109 Quotes by Henry Mancini

My father was a steelworker who'd come over from Abruzzi, in Italy. He played in the band and he encouraged me to be a musician.

If I'm writing songs for a country-Western picture, I have to know about country music.

The man who writes for hire has an obligation, if only to himself, to keep an open mind and to absorb new ideas.

I just love what I do.

I very rarely write anything before what I see what I'm writing for.

I don't know if I've ever written a song that wasn't on assignment.

Most people are oriented to words. When the public hears a melody, unless you put words to It, it takes longer to penetrate. It's always been like that, but I don't know why.

I was always trying to be a quote, unquote, film composer.

Most everything I've ever written has .been done to 'assignment.'