Norman Newell
Encyclopedia
Norman Newell, OBE
(25 January 1919 — 1 December 2004) was born in Plaistow
, Essex
(now Greater London
), and was a successful British
record producer
in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as co-writer
of many notable songs. As an A&R
manager for EMI
he worked with artistes
such as Shirley Bassey
, Vera Lynn
, Russ Conway
, Bette Midler
, Judy Garland
, Petula Clark
, Jake Thackray
, Malcolm Roberts
and Peter and Gordon. Newell was particularly known for his recorded
productions of West End
musicals
.
label
for many of the label's most successful years. He was also a highly sought after lyricist
(sometimes writing under the pen-name, David West), responsible for co-writing songs that included "My Thanks To You" (music
by Noel Gay
) and "Portrait of My Love" (music by Cyril Ornadel
), a huge hit for Matt Monro
. In addition he provided the English
lyrics
for "More
" (the theme
from the film
Mondo Cane
,the lyrics of Shirley Bassey
's 1961 number one it 'Reach For The Stars' composed
by Nini Oliviero and Riz Ortolani
), "This Is My Life" ("La vita"), written by Antonio Amurri and Bruno Canfora), "The Importance of Your Love" ("Important C'est La Rose", by Gilbert Bécaud
) and "Never, Never, Never" ("Grande, Grande Grande"). He also wrote (with composer, Philip Green
) the United Kingdom
's 1962 Eurovision Song Contest
entry, "Say Wonderful Things
", (sung and recorded
by Ronnie Carroll
). The song was later recorded in the United States
by Patti Page
.
He also wrote the English lyrics to the German song "Sailor
", a #1 hit for Petula Clark
and a Top Ten hit for Anne Shelton in 1961. In 1964 he produced Peter and Gordon's number 1 hit "A World Without Love
".UK Singles Chart
chart-topper.
In his later years he penned a sensitive lyric to Pietro Mascagni
's "Intermezzo" from Cavelleria Rusticana. The song, entitled "Pray For Love", was recorded by Vince Hill
.
His numerous contacts with those in authority in the publishing
industry in the United Kingdom
assisted EMI in securing the rights for British recordings of cast albums of many American
shows opening in London. Cast recordings of popular West End shows were popular in the 1950s and 1960s, and were huge sellers for EMI.
Newell also wrote the lyrics for the West End musical "Mister Venus" (music by Trevor H. Stanford, aka Russ Conway
), but the show was not a success.
Newell continued working as a producer into the 1980s, most notably on Shirley Bassey's 1984 hit
album
with the London Symphony Orchestra
, I Am What I Am
.
During his career, Newell's honours included one Grammy
, an Emmy and three Ivor Novello Awards
for his contribution to the entertainment industry, plus six British Music Industry Awards. In 1966, the song "Forget Domani" from the film The Yellow Rolls-Royce
, with lyrics by Newell to music by Riz Ortolani won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
. In 1999, Newell's song, "Portrait of My Love" was honoured at the BMI Awards in London
for having crossed the threshold of two million radio
plays.
His songs have been covered
by Judy Garland
, Frank Sinatra
, Celine Dion
and Aretha Franklin
.
Newell retired in 2001 to his home in West Sussex
, but after a series of debilitating stroke
s was later moved to a local nursing home. He was awarded an OBE in 2004, just before his death.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(25 January 1919 — 1 December 2004) was born in Plaistow
Plaistow, Newham
Plaistow is a place in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It formed part of the County Borough of West Ham in Essex until 1965.Plaistow is a mainly residential area, including several council estates; the main road is the A112 - Plaistow Road, High Street, Broadway, Greengate Street and...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
(now Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
), and was a successful British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as co-writer
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
of many notable songs. As an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
manager for EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
he worked with artistes
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
such as Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
, Vera Lynn
Vera Lynn
Dame Vera Lynn, DBE is an English singer-songwriter and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during World War II. During the war she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops...
, Russ Conway
Russ Conway
Russ Conway was a British popular music pianist. Conway had 20 piano instrumentals in the UK Singles Chart between 1957 and 1963, including two number one hits.-Career:...
, Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
, Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
, Petula Clark
Petula Clark
Petula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II...
, Jake Thackray
Jake Thackray
John Philip "Jake" Thackray , was an English singer-songwriter, poet and journalist. Best known in the late 1960s and early 1970s for his topical comedy songs performed on British television, his work ranged from satirical to bawdy to sentimental to pastoral, with a strong emphasis on storytelling,...
, Malcolm Roberts
Malcolm Roberts
Malcolm Roberts was an English traditional pop music singer, who enjoyed three hit singles from 1967 to 1969 in the UK Singles Chart.-Career:...
and Peter and Gordon. Newell was particularly known for his recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
productions of West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musicals
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
.
Career
Newell was the head of EMI's ColumbiaColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
for many of the label's most successful years. He was also a highly sought after lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
(sometimes writing under the pen-name, David West), responsible for co-writing songs that included "My Thanks To You" (music
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
by Noel Gay
Noel Gay
Noel Gay was born Reginald Moxon Armitage. He also used the name Stanley Hill professionally. He was a successful British composer of popular music of the 1930s and 1940s whose output comprised 45 songs as well as the music for 28 films and 26 London shows...
) and "Portrait of My Love" (music by Cyril Ornadel
Cyril Ornadel
Cyril Ornadel was a British conductor, songwriter and composer chiefly in musical theatre.Cyril Ornadel was born in London. He studied at the Royal College of Music. During the 1950s he was famous for conducting the orchestra for the hit TV show The Sunday Night At The Palladium...
), a huge hit for Matt Monro
Matt Monro
Matt Monro was an English singer who became one of the most popular entertainers on the international music scene during the 1960s...
. In addition he provided the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
for "More
More (Theme from Mondo Cane)
"More " is a film score song written by Riz Ortolani and Nino Oliviero for the 1962 Mondo film Mondo cane. Originally composed as an instrumental and titled "Ti guarderò nel cuore", lyrics were later provided by Marcello Ciorciolini, which were adapted into English by Norman Newell...
" (the theme
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
from the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Mondo Cane
Mondo cane
Mondo cane is a documentary written and directed by Italian filmmakers Paolo Cavara, Franco Prosperi and Gualtiero Jacopetti. The film consists of a series of travelogue vignettes that provide glimpses into cultural practices around the world with the intention to shock or surprise Western film...
,the lyrics of Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
's 1961 number one it 'Reach For The Stars' composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
by Nini Oliviero and Riz Ortolani
Riz Ortolani
Riziero "Riz" Ortolani is an Italian film composer.In the early 1950s Ortolani was founder and member of a jazz band of national Italian renown...
), "This Is My Life" ("La vita"), written by Antonio Amurri and Bruno Canfora), "The Importance of Your Love" ("Important C'est La Rose", by Gilbert Bécaud
Gilbert Bécaud
Gilbert Bécaud was a French singer, composer and actor, known as "Monsieur 100,000 Volts" for his energetic performances. His best-known hits are "Nathalie" and "Et Maintenant", a 1961 release that became an English language hit as "What Now My Love"...
) and "Never, Never, Never" ("Grande, Grande Grande"). He also wrote (with composer, Philip Green
Philip Green (composer)
Philip Green , sometimes credited as Harry Philip Green, was a film and television composer and conductor. His father was Philip Green, a boot clicker, and his mother was Elizabeth Vogel. Green's first credited work was on 1943's The Sky's the Limit...
) the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's 1962 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1962
The Eurovision Song Contest 1962 was the seventh in the series. France's win was their third and marked the first time a country had won three contests. Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, and Spain all scored "null points" for the first time....
entry, "Say Wonderful Things
Say Wonderful Things (song)
"Say Wonderful Things" is a popular song with music by Philip Green and lyrics by Norman Newell, published in 1963. It was the United Kingdom's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1963, held in London. The singer was Ronnie Carroll, who also represented the UK the year before...
", (sung and recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
by Ronnie Carroll
Ronnie Carroll
Ronnie Carroll is a Northern Irish singer and entertainer.-Career:...
). The song was later recorded in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Patti Page
Patti Page
Clara Ann Fowler , known by her professional name Patti Page, is an American singer, one of the best-known female artists in traditional pop music. She was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s, and has sold over 100 million records...
.
He also wrote the English lyrics to the German song "Sailor
Sailor (Song)
Sailor is a song written by Werner Scharfenberger and Fini Busch which via a 1960 recording by Lolita became an international hit, with its #5 peak on the Hot 100 chart in Billboard making "Sailor" the most successful American hit sung in German until 99 Luftballons by Nena in 1984.With English...
", a #1 hit for Petula Clark
Petula Clark
Petula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II...
and a Top Ten hit for Anne Shelton in 1961. In 1964 he produced Peter and Gordon's number 1 hit "A World Without Love
A World Without Love
"A World Without Love" is a song recorded by the English duo Peter and Gordon and released as their first single in February 1964, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in April. The song was written by Paul McCartney and attributed to Lennon–McCartney. The B-side was "If I Were You" written...
".UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
chart-topper.
In his later years he penned a sensitive lyric to Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Antonio Stefano Mascagni was an Italian composer most noted for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the Verismo movement in Italian dramatic music...
's "Intermezzo" from Cavelleria Rusticana. The song, entitled "Pray For Love", was recorded by Vince Hill
Vince Hill
Vince Hill is an English traditional pop music singer, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
.
His numerous contacts with those in authority in the publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
industry in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
assisted EMI in securing the rights for British recordings of cast albums of many American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
shows opening in London. Cast recordings of popular West End shows were popular in the 1950s and 1960s, and were huge sellers for EMI.
Newell also wrote the lyrics for the West End musical "Mister Venus" (music by Trevor H. Stanford, aka Russ Conway
Russ Conway
Russ Conway was a British popular music pianist. Conway had 20 piano instrumentals in the UK Singles Chart between 1957 and 1963, including two number one hits.-Career:...
), but the show was not a success.
Newell continued working as a producer into the 1980s, most notably on Shirley Bassey's 1984 hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
with the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, I Am What I Am
I Am What I Am (Shirley Bassey album)
I Am What I Am was the only studio album recorded by Shirley Bassey for the Towerbell Records label, several other tracks were also recorded at this label and issued as singles only. The recording sessions took place at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, in July and August 1984...
.
During his career, Newell's honours included one Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, an Emmy and three Ivor Novello Awards
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
for his contribution to the entertainment industry, plus six British Music Industry Awards. In 1966, the song "Forget Domani" from the film The Yellow Rolls-Royce
The Yellow Rolls-Royce
-External links:, a promotional short subject for the film...
, with lyrics by Newell to music by Riz Ortolani won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song was awarded for the first time in 1962 and has been awarded annually since 1965 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.-1960s:...
. In 1999, Newell's song, "Portrait of My Love" was honoured at the BMI Awards in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for having crossed the threshold of two million radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
plays.
His songs have been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
and Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
.
Newell retired in 2001 to his home in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, but after a series of debilitating stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
s was later moved to a local nursing home. He was awarded an OBE in 2004, just before his death.
External links
- [ Norman Newell biography] at Allmusic websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...