros.)/ Knot Is Tied / Two Months Later / Five Years Later 6:13 Bronislau Kaper Forever, Darling Soundtrack
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - Main Title 2:51 Frankie Avalon / Paul Sawtell & Orchestra Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
Main Title - Vocal: Vic Damone 2:54 Music by Alfred Newman & Cyril J. Mockridge The Gift of Love ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) Soundtrack
THE ADVENTURES OF HAJJI BABA - Nat King Cole HIGH NOON - Tex Ritter THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY - chorus THE FACTS OF LIFE - Steve and Eydie THE LAST COMMAND - Gordon MacRae COME NEXT SPRING - Tony Bennett COME BLOW YOUR HORN - Frank Sinatra FRIENDLY PERSUASION - Pat Boone THE BLUE GARDENIA - Nat King Cole THE PLEASURE OF HIS/HER COMPANY - Vic Damone cover version GREEN FIRE - chorus UNTIL THEY SAIL - Eydie Gorme SONG FROM MOULIN ROUGE/WHERE IS YOUR HEART - Felicia Sanders THE TENDER TRAP - Frank Sinatra IT STARTED WITH A KISS - Debbie Reynolds THE HORIZONTAL LIEUTENANT - The Diamonds VERA CRUZ - Tony Martin (single-recording w-Orchestra cond. by Raul LaVista---maybe deleted vocal track of film main title) THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN - Frank Sinatra MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS - The Four Aces
THE ADVENTURES OF HAJJI BABA - Nat King Cole HIGH NOON - Tex Ritter THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY - chorus THE FACTS OF LIFE - Steve and Eydie THE LAST COMMAND - Gordon MacRae COME NEXT SPRING - Tony Bennett COME BLOW YOUR HORN - Frank Sinatra FRIENDLY PERSUASION - Pat Boone THE BLUE GARDENIA - Nat King Cole THE PLEASURE OF HIS/HER COMPANY - Vic Damone cover version GREEN FIRE - chorus UNTIL THEY SAIL - Eydie Gorme SONG FROM MOULIN ROUGE/WHERE IS YOUR HEART - Felicia Sanders THE TENDER TRAP - Frank Sinatra IT STARTED WITH A KISS - Debbie Reynolds THE HORIZONTAL LIEUTENANT - The Diamonds VERA CRUZ - Tony Martin (single-recording w-Orchestra cond. by Raul LaVista---maybe deleted vocal track of film main title) THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN - Frank Sinatra MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS - The Four Aces
As in 'The Ballad of Cable Hogue' (which was made in 1969 I presume and released in 1970) 'Tomorrow is the Song I Sing', composed by Jerry Goldsmith with lyrics written and performed by one Richard Gillis.
Then there are all those movies like 'Bonnie and Clyde' or 'Fifty-Five Days at Peking' that had ballads attached that weren't exactly openers, but constituted title credit pieces.
And it goes unsaid: what was that fellow's name, Jimmy Stock, John Share, somebody Bond? With all those songs by that chap with the Irish/Welsh name, what was it? .... Barry John was it?
No mention of 'Wild Rovers'? And do ancient lingos count like 'Land of the Pharaohs?'
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955) Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster Music by Sammy Fain Hit version by "The Four Aces" Academy Award - Best Song - 1956
