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.
I Can
Harry James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How much you mean to me.
My world would end if ever we were through.
I can't begin to tell you
How happy I would be
If I could speak my mind like others do.
Whenever we?re apart,
But when your near
The words I choose
Refuse to leave my heart.
So take the sweetest phrases
The world has ever known
And make believe
I've said them all to you.
The song I Can't Begin To Tell You by Harry James is a romantic ballad about a person who is unable to express their emotions to the one they love. The opening line "I can't begin to tell you, how much you mean to me" sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer expresses that they are unable to express their love and how important their loved one is to them. The lyrics imply that the person's world would end if they ever lost their loved one, indicating that they are deeply in love and cannot imagine life without them.
The second verse of the song adds an additional layer of emotion with the line "I can't begin to tell you how happy I would be, if I could speak my mind like others do." This line implies that the singer feels a sense of frustration that they are unable to express their emotions to their loved one adequately. The third verse indicates that the person is capable of making pretty speeches when they are not around their loved one, but when they are, the words refuse to leave their heart.
The final verse is a request to the loved one to believe that the singer has said all the sweetest phrases the world has ever known. This line implies that the person is willing to do anything to make their loved one happy, even if it means pretending to have said all the things that they cannot express.
Overall, the lyrics of I Can't Begin To Tell You convey the message that sometimes words are not enough to express the depth of one's emotions, and that actions and gestures can often speak louder than words.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't begin to tell you
I am at a loss for words to express my feelings for you
How much you mean to me.
The depth of my affection for you is immeasurable
My world would end if ever we were through.
Losing you would devastate me completely
How happy I would be
I would be overjoyed beyond belief
If I could speak my mind like others do.
I wish I could communicate my feelings for you as freely as others are able to
I make such pretty speeches
I am proficient in using flowery language
Whenever we're apart,
In times when we are not together
But when you're near
When you are in close proximity to me
The words I choose
My chosen words
Refuse to leave my heart.
Fail to escape my heart and be spoken aloud
So take the sweetest phrases
Please accept the most endearing and charming expressions
The world has ever known
From the most renowned and beloved expressions ever uttered
And make believe
Imagine or pretend
I've said them all to you.
That I have expressed my truest feelings to you through them
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES V. MONACO, MACK GORDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jean Fleming
I can’t begin to tell you how much I love these songs of my youth xx
Jerriann Shepard
I love them too! Music was so special in my teens!
Kinseydsp
At age 31 I learned to play the trumpet because of my love for this song! I later got Asthama and no longer can play it but this song is such a beautiful song and Harry plays it so perfectly. I saw Harry a year or so before He died at the old Sunny Brook ballroom in Pottstown Pa, and I was the last person that night to get his audigraph.
Jakab Laszlo
No matter what was his personal life,he was Mr trumpet, no one ever takehes place Harry & Betty their memory will live forever, both may RIP
Kinseydsp
This is one of my all time favorite Songs and first song I learned to Play on Trumpet at age 32, after seeing Harry Play at Sunny Brook Ballroom back in the day! I was lucky enough to get His Audigraphe.
cowgirlinla22
Such a pretty song, from a great movie!
Joseph Yeh
One of the greatest popular songs ever written! W.W.II ended the same year, 1945. Next year will be its 70th Anniversary.
Corrie121
Thank you for sharing this excellent version of a fabulous song. Thank you for sharing and thanks to sessnazx for sending.
Kinseydsp
When I hear this I think of Harry James and Betty Grable! I learned to Play the trumpet because of this song at age 32.
Andiamo!
The White Cliffs of Dover CD. I have it! It has many songs. I love to hear it - and to think I'm a 70's child? Yes. It can happen.