Henry Mancini - The Pink Panther
Henry Mancini (composer, conductor, piano) & his orchestra
B1 Lyrics by Franco Migliacci and Johnny Mercer
1 LP, standard sleeve
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Pallas
Label : Speakers Corner
Original Label : RCA
Recording: September 1963 at RCA Victor's Music Center of the World, Hollywood, by Jim Malloy
Produced by Joe Reisman
Originally released in 1963
Reissued in 2011
Tracks :
Side A :
- The Pink Panther Theme
- It Had Better Be Tonight
- Royal Blue
- Champagne and Quail
- The Village Inn
- The Tiber Twist
Side B :
- It Had Better Be Tonight
- Cortina
- The Lonely Princess
- Something For Sellers
- Piano and Strings
- Shades of Sennett
Reviews :
« The Pink Panther is another fine, early-'60s soundtrack from Henry Mancini. The title track became one of his most recognizable themes and kicks off a pleasant program of dreamy lounge cuts and Latin-tinged numbers. As he did on many other movie/TV albums (Touch of Evil, Peter Gunn, etc.), Mancini also includes some noirish, big band numbers, like "The Tiber Twist" and the main title. Along with these up-tempo songs, he balances out the mostly light material with the solidly swinging mambos "The Village Inn," "Something for Sellers" (as in Peter Sellers, the movies' star), and "It Had Better Be Tonight" (co-written by frequent partner Johnny Mercer and something of a minor vocal hit upon its release). The program's highlights, though, come from the kind of sublime (some might say cheesy) ballads he usually included on his soundtracks; the after-hours jazz tune "Royal Blue" stands out in particular, with its tasteful string arrangement and glowing trumpet solo. This is a great title for fans of Mancini's lounge/soundtrack material, but those more into his jazz material should consider either his Peter Gunn or Combo soundtracks. » AllMusic Review by Stephen Cook
"Henry Mancini is one of the most talented fellows one could wish to meet. He has made quite a name for himself. That of Mancini, to be exact, and very famous in the bargain. But lest I be thought guilty of gross flattery, I feel I should point out that in private life he can be rather difficult. I once pointed this out to him and he kicked my shin. A lot of his music has been issued in the form of long-playing records. The great advantage of this is that you can sit and listen to Hank’s score without having to sit through the film. As yet, you cannot see the film without having to sit through the music. However, I understand that scientists are perfecting a device that may make this possible." — Peter Sellers, from the original album notes
The film director Blake Edwards brought into existence what is probably the best opening sequence to his comic crime film when he commissioned a young enterprising company to produce an animated Pink Panther cartoon film. The creative team came up with the idea of giving the cold, glittering diamond the guise of a cool, pink panther, which leads a bungling detective on a merry dance to the slinky sound of the Panther theme.
Mancini would not be Mancini if he did not bathe the film location – the skiing resort Cortina d’Ampezzo –in highly varied musical colours and genres. His well-known love for dance music finds itself in the samba ("It Had Better Be Tonight"), the shuffle ("Champagne And Quail"), and the cha-cha ("Something For Sellers"). But also the ballad, sung by a muted trumpet and saxophone ("Royal Blue"), or the simple combination of keyboard and strings ("Piano And Strings") are all woven into the story. One of the most memorable and delightful sounds is that of the accordion, whose melodies evoke an atmosphere that is filled with the Bohème, Paris and the sound of the musette. This music is never gaudy, but subtle, just like a panther padding quietly along. And if your appetite is now whetted for more, there is an extra portion of Mancini to be found in "Breakfast At Tiffany’s"
Ratings :
Allmusic : 4.5 / 5 , Discogs : Rate Your Music :