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.
Fools Rush in
Harry James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to say
A game I thought I'd never play
"Romance is a game for fools"
I said and grinned
Then you passed by
And here am I
Throwing caution to the wind
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
And so I come to you, my love, my heart above my head.
Though I see the danger there
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care
Mm-mm-mm-mm
Fools rush in where wise men never go
But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
When we met, I felt my life begin
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Fools rush in where wise men never, never, never go
Eh, but wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
Ah, when we met, girl, I felt my life begin
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Just open up your heart and let this fool rush on in
Just open up your heart because I-I-I-I-I-I-I am coming in
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!
The lyrics to Harry James and His Orchestra's song "Fools Rush In" reflect the familiar themes of love, risk-taking, and passion. The singer starts off by describing his former views on romance as a "game for fools" that he would "never play." However, his perspective changes when he sees the person he falls in love with. He is no longer holding back or being cautious about the possibility of being hurt or rejected. Instead, he is willing to take the risk and throw "caution to the wind."
The chorus includes the memorable phrase, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." This phrase means taking risks without considering the potential consequences. In the context of the song, it suggests that the singer knows he is putting himself at risk by acting on his strong feelings of love. The chorus also highlights the irony that those who are considered to be wise and cautious never fall in love, and therefore cannot truly know the experience of giving oneself wholly to another person.
Overall, the lyrics convey the message that love is something that is not meant to be approach with logic or rationality. It is a force that consumes us and leads us to take chances that we might not otherwise consider. By letting go of our fear and reservations, we open ourselves up to the possibility of experiencing something truly beautiful and transformative.
Line by Line Meaning
Romance is a game for fools
I used to believe that love was a game that only foolish people played
A game I thought I'd never play
I used to think that I would never be foolish enough to fall in love
Romance is a game for fools
I said this with a smile knowing very well that I was also a fool for believing in love
I said and grinned
I said this with a smile, knowing I was lying to myself and believing in love after all
Then you passed by
Then I met you
And here am I
And now I find myself
Throwing caution to the wind
Ignoring reason and embracing love despite the risks
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
People like me take risks in love, ignoring the danger that wiser, more cautious people avoid
And so I come to you, my love, my heart above my head.
I came to you, my dear, driven by my heart's desires and ignoring my rational thoughts
Though I see the danger there
Even though I'm aware of the risks involved
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care
I still want to pursue this love, and I'm willing to take the risk
Fools rush in where wise men never go
Foolish people like me pursue love where wise, cautious people would never dare
But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
Cautious, wise people may never experience love, so how can they understand the choices made by fools in love?
When we met, I felt my life begin
When I met you, I felt like my life started to truly have meaning and purpose
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
I want you to take a chance on me and trust me with your heart
Just open up your heart because I-I-I-I-I-I-I am coming in
I want to become an important part of your life and share a deep connection with you
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!
Please take a chance on me and let me show you what real love can be
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Rube Bloom
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Bubba-Tex
Listen to all of Harry James' releases from 1940 on the Varsity label (from the Savoy Jazz re-issue album First Team Player On The Jazz Varsity ) here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTVPqQ80bUo&list=PL0E0123v1zlPilFuIzxvfV8UU2AyibW20