High Chaparral Music

All For You
Theme from "The High Chaparral"
Music by David Rose
Lyrics by Joe Lubin & David Dortort

It's all for you this love that I bring
The song that I sing is a song from my heart
And it's all for you.

Without you there the dreams that I've planned
would be grains of sand. Take my dreams, make them true
'Cause they're all for you.

The great rugged mountains, these thousand mile plains
This vast blazing desert, Come share all I claim.

So take my love and as long as I live
Take all that I have to give, here's my world, take it too
Oh, it's all for you.

The soundtracks written and produced for The High Chaparral were exceptional, with exclusive themes for many of the characters and for individual episodes. The main theme song and "Victoria" were written by David Rose. Most of the other themes were written by Harry Sukman. These included Blue's theme, Manolito's theme, and the Montoya theme in addition to special soundtracks for "The Buffalo Soldiers", "Friends and Partners", "The Guns of Johnny Rondo", "Too Many Chiefs", "The Peacemaker", and many others.

No official soundtrack recording was ever produced, but an adaptation was sold as part of a double LP album with music from "Bonanza". A songbook with 13 of the most recognizable themes was also published. Both these items can be viewed on the Memorabilia pages.

Harry Sukman was a rare combination of musical abilities, as is attested by the many musical compositions which he has written for "THE HIGH CHAPARRAL" series. A trained and talented concert pianist, he is able to interpret the world's greatest classical music, not only to critical acclaim by those difficult-to-please patrons of the fine arts, but also to understanding and recognition by the average listener. This unique talent, plus his lifelong study of the music, techniques, and personal history of Franz Liszt, led to the selection of Harry Sukman for the challenging task of adapting the background score for the William Goetz motion picture, "Song Without End," based on the music and life of the great pianist-composer. For his masterful accomplishment of this task, Sukman received an Academy Award.

Sukman made his concert debut at the age of 12 in Kimball Hall in Chicago. While in high school, he served as piano accompanist for some of the world's greatest artists, including Mischa Mischakoff, celebrated violinist; Louis Persinger, instructor of the famed Yehudi Menuhin; and Joseph Rosenblatt, rated the greatest Hebrew cantor of all time. His first job was with the music staff at paramount Pictures, where he renewed his childhood friendship with Victor Young. Sukman made many recordings, had his own television show, and appeared in numerous concerts. One season he was selected as soloist for the Hollywood Bowl's annual Gershwin Memorial Concert. However, through it all, he was being urged by Victor Young to concentrate on his writing.

Soon, all of his other activities were relegated to secondary importance and he began to be in more and more demand with motion picture and television producers. He composed the background scores for a long list of movies and TV shows before he was tapped for the difficult task of scoring "Song Without End." From then on, he was in the forefront of contemporary motion picture and television music writers and adapters.

David Rose holds the distinction of being the musical director of two of the Top Ten shows in television during the sixties, "RED SKELTON HOUR" and "BONANZA". Additionally, the prolific composer is also represented on the highly acclaimed, "THE HIGH CHAPARRAL" series. By 1970 a survey showed that David Rose music was being used as theme songs for 22 television programs then in syndication or re-runs. Rose has conducted symphonies in Copenhagen, London, Paris, Berlin, Rome and other metropolitan centers. He is an Emmy award Winner, and has been honored with many citations for the music world.

British-born composer David Rose came to Hollywood in the early war years, contributing scores to such films as Winged Victory (1944) and Jupiter's Darling (1954) He worked extensively as an orchestra leader on radio, and in this capacity began a long and lucrative association with Red Skelton, with whom Rose stayed until Skelton's final TV program in 1971. Skelton's theme song, "Holiday For Strings," was written by Rose, as were the leitmotifs of Skelton's many characters (Rose's clip-clop theme for Freddy the Freeloader was titled "Lovable Clown"). Another sterling contribution to television history was Rose's evocative theme music for Bonanza, though he couldn't be held responsible for the song's silly lyrics (by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans), which were sung by the cast once...and only once. His many compositions aside, David Rose is remembered by media buffs for two high-profile marriages: first to Martha Raye (1938-1940), then to Judy Garland (1941-1945). — From Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Joe Lubin, General Manager of the Open-Dor Music Company, which published the music from "THE HIGH CHAPARRAL" and "BONANZA" television series, joined Executive Producer David Dortort's company after serving for many years as Vice-President of the Doris Day - Marty Melcher Publishing and Record Company.

A noted songwriter, as well as music publisher, Lubin began his Hollywood career in 1957 with the title song for the low-budget drama, "The Green-Eyed Blonde". He soon went on to write many songs for such Doris Day films as, "Teacher's Pet," "Pillow Talk," "Please Don't Eat the Daisies," and "Glass Bottom Boat."

For "THE HIGH CHAPARRAL" music folio, Lubin took six background instrumentals written by Harry Sukman, composer of the series and put lyrics to them. "The Theme from The High Chaparral," written by David Rose was also lyricized by Lubin and David Dortort, creator of the series and is titled, "All for You." As a songwriter, he also co-authored the rock & roll classic "Tutti Frutti" and his songs later turned up on "Date With an Angel" and "The Big Shot".

Oh, Johnny Rondo and his son
Both headin’ west without a gun.
Our Johnny vowed he’d kill no more.
Hey, what you gonna do when they challenge you
Without your guns, Johnny Rondo?

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo.
Sixteen holes in sixteen souls from the guns of Johnny Rondo.

They rode the hills, the Brothers Tate,
Released from jail all filled with hate.
Our Johnny shot their brother, Joe.
Hey, what you gonna do when they challenge you, Johnny Rondo?

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo.
Hey, what you gonna do when they find you without your guns, poor Johnny Rondo?

A man has time to dream and when he’s done his job
He get’s to thinkin’ of a past, of a lynching mob.
He thinks of a boy ‘bout when he was just half his age,
Of a circuit judge, a prison, and a cold, cold, cold, cold cage.

The Brothers swore to track him down
And so they rode from town to town,
Over mountains high, through valleys low.
Hey, what you gonna do when they face you
Without your guns, oh Johnny Rondo?

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo.
Sixteen holes in sixteen souls from the guns of Johnny Rondo.

A girl named Mary Ann came into Johnny’s life.
They fell in love. They were wed and were man and wife.
Though she knew the life he led, he didn’t know in town
A gunman’s bullet meant for him would shoot sweet Mary Ann down.

In Tubac town they found a guy.
They asked if Johnny had been by.
They threatened poor old Amos Brill.
So what you gonna do? Better tell them the truth
Or you’ll end up on top of Boot Hill.

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo
Hey, what you gonna do when they face you without your guns, oh Johnny Rondo?

It all began the day big Vince McGrawly came
And put young Johnny Rondo’s mom to an awful shame.
Though a half-grown boy, one night poor Johnny rode to town
And for the first time killed a man when he shot McGrawly down.

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo.
When you fool with lust, you bite the dust from the guns of Johnny Rondo.

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo.
Sixteen holes in sixteen souls from the guns of Johnny Rondo.

The brothers rode to Tucson fast.
They crossed the desert wide and vast.
Tho Johnny vowed to kill no more
Hey, what you gonna do when they challenge you
Without your guns, Johnny Rondo?

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo.
Will you wear a gun or start to run when they all come? Poor Johnny Rondo.

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo.
That was long ago. Are your hands too slow to beat draw, Johnny Rondo?

When Johnny faced the Brothers Tate
He wore his guns and tempted fate.
Our Johnny vowed he’d kill no more
And like he said no blood was shed
When he beat Jed to the draw

Yes, like he said no blood was shed from the cold steel lead of Johnny Rondo.

A man has time to dream and when he’s done his job
He get’s to thinkin of a past, of a lynching mob.
He thinks of a boy ‘bout when he was just half his age,
Of a circuit judge, a prison and a cold, cold, cold, cold cage.

Sixteen tried and sixteen died at the hands of Johnny Rondo.
Now it’s over and done. You don’t need a gun.
You’re headin’ west with your son, Johnny Rondo.