More (Mondo Cane Theme)

"More (Theme from Mondo Cane)" is a film score song written by Riz Ortolani and Nino Oliviero for the 1962 film Mondo Cane (Dog's World, or as the soundtrack album states, "a world gone to the dogs"). The movie's music was released as Mondo Cane: Original Motion Picture Sound Track Album, music by Riz Ortolani and Nino Oliviero, on United Artists Records UAS 5105.

The movie Mondo Cane is a documentary, and uses a variety of music to accompany various segments. Some melodies are used repeatedly, in different styles, each named for the part of the movie where the music is used. Of the 15 music tracks on the soundtrack album, one melody is presented 6 times, another melody 2 times. The melody which became known as "More" is presented 4 times, named "Life Savers Girls", "The Last Fight/L'Ultimo Volo", "Models In Blue/Modelle in Blu", "Repabhan Street/Repabhan Strasse", in styles ranging from lush to march and 3/4 waltz.

Originally composed as an instrumental and titled "Ti guarderĂ² nel cuore", lyrics were later provided by Marcello Ciorciolini, which were adapted into English by Norman Newell. At that point, "Theme from Mondo Cane" became "More" (not to be confused with an earlier pop song of the same name).

"More" first caught national attention as a pop instrumental hit by famous Danish jazz trombone player Kai Winding & Orchestra, released as a single on Verve 10295. Popular in the summer and autumn of 1963, the record peaked at #2 on the Easy Listening chart and at #8 and lasted 15 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100, (and is still played by radio stations). Verve quickly released album "Soul Surfin'" containing "More" and other songs performed by Winding's big band. While Winding's brassy performances feature top jazz players, notably Kenny Burrell on guitar, the arrangements are in so-called "surf music" style.

After Winding's recording became popular, United Artists added to the soundtrack cover a starburst stating "INCLUDED IN THIS ALBUM THE HIT SONG "MORE".

A vocal version of "More" by Vic Dana stalled at #42 in early October, two weeks before Winding's rendition dropped off the Billboard chart. But the song did much better over the years, recorded hundreds of times by many artists, ranging from Frank Sinatra to the Baja Marimba Band. It is now considered a musical "standard".

Frank Sinatra's swinging version, with Count Basie and his orchestra, arranged by Quincy Jones, is on the album It Might As Well Be Swing.

The song was covered by Hong Kong female singer Kong Ling, on her LP album This World We Live In (catalog number LP-1015) with Diamond Records (now under UMG) in 1964.

Sergio Franchi performed this song at many of his concerts, and on several TV shows (e.g. The Hollywood Palace on October 19, 1964). He recorded "More" on his 1964 RCA Victor album, The Exciting Voice of Sergio Franchi.

Al Bishop and the Faxar from Iceland recorded the song in Oslo on August 23, 1967, released as single HMV 45-AL 6149.

The song was notably covered by The Supremes in their European concerts in 1968. Their version is found on Live at London's Talk of the Town and on Greatest Hits: Live in Amsterdam.

The song was also covered by Italian singer Matteo Brancaleoni in four different versions in his albums "Just Smile" (2006), "Live in studio" (2009), "Live!" (2011) and "New Life" (2012).

"More" is one of Ortolani's most acclaimed and influential works. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 36th Academy Awards in 1963, and it led Ruggero Deodato to hire Ortolani to compose the score for his film Cannibal Holocaust.

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