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 Cover the Waterfront
Harry James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm watching the sea,
Will the one I love,
Be coming back to me?
I cover the waterfront,
In search of my love,
And I'm covered by,
Here am I,
Patiently waiting,
Hoping and longing,
Oh! How I yearn!
Where are you?
Are you forgetting?
Do you remember?
Will you return?
I cover the waterfront,
I'm watching the sea,
For the one I love,
Must come back to me.
In Harry James's "I Cover the Waterfront," the singer expresses his longing for a lost love, watching and waiting for her to return to him. The image of the waterfront, with its endless expanse of sea and sky, symbolizes the vastness of his love and the depth of his sadness. The lyrics are filled with a sense of melancholy, as the singer is covered by a "starless sky" that seems to reflect his own inner darkness.
The chorus of the song is a plaintive plea for his love to return: "Here am I, patiently waiting, hoping and longing, oh how I yearn! Where are you? Are you forgetting? Do you remember? Will you return?" The repetition of these questions underscores the singer's sense of desperation and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
I cover the waterfront,
I constantly travel along the seashore.
I'm watching the sea,
I am looking at the vast body of saltwater that separates us.
Will the one I love,
Is my beloved one thinking about me and missing me?
Be coming back to me?
Will I get to see my beloved again and be able to hold them close?
In search of my love,
I am continuously looking for the one I love so dearly.
And I'm covered by,
I am encompassed with loneliness and heartache.
A starless sky above.
At night, the complete darkness of the sky reflects my dismal mood.
Here am I,
I am currently present in this despondent state of longing.
Patiently waiting,
I am waiting with patience and anxiety mixed together.
Hoping and longing,
My hope is mixed with a burning desire for my beloved to come back to me.
Oh! How I yearn!
I have an intense longing and desire for my beloved to return.
Where are you?
My beloved, where are you? I am lost without you.
Are you forgetting?
Are you forgetting our precious memories? Please don't forget me.
Do you remember?
Do you still remember me, our love, and our time spent together?
Will you return?
I am still hopeful that you will come back to me someday.
For the one I love,
I am doing all of this for the person whom I cherish the most.
Must come back to me.
It is inevitable that my love will return to me someday.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Heyman, John W. Green
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Johnny Ledmore
This is just perfect... Nothing more must be said...
Richard Wallace
I used to go see him in 1968 and 1969 in Columbia, SC at the Shriners Club when I was in high school. Loved him and his band!
Chuck Par-Due
I played at the Shriners Club when I played on Jimmy Farr's band.
L.E. Dinardi
This is Harry James as I like! All the best!
antonio carlos novelli
Harry James, apenas...
Doctor Dave
Lovely
seymour kuperman
He don't ever miss
songanddanceman100
A great LP by Harry!
Harry takes two runs for the stratosphere towards the end of the side. The first time he misses a bit, but on the second run - BULLSEYE! Right on target! Brilliant!
Johnny Ledmore
If something else should be said I woud like to say that Harry James BY ALL MEANS was and still being the best trumpeter I ever heard. — And you can be sure I know what I'am talking about
Samuel Lee
Johnny Ledmore what other trumpet players do you feel can stand next to Harry? Anyone?:)