Uploaded May 2014 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Music Fast Facts : the shortest song ever to reach the number one position in the charts is "Stay" by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs. ▼▼▼
GEOFF LOVE
Geoff Love was a prolific British arranger and composer of easy listening and pop versions of film themes. He became famous in the late 1950s, playing under the pseudonym of 'Manuel and his Music of the Mountains'
In the early 1950s, along with saxophonist Harry Gold, his brother Laurie Gold and pianist Norrie Paramor, Love was a member of the 'Pieces of Eight playing Dixieland jazz.
Although Love continued to play trombone at recording sessions (for example with bandleader Lew Stone), he was doing more and more orchestral arrangements. His arrangements were played by the Cliff Adams Singers, Ambrose and Ken Mackintosh dance bands, as well work for television and radio orchestras.
By the mid-1950s Love was writing for several recording labels - moving from Philips to Polydor and PolyGram before finally settling at EMI. Whilst at the HMV label he arranged for Frankie Vaughan and Alma Cogan among others. Whilst working at Columbia, he arranged Laurie London's gospel song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", a 1957 chart topper in the US.
In the late 1950s, playing under the pseudonym of 'Manuel and his Music of the Mountains', Love's created his Theme from Honeymoon (1959) which proved popular in the UK. His attempt to keep his identity secret whilst playing as 'Manuel' was impossible due to success, especially in the US in 1959 and 1960.
In 1964, "Geoff Love's Music" backed the British rock duo Peter and Gordon on their first two hit singles (both written by Paul McCartney), the UK and US #1 hit "A World Without Love" and the top 15 hit "Nobody I Know".
During the 1960s and into the 1970s, Love recorded many albums for MFP, often featuring film or television themes such as: Big Western Movie Themes (1969), Big War Movie Themes (1971), Big Suspense Movie Themes (1972), Your Top TV Themes (1972) and other instrumental and disco music. Big Bond Movie Themes (1975) featuring a selection of instrumental versions of music and songs from the James Bond film series from Dr. No up to The Man with the Golden Gun (including Burt Bacharach's Casino Royale from the 1967 spoof Bond film) has since become one of Love's most sought after MFP albums. One of these MFP sets was called Glad with Love -- which featured the pianist Mrs Mills and Geoff Love on a sing-along together -- with studio audience participation.
Love appeared on television with pianist Russ Conway and became well known for working alongside singer-comedian Max Bygraves. He was also a prolific composer, writing the theme music for the ITV sitcom, Bless This House. Love also made some recordings as a vocalist.
DID YOU KNOW ?
Chris Montez had a significant hit with "The More I see You" in the US in 1966. It peaked at #16 in the Billboard Hot 100 and at #2 in the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
MHO
Smooth, stylish, elegant, gentle .... there are quite some adjectives that could be used to describe the recordings by Geoff Love and "his" Singers. On top of the satin voices we get a modern and well balanced arrangement here, written by Love himself obviously. And though this song was written in the 1940s (by Harry Warren) and performed by numerous artists in the same decade and in the 1950s, it probably is the 1966 version by Chris Montez that will be best known to most people.
It might just be that, once you've heard this version, Montez' rendition will still be in your "very good" category, but Geoff Love's version might end up in the "best" category :)
We wish you lot's of pleasure when listening to this marvelous piece of easy listening.
Music Fast Facts : the shortest song ever to reach the number one position in the charts is "Stay" by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs. ▼▼▼
GEOFF LOVE
Geoff Love was a prolific British arranger and composer of easy listening and pop versions of film themes. He became famous in the late 1950s, playing under the pseudonym of 'Manuel and his Music of the Mountains'
In the early 1950s, along with saxophonist Harry Gold, his brother Laurie Gold and pianist Norrie Paramor, Love was a member of the 'Pieces of Eight playing Dixieland jazz.
Although Love continued to play trombone at recording sessions (for example with bandleader Lew Stone), he was doing more and more orchestral arrangements. His arrangements were played by the Cliff Adams Singers, Ambrose and Ken Mackintosh dance bands, as well work for television and radio orchestras.
By the mid-1950s Love was writing for several recording labels - moving from Philips to Polydor and PolyGram before finally settling at EMI. Whilst at the HMV label he arranged for Frankie Vaughan and Alma Cogan among others. Whilst working at Columbia, he arranged Laurie London's gospel song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", a 1957 chart topper in the US.
In the late 1950s, playing under the pseudonym of 'Manuel and his Music of the Mountains', Love's created his Theme from Honeymoon (1959) which proved popular in the UK. His attempt to keep his identity secret whilst playing as 'Manuel' was impossible due to success, especially in the US in 1959 and 1960.
In 1964, "Geoff Love's Music" backed the British rock duo Peter and Gordon on their first two hit singles (both written by Paul McCartney), the UK and US #1 hit "A World Without Love" and the top 15 hit "Nobody I Know".
During the 1960s and into the 1970s, Love recorded many albums for MFP, often featuring film or television themes such as: Big Western Movie Themes (1969), Big War Movie Themes (1971), Big Suspense Movie Themes (1972), Your Top TV Themes (1972) and other instrumental and disco music. Big Bond Movie Themes (1975) featuring a selection of instrumental versions of music and songs from the James Bond film series from Dr. No up to The Man with the Golden Gun (including Burt Bacharach's Casino Royale from the 1967 spoof Bond film) has since become one of Love's most sought after MFP albums. One of these MFP sets was called Glad with Love -- which featured the pianist Mrs Mills and Geoff Love on a sing-along together -- with studio audience participation.
Love appeared on television with pianist Russ Conway and became well known for working alongside singer-comedian Max Bygraves. He was also a prolific composer, writing the theme music for the ITV sitcom, Bless This House. Love also made some recordings as a vocalist.
DID YOU KNOW ?
Chris Montez had a significant hit with "The More I see You" in the US in 1966. It peaked at #16 in the Billboard Hot 100 and at #2 in the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
MHO
Smooth, stylish, elegant, gentle .... there are quite some adjectives that could be used to describe the recordings by Geoff Love and "his" Singers. On top of the satin voices we get a modern and well balanced arrangement here, written by Love himself obviously. And though this song was written in the 1940s (by Harry Warren) and performed by numerous artists in the same decade and in the 1950s, it probably is the 1966 version by Chris Montez that will be best known to most people.
It might just be that, once you've heard this version, Montez' rendition will still be in your "very good" category, but Geoff Love's version might end up in the "best" category :)
We wish you lot's of pleasure when listening to this marvelous piece of easy listening.
