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.
Autumn Serenade
Harry James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Melodies the sweetest music ever played.
Autumn kisses we knew are beautiful souvenirs.
As I pause to recall the leaves seem to fall like tears.
Silver stars were clinging to an autumn sky.
Love was ours until October wandered by.
Let the years come and go,
I'll still feel the glow that time can not fade
The first stanza of Harry James's Autumn Serenade encapsulates the very essence of autumn: the changing seasons represented through the falling leaves, the crisp and refreshing air, and the melancholy melodies that accompany every passing year. Autumn Serenade is all about reminiscing the sweet memories of love, joy, and companionship that were unforgettable in their beauty, just like the sweetest melodies ever played. As the leaves fall down like tears, the singer is left with nothing but beautiful souvenirs to cherish.
The second stanza delves deeper into the theme of love and loss, which is further amplified by the presence of silver stars in an autumn sky, where the lovers had once roamed together. But, as October wanders by, bringing with it the arrival of winter, love dissolves, leaving behind nothing but memories. Yet, the singer still clings on to the positive feelings that autumn brings, with its memories forever etched in his mind, untainted by the passage of time.
Autumn Serenade is one of the most endearing ballads that capture the essence of autumn, bringing together poetry and music, and blending them into an experience that nostalgia can never erase.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the trees comes autumn with her serenade.
Autumn arrives with its own music, soundtrack, and rhythm - a unique mix of subtle rustling leaves and mild winds that announce its arrival.
Melodies the sweetest music ever played.
Autumn's serenade is the sweetest music you'll ever get to hear - a composition of sounds that represents the natural transitions between seasons.
Autumn kisses we knew are beautiful souvenirs.
Memories of times spent kissing or being kissed during autumn are remarkable experiences that stand the test of time - memories we treasure forever.
As I pause to recall the leaves seem to fall like tears.
When you reflect on trees shedding their leaves during autumn, it's like tears - a bittersweet reminder of the passage of time and how change is constant, yet nothing lasts forever.
Silver stars were clinging to an autumn sky.
In autumn, nighttime is special when silver stars are visible against the autumn sky - a rare, almost mystical experience that fills you with wonder.
Love was ours until October wandered by.
The budding, blossoming love of summer reaches new heights as autumn sets in, with love being at its peak through their mid-season - October.
Let the years come and go,
Regardless of time passing by, the memories of autumn and its serenade remain rooted in time - a treasure we hold forever.
I'll still feel the glow that time can not fade
No matter how much time fades, the intense sensation autumn brings persists, and the memory of this wonderful season continues to glow brightly.
When I hear that lovely autumn serenade.
With every returning autumn, the sweet melodies return once again, and it takes you back to treasured moments where you get to re-live the experience.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETER DE ROSE, SAMMY GALLOP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Cadwallader
Nothing can replicate the sound of a clean 78rpm...Thanks, Prof!
Kirk Barkley
Very true!
Sydney Stone
this is absolutely genius and ever so haunting and powerful. w o w
Rick Viehdorfer
What a superb trumpet performance. And a lovely arrangement.
Marvin Muoneké
Indeed! This arrangement was done by Billy May.
Kirk Barkley
James! He had practically had a patented sound all his own & it's so dreamy
Gary K. Nedrow
The description for the video seems to suggest this was a "B side" recording of little importance. Actually, it was a popular instrumental, recorded originally in 1941 by the great Claude Thornhill and his orchestra and recorded many times since. This is a wonderfully sophisticated composition, perhaps more appreciated by musicians than the record-buying public, that is representative of the many splendid instrumentals recorded for ballroom dancing right after the war. The interplay of the instruments is marvelous, a far cry from the music of today. Many thanks to the Prof for cleaning up the 78 rpm record. It sounds great!
Daniel Weinstein
Corky Corcoran, so forgotten, was Harry's go-to since he was a teenager. Willie Smith's alto sound was immediately recognizable.
David Cadwallader
By the way, this is a Billy May arrangement.
hipsterdoofus1026
Very noirish