Michael Carr (composer)
Encyclopedia
Michael Carr real name Maurice Alfred Cohen, was a British light music
composer born in Leeds
. He is best remembered for the song "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)
", written with Jimmy Kennedy
for the 1939 film of the same name.
Among Carr's other compositions were The Shadows
instrumental hits "Man of Mystery" (UK #5 hit in Dec 1960) and "Kon-Tiki
" (UK #1 hit in Oct 1961). His "Man of Mystery" was the theme music for the early 1960s film series "Edgar Wallace Mysteries
" based on the prodigious output of the writer Edgar Wallace
known as the "man of mystery". In recent years this instrumental rock
tune has featured in the repertoire of the British alternative rock
band Muse
.
With Ben Nisbet, Carr co-wrote the theme song to the popular 1960's children's TV series "The White Horses
". The song was released as the single "White Horses" sung by "Jacky" (Jackie Lee
) which became a UK #10 hit in Apr 1968. In 2003 it was named in The Penguin Television Companion as the greatest theme song in television history.
Amongst many other songs, Carr also wrote/co-wrote: "Cowboy", "Dinner for One, Please James", "Orchids to My Lady", "Somewhere in France", "When You Talk About Old Ireland", and "Cinderella, Stay In My Arms".
He collaborated with many other British songwriters such as Jack Strachey
and Eric Maschwitz
and with Norrie Paramor
for another Shadows' tune The Miracle.
He died in London.
Light music
Light music is a generic term applied to a mainly British musical style of "light" orchestral music, which originated in the 19th century and had its heyday during the early to mid part of the 20th century, although arguably it lasts to the present day....
composer born in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. He is best remembered for the song "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)
South of the Border (1939 song)
"South of the Border" is a popular song describing a trip to Mexico, written by Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr and published in 1939 for the film of the same name starring country star Gene Autry....
", written with Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy OBE was an Irish songwriter, predominantly a lyricist, putting words to existing music such as "Teddy Bears' Picnic" and "My Prayer", or co-writing with the composers Michael Carr, Wilhelm Grosz and Nat Simon amongst others.-Biography:Kennedy was born near Omagh...
for the 1939 film of the same name.
Among Carr's other compositions were The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
instrumental hits "Man of Mystery" (UK #5 hit in Dec 1960) and "Kon-Tiki
Kon-Tiki (song)
"Kon-Tiki" is an instrumental tune by The Shadows. It became a number-one charting single in the United Kingdom in October 1961.-Personnel:*Hank Marvin - lead guitar*Bruce Welch - rhythm guitar*Jet Harris - bass*Tony Meehan - drums-References:...
" (UK #1 hit in Oct 1961). His "Man of Mystery" was the theme music for the early 1960s film series "Edgar Wallace Mysteries
Edgar Wallace Mysteries
The Edgar Wallace Mysteries was a low-budget film series made as second features.They were produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated between 1960 and 1965...
" based on the prodigious output of the writer Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was an English crime writer, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and numerous articles in newspapers and journals....
known as the "man of mystery". In recent years this instrumental rock
Instrumental rock
Instrumental rock is a type of rock music which emphasizes musical instruments, and which features very little or no singing.Examples of instrumental rock can be found in practically every subgenre of rock, often from musicians who specialize in the style, most notably Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Link...
tune has featured in the repertoire of the British alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
.
With Ben Nisbet, Carr co-wrote the theme song to the popular 1960's children's TV series "The White Horses
The White Horses
The White Horses is a 1965 television series co-produced by RTV Ljubljana of Yugoslavia and German TV .-Plotline:...
". The song was released as the single "White Horses" sung by "Jacky" (Jackie Lee
Jackie Lee
Jackie Lee is an Irish popular music singer, who has recorded under various names.-Career:Lee was a musical child prodigy. She won a scholarship and trained as a soprano for four years...
) which became a UK #10 hit in Apr 1968. In 2003 it was named in The Penguin Television Companion as the greatest theme song in television history.
Amongst many other songs, Carr also wrote/co-wrote: "Cowboy", "Dinner for One, Please James", "Orchids to My Lady", "Somewhere in France", "When You Talk About Old Ireland", and "Cinderella, Stay In My Arms".
He collaborated with many other British songwriters such as Jack Strachey
Jack Strachey
Jack Strachey , was an English composer and songwriterBorn John Francis Strachey in London, England on 25 September 1894 he began writing songs in the 1920s for the theatre and the music hall, scoring his first success with songs he had written for Frith Shephard's long running musical revue Lady...
and Eric Maschwitz
Eric Maschwitz
Albert Eric Maschwitz OBE , known as Eric Maschwitz and sometimes credited as Holt Marvell, was an English entertainer, writer, broadcaster and broadcasting executive.-Life and work:...
and with Norrie Paramor
Norrie Paramor
Norrie Paramor was a British record producer, composer, arranger, and orchestral conductor.Although the term "producer" was not in circulation at the time Paramor started producing records , he effectively began this role in 1952 when he became Recording Director for EMI's Columbia...
for another Shadows' tune The Miracle.
He died in London.