Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation. According to biographer John Swenson, Haley later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye. The spit-curl caught on as a 50's style signature, although Haley and others had worn the hairstyle much earlier.
In 1946, Haley joined his first professional group, a Pennsylvania-based western swing band called The Down Homers run by Kenny Roberts. It has often been reported in musical reference works that Haley's first professional recordings were made with the Down Homers on a pair of singles released in 1946 by Vogue Records. This was later debunked by Roberts and others, stating Haley had already left the group by the time the singles were made. In the early 2000s, however, a set of 1946 radio recordings by the Down Homers were discovered and Haley is definitely present as he is identified by name and sings a solo number "She Taught Me to Yodel"; these recordings were commercially released for the first time in 2006.
After gaining experience with the Down Homers, Haley set out on his own, forming several groups such as the Range Drifters and the Four Aces of Western Swing. With the Four Aces, he made a number of regionally successful country music singles in the late 1940s for Cowboy Records while working as a touring musician and later a radio DJ at WPWA. (Many of Haley's early recordings from this period would not be released until after his death.) After disbanding the Four Aces and briefly trying a solo career using the names Jack Haley and Johnny Clifton (as chronicled in the biography Sound and Glory), Haley formed a new group called The Saddlemen in either 1949 or 1950 (sources vary as to the exact year); this new group recorded for several labels, including one single for Atlantic Records, Haley's first exposure to a major national record company. In 1951, Haley was signed to Dave Miller's Philadelphia-based Holiday Records and began to change musical styles, recording cover versions of "Rocket "88"" (previously recorded by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats), and in, 1952, "Rock the Joint", previously recorded by several bands including Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians. (By the time of "Rock the Joint", Haley had graduated from Holiday Records to Miller's larger Essex label.) The relative success of these recordings (both sold in the 75,000-100,000 copy range in the Pennsylvania-New England region) convinced Haley that his new and as-yet officially unnamed hybrid of country and rhythm and blues could be a commercial success.and some of his family lives in oklahoma and there is a road named after his family.
When the Saints Go Marching in
Bill Haley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, when the saints go marching in
I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
Oh, when the sun, refuses to shine
Oh, when the sun, refuses to shine
I still, want to be in that number
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
I'm going to sing aloud and thunder
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Yes, I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
I still want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
The lyrics to "When the Saints Go Marching In" evoke the hope and aspiration of a Christian believer who longs to be among the elect who will ascend to heaven. The song speaks to the idea of salvation, the notion that no matter how bad things may appear on earth, there is hope for a brighter tomorrow. The song creates a vivid image of a group of people marching toward the gates of heaven, singing and rejoicing. The verse "Oh when the sun, refuses to shine" is a reference to the end times as prophesied in the Bible, when the sun will no longer provide light or warmth.
By singing "I want to be in that number," the singer is expressing a desire to be among the chosen few. The repetition of the phrase "when the saints go marching in" creates a sense of anticipation, as if the singer can't wait for that moment to arrive. The final two verses of the song express an unshakable faith in the power of God to bring the singer to his rightful place among the saints. The final repetition of the phrase "I still want to be in that number" reinforces the singer's faith and commitment to the Christian faith.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, when the saints go marching in
I long to be among the holy ones when they march forth
Oh, when the sun, refuses to shine
Even in the darkest of times, my hope remains strong
I still, want to be in that number
I persist in my desire to join the company of saints
When the sun refuses to shine
When all else fails and the world is bleak
Oh, when the saints go marching in
The glory of their arrival fills my heart with joy
I'm going to sing aloud and thunder
I will raise my voice in exultation to greet them
Yes, I want to be in that number
I am sure and certain in my desire to be numbered among them
When the saints go marching in
When that great day arrives and they march forward triumphantly
I still want to be in that number
Even after all else, my heart yearns for the company of the holy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TRADITIONAL, VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Wolfhoundersful
Rock and rolling all the day
Rock and rolling all the way
Rock and rolling to the end
Til' the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Lord, I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
Now, when old Frank comes swinging in
When old Franny swinging in
Well, I want to be in that number
When old Franny swinging in
Now, when the sax begins to wail
When old Rudy starts to wail
Well, I want to be in that number
When old Rudy starts to wail
Oh, when the rhythm starts to go
When that rhythm starts to go
Well, I want to be in that number
When that rhythm starts to go
Oh, when the band play rock 'n' roll
When the Comets rock and roll
Well, I want to be in that number
When the Comets rock and roll
@Roger.Coleman1949
My favourite R & R song ever, try keeping your feet still to this !. Recall going with my parents to the Pye Radio Sports & Social Club here in Cambridge ( UK ) and on the stage was a Pye Black Box record player and a pile of Brunswick Bill Haley 78s.I turned DJ for the night , aged 7, with the BB wound up flat out everybody was on the dance floor jiving .I was in seventh heaven - pure nostalgia !
@paulmurray5655
The genius of Bill Haley is that he is the bridge between Big Band and the phenomenon known as rock'n'roll. Rock Around the Clock and Shake, Rattle and Roll aside, this is maybe the best example of this great transition artist. Wow. what a tour de force. Best always. PM
@michaelfuria4257
yes, well stated-Bill nailed it.
@ericseabury3968
Completely agree with you, sir.
@TheRobertpiotr
Żaden geniusz
@LuisLopez-xx2db
For far this song is his major success.
@davidmelton2091
Great version of the song love the saxophone it's one of their greatest songs
@Lanutriatraviesa
That's music for my ears.
@southwriter
Actually, this was recorded in 1956 after Dick, Marshall and Joey left Bill Haley to form The Jodimars. The sax is Rudy Pompilli, the bass is Al Rex.
@adrinathegreat3095
1956 this one spent 6 months in the uk charts making the top 10