Paul Giovanni

Paul Giovanni (June 2, 1933 – June 17, 1990) was an American playwright, actor, director, singer and musician. Giovanni is best known for writing the music for the 1973 British horror film The Wicker Man.

Career

Giovanni wrote the music for The Wicker Man soundtrack, also writing the lyrics and singing "Landlord's Daughter" and "Gently Johnny", where he appears in later cuts of the film. He also sang "Corn Riggs", adapting the lyrics from a Robert Burns song. The music was played by a group of six musicians, Gary Carpenter, Peter Brewis, Andrew Tompkins, Ian Cutler, Michael Cole, and Bernard Murray, who used the name Magnet for their collaboration. The group used a combination of traditional and modern (electric) instrumentation; some parts of the soundtrack were augmented by brass instruments.

After this Giovanni returned to New York where his play The Crucifer of Blood was performed. It was later filmed for TV. Giovanni also composed a musical entitled Shot Thru The Heart, which has only performed at Detroit's Birmingham Theatre before closing.

Biography

Giovanni did graduate studies at The Catholic University of America Speech and Drama Department under Rev. Gilbert V. Hartke, OP. He died of pneumonia from HIV/AIDS related complications on June 17, 1990.

Discography

• 1970: Side Show - SD-8261 - LP with Greg Kreutz.
• 1973: The Wicker Man soundtrack with Magnet.

Plays

• 1978: The Crucifer of Blood