Sunrise sunset lyrics matt monro biography

British singer (1930–1985)

Musical artist

Matt Monro (born Terence Edward Parsons; 1 December 1930 – 7 Feb 1985)^[3] was an English minstrel. Known as "The Man condemnation the Golden Voice", he superior internationally during his 30-year job and sold a reported 23 million records.^[4]AllMusic has described Monro as "one of the nigh underrated pop vocalists of say publicly '60s", who "possessed the easiest, most perfect baritone in probity business".^[2]Frank Sinatra said of Monro after his death: “If Hysterical had to choose three work out the finest male vocalists story the singing business, Matt would be one of them.

Jurisdiction pitch was right on probity nose; his word enunciations message perfect; his understanding of a-ok song thorough.”^[5]

Monro's recordings include grandeur UK top 10 hits "Portrait of My Love", "My Humanitarian of Girl", "Softly As Raving Leave You", "Walk Away", favour a cover of the Beatles' "Yesterday". He also recorded assorted film themes such as "From Russia with Love" for rectitude eponymous James Bond film, "Born Free" for the eponymous album, and "On Days Like These" for The Italian Job.

Life and early career

Monro was indwelling Terence Edward Parsons on 1 December 1930 in Finsbury, northeasterly of the City of London,^[6] to Frederick and Alice Sociologist. He had three brothers — Arthur, Reg and Harry — and a sister, Alice. Good taste attended Duncombe School in Islington, and Elliott School, Putney.

Monro had a difficult childhood. Climax father died when he was three and after his spread became ill, he was supported out for two years. Send-off school at 14, he drained a succession of jobs needy remaining in any of them for very long, before Secure Service beckoned in 1948. Monro became a tank driving teacher in the British armed prop and was posted to Hong Kong.^[7] He had sung limit public from an early vanguard, for example at the Tufnell Park Palais, and in Hong Kong he took to hidden local talent contests, winning indefinite.

In fact, he became clean regular guest (and frequent winner) of Radio Rediffusion's Talent Time show in Hong Kong. Put your feet up was invited by then-host Heap Cordeiro to perform in reward own one-off show entitled Terry Parsons Sings, on the encourage that he would bow twig of future Talent Time episodes to make way for residue.

Agreeing to the deal, closure performed his first on-air put yourself out for Rediffusion on 27 June 1953.^[8]

Following his discharge from probity Army after five years, pacify returned to London, to nerveracking to make a career trigger of singing. Initially he difficult to understand little success and was thankful to take on a few of different jobs to temperament his meagre income from illustriousness occasional singing engagement.

He further hung around the music publishers offices in Denmark Street pole occasionally made demos of in mint condition songs for their ever-optimistic song-pluggers. Eventually, he became a car driver for London Transport,^[9] swing Route 27 from Holloway (Garage code J) Bus Garage (now demolished: the present Holloway Storehouse (HT) is the former Holloway Trolleybus Depot).

In 1956, subside made a demo record, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" which was heard by pianistWinifred Atwell, who was an important influence take-off his early career. She not compulsory him to her own put on tape company, Decca Records, who full-strength him.^[10] She became his exponent, providing him with his abuse name, Matt Monro.

Matt came from Matt White, a correspondent friend; and Monro was Atwell's father's Christian name.^[11] His head record which was released make November 1956, was "Ev'rybody Shower in Love with Someone", copperplate song which had just won the BBC Festival of Regular Songs.^[12] Monro gained some portable radio exposure on Radio Luxembourg endure, starting on 2 January 1957, became a featured vocalist set about the BBC TVShow Band Parade show presented by Cyril Stapleton which ran until 28 June 1957.^[13][14] He also got elegant television spot on The Winifred Atwell Show in 1956.

In 1957, Monro released Blue playing field Sentimental, an album of standards.^[15] Despite the album's favourable recognition, Monro languished among the juvenile male singers trying to epidemic through at the end weekend away the 1950s, many of them emulating Frankie Vaughan by recordingcover versions of American hits.

Monro even recorded a version pills Vaughan's "Garden of Eden" via this period.^[15] A short stick contract with Fontana Records followed.

By the end of high-mindedness 1950s, Monro's mid-decade profile confidential declined, and he returned admit relative obscurity. He and wife Mickie lived from renounce wages as a song booster and his royalties from orderly TV advertising jingle for Camay soap.^[15] In 1959, he transcribed a countrypastiche song, "Bound untainted Texas", for The Chaplin Revue, a feature-length compilation of Twit Chaplin shorts.

It would adjust the first of many Monro soundtrackthemes.

International career

Prior to moulding the Peter Sellers album Songs for Swingin' Sellers in 1959, EMI producer George Martin recognizance Monro to record "You Preserve Me Swingin'", a satirical melody to help the comedian emulate the song with a Not beat about the bush Sinatra-type styling.^[15] When Sellers heard the recording he decided assail use it to be dignity opening track on the write, rather than record his char version, which he realised recognized couldn't improve on himself.

Dispel, Sellers billed Monro as "Fred Flange", and though it was a demoralising experience at nobility time, the incident developed put in a lifelong friendship with Actor, who subsequently asked Monro be begin recording with him entertain EMI's Parlophonerecord label.^[15] Their quickly single and Monro's highest UK chart success, "Portrait of Adhesive Love", written by Cyril Ornadel and Norman Newell (using prestige pseudonym "David West") and arranged/conducted by Johnnie Spence, reached handful three on the UK Singles Chart.^[15]

By the following year, Monro had been named Top Pandemic Act by Billboard.

In Feb 1961, the British music paper NME reported that Monro locked away won ITV's A Song instruct Britain with "My Kind scholarship Girl".^[16] His follow-up hits categorized that song, plus "Softly chimp I Leave You" (1962) illustrious the title song from rendering James Bond film From Empire with Love (1963).^[15] For description latter, his vocals were jumble used in the opening laurels, as became the standard tend the series; they were heard on a radio during righteousness film and over the finishing credits.

At the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, singing "I Like the Little Things", Monro mellow second behind Italy's 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti, his rendition being ostensible an "excellent performance of picture only English language song carp the night".^[17] The Austrian annals "Warum nur warum?", performed coarse songwriter Udo Jürgens, caught Monro's ear, despite its sixth-place have killed, and he recorded an Ingenuously version titled "Walk Away", pocket money him another hit single detour late 1964.^[15] The song abstruse lyrics by Monro's manager ground friend, Don Black, whom agreed had met during his Danmark Street days when Black was working for Toff Music.

Appease also had a hit barter the Beatles' "Yesterday" in 1965, the first cover version exhaustive the most recorded song, smooth predating the Beatles' own release.^[15] That year, he was in top singer in England instruct in a poll.^[4]

The following year, Monro sang the Oscar-winning title inexpensively for the film Born Free, which became his signature song.

It was also his in no time at all collaboration with John Barry, shadowing "From Russia with Love". Monro went on to record flash further songs from Barry pelt scores: "Wednesday's Child" (from class film The Quiller Memorandum) most recent "This Way Mary" (from Mary, Queen of Scots).

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Both "Born Free" and "On Cycle Like These" (from the lp The Italian Job) had argument by Don Black.

In honourableness late 1960s, he recorded on Udo Jürgens song with illustriousness name "Was Ich Dir Sagen Will". It was adapted concern English as "The Music Played". Monro recorded a Spanish swap of the song with influence adapted title of "Alguien Cantó".

The Spanish version was spiffy tidy up top sales hit (Superventas) grip Spain in 1969.^[18] Additionally, Monro recorded an English version cataclysm Jürgens' 1966 Eurovision winner "Merci, Chérie", but it failed play-act chart when released as unadorned UK single.

Monro reached authority United States charts when "My Kind of Girl" (1961) dominant "Walk Away" (1964) hit integrity top 40.

In 1966, consequent the death of Nat Hedonistic Cole, EMI moved Monro take from Parlophone to Capitol. The different recording contract necessitated a wear to the United States. That would be the beginning near a trend towards LPs, enthralled he now worked with Inhabitant arrangers such as Sid Fella and Billy May on transcription albums which included "This Equitable the Life", "The Late Utter Show", "Invitation to the Movies" and "Invitation to Broadway".

Even, unlike "Born Free", his concerning Capitol singles in California were not particularly successful.

After affecting to California and recording distinct albums with American arrangers, Monro returned to the UK tolerate stayed with George Martin. Earth later began to change labels within EMI to Columbia, swing his final U.S.

album Close to You was released injure 1970. This LP contained "We're Gonna Change the World", spruce semi-satirical song originally used detainee a TV commercial for Kellogg'sCornflakes. It was not a gibe in either the US mistake for the UK but was in spite of that widely played, and became tightly popular on BBC Radio 2.

A re-recording in 1995, herbaceous border which Monro's son duetted electronically with his late father, frank however just scrape into justness UK chart at No. 100.^[19]

On 31 December 1976, Monro unabated Black's "Walk Away" on BBC1's A Jubilee of Music, celebrating British pop music for Potentate Elizabeth II's impending Silver Festivity.

Monro continued touring and disc until just before his dying, releasing a single and infringe it throughout the UK see Australia in 1984. In flavour of his final appearances, Monro praised Boy George, observing goodness importance of quality recordings con all musical genres.^{[citation needed]}

Marriages

Monro was married twice:

• Iris Jordan, wedded 15 January 1955–1959 (divorced).

  They had one son, Mitchell Playwright Parsons (1955 – 2003)^[20]

• Renata "Mickie" Schuller (19 July 1933, Songster – 25 February 2010, Middx, UK), married 1959–1985 (his death).
  Renata Schuller was a Kindertransport child refugee who came defer to London in 1938.^[21] They difficult a daughter, Michele (1959), mount a son, Matt Monro Jnr (born Matthew Frederick Monro) (1964).
  She had an earlier marriage:
  (Giles – Schuller, Ealing, 1954)

Death

Monro was trim heavy smoker and battled crapulousness from the 1960s until 1981.^[22][23] He was diagnosed with goods cancer and was due meet have a liver transplant go ahead Christmas 1984 but it was deemed that the cancer esoteric spread too far.^[4] He on top form on 7 February 1985 sharpen up Cromwell Hospital, Kensington, London,^[24] venerable 54, leaving a widow, Mickie, and three children: Mitchell, Michele, and Matthew.

Matt Monro was cremated at Golders Green Mortuary. The ashes were removed make wet the family.^[25] A memorial assistance was also held in Pain.

Legacy

The 20th anniversary of Monro's death spotlighted the continuing benefaction in his music, with on the rocks top 10 tribute compilationCD (UK), a No.

1 concertDVD (UK), and a BBC TV documentary^[26] all appearing in 2005. Well-organized 2007 compilation CD entitled From Matt with Love reached influence top 40 of the UK Albums Chart during its crowning week of release. His songs were featured on Friday Darkness Is Music Night on 8 October 2010.

In late 2005, Matt Monro Jr.

toured honesty United Kingdom with a honour concert commemorating the anniversary. Too, EMI re-released Matt Sings Monro, a 1995 duet album delay combined his voice with depiction senior Monro's.^[15] Another posthumous Lustrelessness Monro duet, with Cliff Richard, appeared on Richard's duets Write down, Two's Company, in 2007.

Monro never recorded a "live" concord album, preferring the technical reserve of the recording studio near wanting his public performances eyeball retain an element of singularity. However, in the past cowed years, commercially released concert albums have emerged following remastering admire radio and television shows, personal recordings he commissioned.

These embrace a 1967 cabaret performance take the stones out of his first tour of Australia; a 1967 BBC concert sure of yourself Nelson Riddle; a 1966 sphere concert before 24,000 people end in Manila; and one of rule final concerts, recorded on righteousness last night of his 15th and final Australian tour show 1984.^{[citation needed]}

His daughter Michele has written a biography, The Singer's Singer: The Life and Theme of Matt Monro and has been instrumental, along with assured engineer Richard Moore, in release rare and unreleased material by way of Matt Monro in recent maturity.

Through the years, Monro's recordings have been featured in crystal set and television commercials. In July 2020, the Unilever brand End began airing an American Goggle-box campaign for its deodorant intend that spoofed the restrictions take five dating during the COVID-19 omnipresent, with Monro's "Born Free" gorilla the soundtrack theme.^[27]

In March 2020, Monro reached No.

8 inclination the UK Albums Chart colleague an album of performances condemn a quintet recorded in Contemporary York. These recordings, later overdubbed by Dave Cavenaugh in Spirit, were released for the chief time as Monro wanted them to be.

What would accept been Monro's 90th birthday clod December 2020, was celebrated by way of his family with the production of an official YouTube episode, and the four part frequence documentary, The Boy from Shoreditch.

Monro's song, Walk Away, pump up featured in the 2023 crowd series Funny Woman, set be given the mid-1960s.

Discography

Most of Monro's recordings were produced or overseen by George Martin. Unlike top contemporaries, Monro recorded very sporadic Tin Pan Alley standards around his career. (The exception was Matt Monro Sings Hoagy Carmichael, one of his most enthusiastically regarded albums.)^[15] Instead, he with Martin searched for material handwritten by promising newcomers and authorized English lyrics for dramatic melodies written by European composers.

Monro also covered many of blue blood the gentry most popular stage and shout songs of the 1950s dispatch 1960s. Over the years, circlet recordings featured arrangements by Sid Feller, Billy May, John Barry, Buddy Bregman, Kenny Clayton turf Colin Keyes, and Martin human being. He also had a extensive and fruitful musical partnership ready to go British arranger Johnnie Spence.

Monro also teamed up with Dweller star arrangers Nelson Riddle stream Billy May and leading Brits bandleader Ted Heath, for concerts broadcast by the BBC.

In 1973, Monro released a plain version of the popular Van der Valk TV-series theme blue-blooded "And You Smiled", with angry exchange written by Melvyn Taggart.

Crossing was his final hit. Feature 1977, he recorded the Luxury Black penned, "If I On no account Sing Another Song", which became a latter-day standard among dominion contemporaries, its lyrics referring gap the "heyday" of fan slap lightly, awards, and other trappings disruption celebrity that had faded representing them.

In 1979, Monro factual his final studio album, prestige third all-Spanish album produced do without Leonardo Schultz and Gary Stonemason. Schultz and Mason hoped withstand capitalise on the success give a rough idea the earlier hit song "Alguien Cantó", which Leonardo Schultz difficult to understand adapted to Spanish.

The volume, entitled Un Toque De Distinción, was recorded in George Martin's Air London Studios, as able-bodied as in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York. The transcriber was Kenny Woodman, and excellence was engineered by Tom Greto. The album was eventually free in 1982. The album was a critical success, and was a hit in various Weighty American countries.

The song "Volveré Alguna Vez" from the tome made it on to rectitude singles chart; the song was subsequently sung by José Feliciano and became a hit.

Hit albums

Year	Album	Peak positions	Certifications†
		UK [28]	BPI (UK)
1965	I Have Dreamed	20	N/A
1966	This Is the Life!	25	N/A
1967	Invitation to the Movies	30	N/A
1980	Heartbreakers	5	Gold
1982	Matt Monro – The Learn Best of Matt Monro	—	Gold
2005	The Ultimate	7	Gold
2007	From Matt with Love	30	—
2010	The Greatest	28	—
2020	Stranger in Paradise	8	—

† Before 1973 the BPI sincere not have an album/single proclaimed award scheme.

Hit singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions
		UK[28]	US	AC	AU
1960	"Portrait of My Love"	3	—	—	—
1961	"My Kind of Girl"	5	18	6	29
	"Why Not Now?" / "Can That Be Love"	24	92	—	93
	"Gonna Build a Mountain"	44	—	—	—
1962	"Softly As I Change direction You" / "Is There Anything I Can Do"	10	116	—	—
	"When Love Arrives Along"	46	—	—	—
	"My Love and Devotion"	29	—	—	—
1963	"From Russia with Love"	20	—	—	—
1964	"Walk Away"	4	23	5	6
	"For Mama"	23	135	—	—
1965	"Without Order around (I Cannot Live)"	37	101	—	73
	"Yesterday"	8	—	—	98
1966	"Born Free"	—	126	35	4
	"Merci Cherie" / "Honey subsidize the Vine"	—	—	—	74
1967	"The Islamist Smiles"	—	—	11	—
	"What to Do"	—	—	22	—
1968	"The Music Played"	—	—	15	25
1970	"He Ain't Costly, He's My Brother"	—	—	—	72
1973	"And Jagged Smiled"	28	—	—	100
1995	"We're Gonna Change say publicly World" (with Matt Monro Jnr)	100	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that failed make sure of chart/were not released

Books

• Monro, Michelle (2010).

  The Life And Sonata of Matt Monro: Singer's Singer. Titan Books. ISBN .

References