Born over a fish and chip shop owned by her grandmother in Molesworth Street, Rochdale, Lancashire, she made her first stage appearance as a child in 1905. Her two sisters, Edith and Betty, and brother, Tommy, all went on to appear on stage, but Gracie was the most successful. Her professional debut in variety took place at the Rochdale Hippodrome theatre in 1910 and she soon gave up her job in the local cotton mill.
She met comedian Archie Pitt and they began working together. Pitt would come to serve as her manager and the two married in 1923. Their first revue in 1915 was called Yes I think so and the two continued to tour Britain together until 1922 in the revue Mr Tower of London.
Her most famous song, which became her theme, "Sally," was worked into the title of her first cinema film, Sally in Our Alley (1931), which was a major box office hit. She went on to make several films initially in Britain and later in the United States (for which she was paid a record fee of US$200,000 for four films), despite never performing without a live audience.
Ironically, the final few lines of the song 'Sally' were written by her husband's mistress, and Gracie sang this song at nearly every performance she made from 1931 onwards.
Isle of Capri
Gracie Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beneath the shade of an old walnut tree
Oh, I can still see the flowers blooming 'round her
Where they met on the Isle of Capri
She was as sweet as a rose at the dawning
But somehow fate hadn't meant it to be
And though he sailed with the tide in the morning
Summertime was nearly over
Blue Italian sky above
He said, lady, I'm a rover
Can you spare a sweet word of love
She whispered softly, it's best not to linger
And then as he kissed her hand he could see
She wore a plain golden ring on her finger
'Twas good-bye on the Isle of Capri
Somewhere far away, over Naples Bay
I heard a quaint lover's story
It's magic thrill holds a spell on me still
It's a story old, that's been sadly told
Down by the shore in the moonlight
How love began for a girl and a man
'Twas on the Isle of Capri that he found her
Beneath the shade of an old walnut tree
Ha-ha-ha-hahhhhhh, ha-ha-ha-hah
Where they met on the Isle of Capri
She was as sweet as a rose at the dawning
But somehow fate hadn't meant it to be
Ha-ha-ha-hahhhhhh, ha-ha-ha-hah
Still his heart's in the Isle of Capri
Summertime was nearly over
Blue Italian sky above
He said, lady, I'm a rover
Can you spare a sweet word of love
Ha-ha-ha-hah, ha-ha-hah, ha-ha-hah-hah
Ha-ha-ha-hah, ha-ha-hah, ha-ha-hahhh
She wore a plain golden ring on her finger
'Twas good-bye on the Isle of Capri
The song “Isle of Capri” by Gracie Fields tells the story of a man who met a woman on the Isle of Capri and fell deeply in love with her. The song paints a picture of the romantic atmosphere of the island, with flowers blooming and the shade of an old walnut tree. The man is taken with the woman’s sweetness and beauty, but their love affair is not meant to be. As the summertime draws to a close, the man must sail away and leave the woman behind. Though he departs, his heart remains on the Isle of Capri.
The song’s lyrics evoke a sense of longing and nostalgia for a lost love. The man’s memories of the island and the woman he fell in love with there are vivid and bittersweet. The fact that she wore a plain golden ring on her finger suggests that she may have been married or engaged, adding another layer of complexity to their story. Overall, “Isle of Capri” is a poignant and emotional ode to a love that could not last.
Line by Line Meaning
'Twas on the Isle of Capri that he found her
He found her on the Isle of Capri
Beneath the shade of an old walnut tree
They met under the shade of an old walnut tree
Oh, I can still see the flowers blooming 'round her
He still remembers the flowers blooming around her
Where they met on the Isle of Capri
They met on the Isle of Capri
She was as sweet as a rose at the dawning
She was sweet like a rose in the morning
But somehow fate hadn't meant it to be
Fate didn't intend for them to be together
And though he sailed with the tide in the morning
He left in the morning with the tide
Still his heart's in the Isle of Capri
He still thinks of her and the Isle of Capri
Summertime was nearly over
It was almost the end of summer
Blue Italian sky above
There was a blue sky above Italy
He said, lady, I'm a rover
He told her he was a wanderer
Can you spare a sweet word of love
He asked her for some words of love
She whispered softly, it's best not to linger
She told him it was best not to stay
And then as he kissed her hand he could see
He noticed a plain golden ring on her finger as he kissed her hand
She wore a plain golden ring on her finger
She had a plain golden ring on her finger
'Twas good-bye on the Isle of Capri
They said goodbye on the Isle of Capri
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIMMY KENNEDY, WILL GROSZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dai Woosnam
I remember going to Capri in 2005. I confess that it had too many high end fashion stores for my liking… Versace and the like.
But I went to pay homage to the great Gracie, and was very moved when I eventually found her grave in the municipal cemetery (alongside the steps). Here are the lyrics to this little gem of a song… and how touching is that line about a 'plain golden ring on her finger' today, as it harks back to a different era when 'holy matrimony' was indeed regarded as holy. Dai Woosnam, Grimsby, UK.
Isle of Capri
/
Lyrics
'Twas on the Isle of Capri that I found her
Beneath the shade of an old walnut tree,
Oh I can still see the flowers blooming round her
When we met on the isle of Capri
She was as sweet as the rose at the dawning
But somehow fate hadn't meant her for me,
Though I sailed with the tide in the morning
Yet my heart's on the Isle of Capri
Summertime was nearly over,
Blue Italian sky above,
I said "Lady, I'm a rover,
Won't you spare one sweet word of love?"
She whispered softly
"It's best not to linger."
And then as I kissed her hand I could see
She wore a plain golden ring on her finger
'Twas goodbye on the Isle of Capri.
Somewhere far away over Naples Bay
I heard a quaint lover's story
Its magic thrill holds a spell on me still,
It's a story old
That's been sadly told,
Down by the shore in the moonlight
How love began for a girl and a man,
'Twas on the Isle of Capri that I found her
Beneath the shade of an old walnut tree
When we met on the Isle of Capri
She was as sweet as the rose at the dawning
But somehow fate hadn't meant her for me,
Still my heart's on the Isle of Capri.
Summertime was nearly over
Blue Italian sky above
I said "Lady, I'm a rover,
Won't you sing one sweet word of love?"
She wore a plain golden ring on her finger
'Twas goodbye on the Isle of Capri.
[End]
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jimmy Kennedy / Wilhelm Grosz
Isle of Capri lyrics © Peter Maurice Music Co Ltd, Schirmer-g Inc
Alexander Karayannis
This and Greta Keller's are the best versions floating about, of this 1930s classic that shines through the ages!...Thanks for posting!...
Fablife2000
Fantastic. A pleasure to the ears. Thank you for posting this fantastic recording.
𝚂𝚒𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚎🌈💜
Thanks for posting this precious gem. The Isle of Capri was one of the very first pieces I learned to play on the piano. Such a cheery, lovely tune. <3
Dai Woosnam
I remember going to Capri in 2005. I confess that it had too many high end fashion stores for my liking… Versace and the like.
But I went to pay homage to the great Gracie, and was very moved when I eventually found her grave in the municipal cemetery (alongside the steps). Here are the lyrics to this little gem of a song… and how touching is that line about a 'plain golden ring on her finger' today, as it harks back to a different era when 'holy matrimony' was indeed regarded as holy. Dai Woosnam, Grimsby, UK.
Isle of Capri
/
Lyrics
'Twas on the Isle of Capri that I found her
Beneath the shade of an old walnut tree,
Oh I can still see the flowers blooming round her
When we met on the isle of Capri
She was as sweet as the rose at the dawning
But somehow fate hadn't meant her for me,
Though I sailed with the tide in the morning
Yet my heart's on the Isle of Capri
Summertime was nearly over,
Blue Italian sky above,
I said "Lady, I'm a rover,
Won't you spare one sweet word of love?"
She whispered softly
"It's best not to linger."
And then as I kissed her hand I could see
She wore a plain golden ring on her finger
'Twas goodbye on the Isle of Capri.
Somewhere far away over Naples Bay
I heard a quaint lover's story
Its magic thrill holds a spell on me still,
It's a story old
That's been sadly told,
Down by the shore in the moonlight
How love began for a girl and a man,
'Twas on the Isle of Capri that I found her
Beneath the shade of an old walnut tree
When we met on the Isle of Capri
She was as sweet as the rose at the dawning
But somehow fate hadn't meant her for me,
Still my heart's on the Isle of Capri.
Summertime was nearly over
Blue Italian sky above
I said "Lady, I'm a rover,
Won't you sing one sweet word of love?"
She wore a plain golden ring on her finger
'Twas goodbye on the Isle of Capri.
[End]
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jimmy Kennedy / Wilhelm Grosz
Isle of Capri lyrics © Peter Maurice Music Co Ltd, Schirmer-g Inc
TheSentry66
Mom is 93 years young, though her memory is fading, she mentioned her Mother would sing this song.
Beautiful.
Phillipe Cook
As I write this I'm listening with my mum whose 96. She knows this song from when she was young.
Jenny Hicks
Just lovely. Reminds me of all the Sunday request programmes of my childhood
berntd
Actually pretty nice. Thank you.
I was just studying the 'Isle of Capri' from Chris Barber, via Fats Domino and then ending here.
Thank you for this.
bluewingtip
Love, love, love this. Warholsoup, your Gracie Fields postings seems to be better quality than others who have posted the same song(s). What are you doing to them? Do you have software that cleans them up a bit?? Anyway, thanks for the great GF songs. Keep up the good work and post more!
Irene Kent
I played this for my mum on our piano My mum loed it sitting in her arm chair I can still see her and I miss her