He was born as William Thomas Murray in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of immigrants from Ireland. He became fascinated with the theater and joined a traveling vaudeville troupe in 1893. He also performed in minstrel shows early in his career. He made his first recordings for a local phonograph cylinder company in San Francisco, California in 1897. He started recording regularly in the New York City and New Jersey area in 1903, when the nation's major record companies as well as the Tin Pan Alley music industry were concentrated there.
In 1906 he waxed the first of his popular duets with Ada Jones. He also performed with Aileen Stanley, the Haydn Quartet, the Premier Quartet, and the American Quartet (the latter two actually being the same group), in addition to his solo work.
He had a strong tenor voice with excellent enunciation and a more conversational delivery than common with bel canto singers of the era. On comic songs he often deliberately sang slightly flat, which he felt helped the comic effect.
While he often performed romantic numbers and ballads which sold well at the time, his comedy and novelty song recordings continue to be popular with later generations of record collectors.
Murray's popularity faded with changes in public taste and recording technology; the rise of the electric microphone in the mid 1920s coincided with the rise of the crooners. His "hammering" style, as he called it, essentially yelling the song into the recording horn, did not work in the electronic era, and it took him some time to learn how to soften his voice. While he continued to work, his singing style was considered "dated" and less in demand. In the late 1920s and early 1930s he also did voices for animated cartoons, especially the "follow the bouncing ball" type which incorporated songs from his salad days. He also did radio work.
Murray made his last recordings in 1943 and retired to Freeport, Long Island, New York in 1944. He died in nearby Jones Beach.
They Were All Out of Step But Jim
Billy Murray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Marching along on parade
In his uniform and with his gun
What a lovely picture he made
She came home that evening
Filled up with delight
And to all the neighbors
She would yell with all her might
"Did you see my little Jimmy marching
With the soldiers up the avenue?
There was Jimmy just as stiff as starch
Just like his father on
The seventeenth o' March
Did you notice all the lovely ladies
Casting their eyes at him? Away he went
To live in a tent
Over in France with his regiment
Were you there, and tell me, did you notice?
They were all out of step but Jim"
That night little Jimmy's father stood
Buying the drinks for the crowd
You could tell that he was feeling good
He was talking terribly loud
Twenty times he treated my, but he was dry
When his glass was empty
He would treat again and cry
"Did you see me little Jimmy marching
With the soldiers up the avenue?
There was Jimmy just as stiff as starch
Like his father on the seventeenth o' March
Did you notice all the lovely ladies
A-casting their eyes at him?
Sure it made me glad to gaze at the lad
And Lord help the Kaiser if he's like his dad
Were you there, oh you were
Well did you notice?
They were all out of step but Jim"
The lyrics of Billy Murray's song "They Were All Out of Step But Jim" tell the story of a proud mother and father celebrating their son's military march. The song portrays a sense of nostalgia and admiration for their child, Jimmy, who is seen as a picture-perfect soldier. The mother, overwhelmed with joy, excitedly shares with the neighbors about her son's marching prowess and the attention he received from the beautiful ladies. She proudly exclaims that Jimmy, just like his father on St. Patrick's Day, was marching with great discipline. However, there is a twist in the story when Jimmy's father appears, inebriated and boisterous, at the local pub. He joins the conversation and echoes his wife's sentiment about his son's march, mentioning the attention Jimmy drew from the ladies. But he also mentions that he noticed something peculiar – all the soldiers were out of step except for Jim.
The first paragraph sets the scene with Jimmy's mother attending the parade to witness her son's participation in the military march. She is captivated by the sight of him in uniform, with a gun, and views him as a beautiful picture. Her excitement is evident as she returns home, sharing her delight with the neighbors.
In the second paragraph, Jimmy's father takes over the narrative. He is seen enjoying himself at a local gathering, buying drinks for everyone, and expressing his happiness loudly. Though a bit intoxicated, he reminisces about Jimmy's march, mentioning the pride he felt seeing his son and the attention he garnered from the ladies. However, along with his delight, he notices that all the soldiers were out of step, except for his son, Jim.
The lyrics emphasize the pride and joy the parents feel for their son, as well as their love for their Irish heritage (referenced by the mention of St. Patrick's Day). While both parents highlight the admiration Jimmy received during the parade, his father's observations about the soldiers being out of step adds a touch of irony and humor to the story.
This song, with its repetitive chorus, portrays an endearing and humorous approach to celebrating Jimmy's participation in the military march. It showcases the parental pride alongside the ironic notion that Jimmy was the only soldier marching correctly, contrasting the image of a disciplined soldier with the reality of soldiers being "out of step."
Line by Line Meaning
Jimmy's mother went to see her son
Jimmy's mother went to see her son, filled with pride and excitement.
Marching along on parade
He was proudly marching with his fellow soldiers, displaying unity and discipline.
In his uniform and with his gun
Jimmy was dressed in his military uniform, ready to serve his country with his weapon.
What a lovely picture he made
He looked splendid and admirable in his uniform, making his mother proud.
She came home that evening
After witnessing her son's parade, Jimmy's mother returned home filled with joy.
Filled up with delight
Her heart was overwhelmed with happiness and satisfaction.
And to all the neighbors
She couldn't contain her excitement and wanted to share the news with everyone around her.
She would yell with all her might
She would loudly and enthusiastically proclaim her son's achievements.
Did you see my little Jimmy marching
She asked if others had observed her son proudly marching.
With the soldiers up the avenue?
She wanted to know if they had witnessed him marching alongside his fellow soldiers on the street.
There was Jimmy just as stiff as starch
He was disciplined and rigid in his posture, displaying his commitment to his role.
Just like his father on The seventeenth o' March
Similar to his father, who was also disciplined, especially on St. Patrick's Day.
Did you notice all the lovely ladies
She questioned if others had observed the attention Jimmy received from women.
Casting their eyes at him?
Wondering if they had seen women looking at him with interest and admiration.
Away he went To live in a tent Over in France with his regiment
Jimmy was sent to France with his fellow soldiers, where they lived in tents as part of their military duties.
Were you there, and tell me, did you notice?
She wanted to know if they were present and if they had paid attention to the events she described.
They were all out of step but Jim
Surprisingly, despite the uniformity and discipline, all the soldiers, except Jim, were at odds or not in sync with each other.
That night little Jimmy's father stood
On that evening, Jimmy's father was standing at a place.
Buying the drinks for the crowd
He was purchasing beverages for the people present around him.
You could tell that he was feeling good
His visible behavior indicated that he was in a state of happiness or satisfaction.
He was talking terribly loud
He was speaking extremely loudly, possibly due to being intoxicated.
Twenty times he treated my, but he was dry
He offered to pay for drinks several times, but unfortunately, he had run out of money.
When his glass was empty
Whenever his glass became empty.
He would treat again and cry
He would request another drink, sometimes accompanied by emotional outbursts.
Did you see me little Jimmy marching
He inquired if others had witnessed his son marching with the soldiers.
With the soldiers up the avenue?
He wanted to know if they had observed his son's parade on the avenue alongside the soldiers.
There was Jimmy just as stiff as starch
Jimmy displayed the same level of rigidity and adherence as his father did on St. Patrick's Day.
Like his father on the seventeenth o' March
Similar to his father's behavior on St. Patrick's Day.
Did you notice all the lovely ladies
He asked if the observers had noticed the women showing interest in his son.
A-casting their eyes at him?
He wanted to know if they had noticed the women looking at his son with admiration.
Sure it made me glad to gaze at the lad
Seeing the women's attention made him happy as he observed his son.
And Lord help the Kaiser if he's like his dad
He expressed his hope that if his son followed in his footsteps, it would be disastrous for the enemy.
Were you there, oh you were
He confirmed that the observers were indeed present during the parade.
Well did you notice?
He wanted to confirm if they had made specific observations.
They were all out of step but Jim
To his surprise, all the other soldiers, except Jim, were not in sync or appropriately coordinated.
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