Harry James was born in Albany, Georgia, the son of a bandleader of a traveling circus. By age 10 he was taking trumpet lessons from his father. His father had him on a very strict practicing schedule every day. He was given one page to learn out of the Arban's book (a trumpet drill book) every day and could not do anything until he learned that page.
In 1931 the family settled in Beaumont, Texas and James began playing with local dance bands. James joined the nationally popular Ben Pollack in 1935. At the start of 1937 he left Pollack to join Benny Goodman's orchestra, where he stayed through 1938.
In February of 1939 Harry James debuted his own big band in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He continued touring with the band into the 1980s. His was the first "name band" to employ vocalist Frank Sinatra, in 1939. In 1943 he married actress Betty Grable.
His first wife was ex B.Goodman singer.,Louise Tobin.
You can hear his trumpet playing in the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn, dubbing Kirk Douglas. His recording of "I'm Beginning to See the Light" appears in the motion picture My Dog Skip (2000). James recorded many popular records and appeared in many Hollywood movies.
In 1983, James was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer, but he continued to work, playing his last professional job on 26 June 1983 in Los Angeles just nine days before his death in Las Vegas, Nevada.
And Then It's Heaven
Harry James Lyrics
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And wondrous wishing wells
And nowhere else on God's green Earth
There be such lakes and dells
No wonder that the angels love
That shamrock covered shore
It draws my heart home again
Have you ever heard the story of
How Ireland got its name
Well, I'll tell you so you'll understand
From whence old Ireland came
No wonder that I love
That dear old land across the sea
For here's the way my dear old Father
Told the tale to me
Sure, a little bit of heaven fell
From out the sky one day
And it nestled on the ocean
In a spot so far away
And when the angels found it
Sure, it looked so sweet and fair
They said, "Suppose we leave it
For it looks so peaceful there"
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow
'Tis the only place you'll find them
No matter where you go
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand
And when they had it finished
Sure, they called it Ireland!
The song 'A Little Bit of Heaven' by Harry James and His Orchestra is a tribute to the beauty of Ireland, the country of the singer's ancestry. The lyrics express admiration for the land of leprechauns, lakes, hills, and wishing wells, which draws the heart of the singer towards it. The song also narrates an Irish myth about the origin of the name 'Ireland'. According to the story, a little piece of heaven fell from the sky and rested in a faraway spot in the ocean. The angels found it and decorated it with stardust and silver to make it bloom with shamrocks and grand lakes. This heavenly spot was then named 'Ireland'.
The lyrics of 'A Little Bit of Heaven' serve as a tribute to the beauty and culture of Ireland, evoking images of the green landscape and inviting waters that have entranced generations of people. The song speaks to the world about the simple yet awe-inspiring beauty of Ireland that has captured the hearts of so many visitors. The song's familiarity and comforting melody have made it a favorite among those who have longed to visit or have fond memories of the country.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a dear old land of leprechauns
There exists an old land where leprechauns inhabit
And wondrous wishing wells
And in this land, there are magical wells that grant wishes
And nowhere else on God's green Earth
There is no other place on Earth quite like this land
There be such lakes and dells
With such beautiful lakes and valleys
No wonder that the angels love
It is no surprise that even the angels adore
That shamrock covered shore
The land's shores are covered with shamrocks
It draws my heart home again
My heart finds comfort and home in this land
And I love it more and more
And my affection for it only grows stronger
Have you ever heard the story of
Are you familiar with the story of
How Ireland got its name
The origin of Ireland's name
Well, I'll tell you so you'll understand
Allow me to explain it to you in a way that makes sense
From whence old Ireland came
Where the ancient land of Ireland originated from
No wonder that I love
It is no surprise that I feel fondness for
That dear old land across the sea
The beloved old land that is across the ocean
For here's the way my dear old Father
This is how my beloved father
Told the tale to me
Shared the story with me
Sure, a little bit of heaven fell
A small piece of heaven descended
From out the sky one day
From the sky above one day
And it nestled on the ocean
And it settled itself upon the ocean
In a spot so far away
In a distant location
And when the angels found it
When the celestial beings discovered it
Sure, it looked so sweet and fair
It appeared so beautiful and lovely
They said, "Suppose we leave it
They suggested, "Why not leave it
For it looks so peaceful there"
Because it appears so serene and tranquil"
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Therefore, they sprinkled it with magical stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow
So that the shamrocks could flourish
'Tis the only place you'll find them
It is the only location where the shamrocks grow
No matter where you go
Regardless of where you search
Then they dotted it with silver
Next, they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand
To make its lakes splendid
And when they had it finished
Once they were done
Sure, they called it Ireland!
They named it Ireland!
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERNEST R. BALL, J. KEIRN BRENNAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jan Procházka
on All or Nothing at All
trumpet boogie