Bowlly was born in Lourenço Marques in the Portuguese colony of Mozambique. His parents were Greek and Lebanese. They met en route to Australia and moved to South Africa.
Bowlly was brought up in Johannesburg. After a series of odd jobs across South Africa in his youth, including being a barber and a jockey, he sang in a dance band led by Edgar Adeler on a tour of South Africa, Rhodesia, India and Indonesia during the mid-1920s.[citation needed] He was fired from the band in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Jimmy Liquime hired him to sing with the band in India and Singapore. In 1927 Bowlly made his first record, a cover version of "Blue Skies" by Irving Berlin that was recorded with Adeler in Berlin, Germany. During the next year, he worked in London, England, with the orchestra of Fred Elizalde.
The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 resulted in Bowlly being made redundant and returning to several months of busking to survive. In the 1930s, he signed two contracts—one in May 1931 with Roy Fox, singing in his live band for the Monseigneur Restaurant in London, the other a record contract with bandleader Ray Noble in November 1930.
During the next four years, he recorded over 500 songs. By 1933 Lew Stone had ousted Fox as bandleader, and Bowlly was singing Stone's arrangements with Stone's band. After much radio exposure and a successful British tour with Stone, Bowlly was inundated with demands for appearances and gigs—including undertaking a solo British tour—but continued to make most of his recordings with Noble. There was considerable competition between Noble and Stone for Bowlly's time. For much of the year, Bowlly spent all day in the recording studio with Noble's band rehearsing and recording, then the evening with Stone's band at the Monseigneur. Many of these recordings with Noble were issued in the United States by Victor, which meant that by the time Noble and Bowlly came to America, their reputation had preceded them.
He performed in England with his band, the Radio City Rhythm Makers. But by 1937 the band broke up when vocal problems were traced to a wart in his throat, which briefly caused him to lose his voice. Separated from his wife and with his band dissolved, he borrowed money from friends and traveled to New York City for surgery.
His absence from the UK in the early 1930s damaged his popularity with British audiences, despite his association with pianist Monia Liter as his accompanist. His career began to suffer as a result of problems with his voice, which affected the frequency of his recordings. He played a few small parts in films but never professed to be an actor. The parts he did play were often cut, and scenes that were shown were brief. Noble was offered a role in Hollywood, although the offer did not include Bowlly, as a singer had already been hired. Bowlly moved back to London with his wife Marjie in January 1937.
With diminished success in Britain, he toured regional theatres and recorded as often as possible to make a living, moving from orchestra to orchestra, working with Sydney Lipton, Gerald Bright and Ken "Snakehips" Johnson. In 1940 there was a revival of interest in his career when he worked in a duo with Jimmy Messene in Radio Stars with Two Guitars on the London stage. It was his last venture before his death in April 1941. The partnership was uneasy. Messene had a drinking problem. When he showed up for work, he was occasionally unable to perform. Bowlly recorded his last song two weeks before his death. It was a duet with Messene on Irving Berlin's satirical song about Hitler, "When That Man is Dead and Gone".
In December 1931, Bowlly married Constance Freda Roberts (died 1967) in St Martin's District, London; the couple separated after a fortnight, and sought a rapid divorce. He remarried in December 1934, to Marjie Fairless; this marriage lasted until his death.
On 16 April 1941, Bowlly and Messene had just given a performance at the Rex Cinema in Oxford Street, High Wycombe, now demolished. Both were offered the opportunity of an overnight stay in the town, but Bowlly opted to take the last train home to his flat at 32 Duke Street, Duke's Court, St James, London. His decision proved to be fateful. He was killed by a Luftwaffe parachute mine that detonated outside his flat at ten past three in the morning.
His body appeared unmarked: although the massive explosion had not disfigured him, it had blown his bedroom door off its hinges and the impact against his head proved fatal. He was buried with other bombing victims in a mass grave at what is today known as Hanwell Cemetery, Uxbridge Road, Hanwell, where his name is given as Albert Alex Bowlly.
Bowlly is sometimes credited with inventing crooning or "The Modern Singing Style", releasing a book of the same name. He experimented with new methods of amplification, not least with his Melody Maker advert, showing him endorsing a portable vocal megaphone. With the advent of the microphone in 1931, he adapted his singing style, moving away from the Jazz singing style of the 20s, into the softer, more expressive crooning singing style used in popular music of the 1930s and 1940s.
A Blue Plaque commemorating Bowlly was installed, in November 2013, by English Heritage at Charing Cross Mansion, 26 Charing Cross Road, described as "his home at the pinnacle of his career".
In the late 1980's, the BBC used his song 'Sweet and Lovely' as the theme tune to 'First of the Summer Wine' - the prequel to long-running comedy 'Last of the Summer Wine'. 'First of the Summer Wine' ran for two seasons of six episodes plus a pilot and, like the main series, was written by Roy Clarke.
The song "Guilty" was used by the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2000, playing over the end credits instead of the programme's usual title music to signify the final appearance of character Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin) who had persuaded her friend Dot Cotton (June Brown) to help her die.
You Couldn't Be Cuter
Al Bowlly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Couldn't be sweeter
Couldn't be better
Couldn't be smarter
Couldn't be cuter baby than you are
Your poise, your pose
That cute fantastic nose
You're mighty like a rose
I'm sold, I'm hooked
The well known goose is cooked
You got me little fella
I'm sunk, I'm gone, I'm hooked
You couldn't be cuter
Plus that you couldn't be smarter
Plus that intelligent face
You have a disgraceful charm for me
You couldn't be keener
You look so fresh from the cleaner
You are the little grand slam
I'll bring to my family
My ma will show you an album of me
That will bore you to tears
And you'll attract all the relatives
We have dodged for years and years
And what'll they tell me?
Exactly, what'll they tell me?
They'll say you couldn't be nicer
Couldn't be sweeter, couldn't be better
Couldn't be smarter, couldn't be cuter
Baby, than you are
And what'll they tell you?
Exactly
what'll they tell you?
They'll say you couldn't be nicer
Couldn't be sweeter, couldn't be better
Couldn't be smoother, couldn't be cuter
Baby, than you are
In "You Couldn't Be Cuter," Al Bowlly sings about someone who is absolutely perfect in every way. In the first verse, Bowlly describes how this person couldn't be nicer, sweeter, better, or smarter. The lyrics convey a sense of admiration and enchantment, as Bowlly expresses his fascination with the individual's charm and intelligence.
The second verse continues to highlight the person's appealing qualities. Bowlly mentions their poise, pose, and even their cute and fantastic nose. He compares their impact on him to that of a powerful knockout punch or a delicate rose. The lyrics suggest that he is completely captivated by this person, using phrases like "I'm sold, I'm hooked" and "I'm sunk, I'm gone, I'm hooked."
The third verse emphasizes the person's intelligence and charm. Bowlly describes them as not only cute and cuter, but also smart and intelligent. He finds their face to have a disgraceful charm that is irresistible to him. The lyrics express a sense of pride, as Bowlly mentions introducing this person to his family. He humorously adds that his mother will show them a boring album of his childhood, and they'll attract all the relatives they have been avoiding for years.
Line by Line Meaning
You couldn't be nicer
You possess an exceptional level of kindness
Couldn't be sweeter
Your sweetness is unparalleled
Couldn't be better
There is no way you could improve
Couldn't be smarter
Your intelligence is unrivaled
Couldn't be cuter baby than you are
You possess an irresistible charm and charm and adorableness
Your poise, your pose
The way you carry yourself, your posture
That cute fantastic nose
Your adorable nose that is truly amazing
You're mighty like a knock-out
You have a striking presence, like a boxer's punch
You're mighty like a rose
You are mighty and beautiful, like a blooming rose
I'm sold, I'm hooked
I am completely captivated and enamored with you
The well known goose is cooked
I am completely defeated and infatuated
You got me little fella
You have conquered me, my dear
I'm sunk, I'm gone, I'm hooked
I am deeply in love and cannot escape
You couldn't be cuter
There is no one as adorable as you
Plus that you couldn't be smarter
In addition, your intelligence is extraordinary
Plus that intelligent face
Furthermore, your face reflects your high intellect
You have a disgraceful charm for me
Your charm is irresistible and brings me shame
You couldn't be keener
You show incredible enthusiasm and eagerness
You look so fresh from the cleaner
You appear immaculately clean and pristine
You are the little grand slam
You are the ultimate achievement for me
I'll bring to my family
I will proudly introduce you to my loved ones
My ma will show you an album of me
My mother will proudly share a photo album featuring me
That will bore you to tears
It will be incredibly uninteresting for you
And you'll attract all the relatives
You will gather attention from all of our family members
We have dodged for years and years
Whom we have avoided and escaped from for a long time
And what'll they tell me?
And what will they say to me?
Exactly, what'll they tell me?
Precisely, what will be their response?
They'll say you couldn't be nicer
They will express that you are incredibly kind
Couldn't be sweeter, couldn't be better
You cannot be any sweeter or more perfect
Couldn't be smarter, couldn't be cuter
You are both highly intelligent and adorable
Baby, than you are
My dear, just the way you are
And what'll they tell you?
And what will they say to you?
Exactly
Precisely
what'll they tell you?
What will be their response?
They'll say you couldn't be nicer
They will express that you are incredibly kind
Couldn't be sweeter, couldn't be better
You cannot be any sweeter or more perfect
Couldn't be smoother, couldn't be cuter
You are exceptionally smooth and cute
Baby, than you are
My dear, just the way you are
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@whouster
Totally fell in love with this song as soon as I heard it on Pennies From Heaven. Truly uplifting and utterly charming. Hats off to Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields for creating this absolute masterpiece, and to Lew Stone and Al Bowlly for this breathtakingly gorgeous rendition. And finally big thanks to the great Dennis Potter, without whom many of us would never have stumbled across this wonderful song.
@phredl
When I first heard this in "Pennies From Heaven" it totally blew me away. What a great arrangement! As usual Al is the best.
@davidnorthdale1164
I grew up with parents who were young in the30s, and loved this all my life ! Great stuff !
@bkrav1847
Did anyone embody an era better than Al Bowlly? So sad that he died very young during a bombing raid in London.
@lincolncity9
I'm so grateful for Dennis Potters Pennies from heaven that introduced me to Al Bowlly!
@davidcopson5800
Me too!
@jourwalis-8875
"Pennies from heaven" was a great series! One of the best that BBC has ever produced!
@mikelawrence6840
ditto
@BarryAllenMagic
Snap! I was 14 at the time. To this day, I adore Al Bowlly's voice.
@jeffreyhodge5564
Sing this to my sons and now grandsons!wonderfull thank you Dennis potter all those years ago