Carol Connors (singer)
Encyclopedia
Carol Connors is a retired American
singer-songwriter
. She is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist on The Teddy Bears' single, "To Know Him Is To Love Him
", which was written by her bandmate Phil Spector
.
of the pop
vocal
trio
known as The Teddy Bears
, which also included Phil Spector
. The Teddy Bears' only major hit
, "To Know Him Is To Love Him
", which Spector wrote specifically to showcase Connors' singing voice, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
in late 1958. Immediately upon hearing the song, 23 year old Elvis Presley
, who was then serving in the United States Army
in Germany
, requested his aides to contact her, eventually getting his wish to meet her personally when he returned to the US
, in March 1960. A serious relationship between them followed, which lasted several years. After their initial hit, the trio disbanded because of the failure of their follow-up singles
, and the fact that Spector preferred working behind the scenes to performing.
Some years later she legally changed her name to Carol Connors. She co-wrote (with Ayn Robbins
and Bill Conti
) "Gonna Fly Now
", the theme song from the film
, Rocky
, which earned her an Academy Award
nomination. Carol Connors sang the theme to the cult film, Orca
, called "We are One".
Other songwriting credits include the Rip Chords
' 1964 hit "Hey Little Cobra", plus the 1980 Billy Preston
/Syreeta Wright
duet
"With You I'm Born Again
". In addition for "Madonna in the Mirror"; the 1994 title track "For All Mankind" on the debut album
of Italian
singer Guendalina Cariaggi, which was used as the theme song for a documentary produced by Pier Quinto and Lara Cariaggi
, on the legends of soccer and the FIFA World Cup
; plus the finale song on A&E
's 15 Films About Madonna; and three songs - "Condi, Condi", "I Think of You so Fondly", and "Chill, Condi, Chill" - for Courting Condi
(2008).
She also co-composed three songs for the soundtrack
of the 1977 Disney
film, The Rescuers: "Tomorrow Is Another Day", "The Journey" and "Someone's Waiting for You". In 1983 Connors was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award, for the 'Worst Original Song' for "It's Wrong for Me to Love You", from Butterfly
, which she co-composed with Ennio Morricone
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist on The Teddy Bears' single, "To Know Him Is To Love Him
To Know Him Is to Love Him
"To Know Him Is to Love Him" is a song written by Phil Spector, inspired by words on his father's tombstone. It was first recorded by his first vocal group, the only one of which he was a member, the Teddy Bears. Their recording went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1958...
", which was written by her bandmate Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
.
Biography
She was the lead singerSinging
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
of the pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
known as The Teddy Bears
The Teddy Bears (band)
The Teddy Bears was Phil Spector's first vocal group, the only one of which he was a member.-History:Following graduation from Fairfax high school in Los Angeles, California, Phil Spector became obsessed with the song "To Know Him Is to Love Him" he had written for his group, The Teddy Bears...
, which also included Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
. The Teddy Bears' only major 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...
, "To Know Him Is To Love Him
To Know Him Is to Love Him
"To Know Him Is to Love Him" is a song written by Phil Spector, inspired by words on his father's tombstone. It was first recorded by his first vocal group, the only one of which he was a member, the Teddy Bears. Their recording went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1958...
", which Spector wrote specifically to showcase Connors' singing voice, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in late 1958. Immediately upon hearing the song, 23 year old Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, who was then serving in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, requested his aides to contact her, eventually getting his wish to meet her personally when he returned to the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in March 1960. A serious relationship between them followed, which lasted several years. After their initial hit, the trio disbanded because of the failure of their follow-up singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, and the fact that Spector preferred working behind the scenes to performing.
Some years later she legally changed her name to Carol Connors. She co-wrote (with Ayn Robbins
Ayn Robbins
Ayn Robbins is a lyricist, poet, and painter. She is best known for co-writing with Carol Connors the lyrics for two Academy Award and Grammy nominated songs, "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky and "Someone's Waiting for You" from The Rescuers .- References :...
and Bill Conti
Bill Conti
William "Bill" Conti is an American film music composer who is frequently the conductor at the Academy Awards ceremony.-Early life and career:...
) "Gonna Fly Now
Gonna Fly Now
"Gonna Fly Now", also known as "Theme from Rocky", is the theme song from the movie Rocky, composed by Bill Conti with lyrics by Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins, and performed by DeEtta Little and Nelson Pigford...
", the theme song 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...
, Rocky
Rocky
Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and both written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but kind-hearted debt collector for a loan shark in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, which earned her an Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
nomination. Carol Connors sang the theme to the cult film, Orca
Orca
The killer whale , commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas...
, called "We are One".
Other songwriting credits include the Rip Chords
Bruce & Terry
Bruce & Terry were Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher. The pair were instrumental in the development of surf rock, recording under a variety of names and created the band The Rip Chords....
' 1964 hit "Hey Little Cobra", plus the 1980 Billy Preston
Billy Preston
William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
/Syreeta Wright
Syreeta Wright
Syreeta Wright , who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was a Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter most notably known for her work with Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston.-Early life and career:...
duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
"With You I'm Born Again
With You I'm Born Again
"With You I'm Born Again" is a 1979 duet single by Motown recording artists Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright, released as a single from the soundtrack of the motion picture, Fast Break. The song was credited as "Billy Preston and Syreeta" and written by Carol Connors & David Shire...
". In addition for "Madonna in the Mirror"; the 1994 title track "For All Mankind" on the debut 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...
of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
singer Guendalina Cariaggi, which was used as the theme song for a documentary produced by Pier Quinto and Lara Cariaggi
Lara Saint Paul
Silvana Savorelli , professionally known as Lara Saint Paul, is an Italian singer, entertainer, impresario and record producer.-Sanremo Music Festival:...
, on the legends of soccer and the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
; plus the finale song on A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
's 15 Films About Madonna; and three songs - "Condi, Condi", "I Think of You so Fondly", and "Chill, Condi, Chill" - for Courting Condi
Courting Condi
Courting Condi is a 2008 film by British filmmaker Sebastian Doggart that portrays the quest of a love-struck man, actor Devin Ratray, who wants to win the heart of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.-Plot:...
(2008).
She also co-composed three songs for the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
of the 1977 Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
film, The Rescuers: "Tomorrow Is Another Day", "The Journey" and "Someone's Waiting for You". In 1983 Connors was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award, for the 'Worst Original Song' for "It's Wrong for Me to Love You", from Butterfly
Butterfly (1982 film)
Butterfly is a 1982 film directed by Matt Cimber, based on the 1947 novel The Butterfly by James M. Cain. The starring cast includes Stacy Keach, Pia Zadora, Ed McMahon, and Orson Welles. The original music score was composed by Ennio Morricone...
, which she co-composed with Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
.
External links
- Official site
- [ Songwriting credits @ Allmusic.com]