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.
It's Funny To Be Everyone But Me
Harry James Lyrics
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It's funny to everyone but me.
(It's the talk of the town)
They told me this would happen, now they're laughing secretly,
It's funny to everyone but me.
(gosh, he's crying again)
I should shrug my shoulders and say, good riddance to a bad affair,
But how can I do, but my head tells me to,
It's so funny I still love you, it's the joke of the century,
It's funny to everyone but me.
(I got the right to think of you)
It's so funny I still love you, it's the joke of the century,
Ah but it's funny to everyone but me.
The lyrics of Harry James and His Orchestra's song, It's Funny to Everyone But Me is a portrayal of an unrequited love. The singer is expressing his confusion and sadness over the fact that his lover, who was once madly in love with him, suddenly forgot all about him. The singer finds it ironic that everyone else finds his situation humorous, although it is not at all amusing to him. He is hurt by the fact that people warned him that this would happen, causing them to secretly mock him while he's left heartbroken. Despite his heartbreak, the singer is finding it difficult to move on and let go of his love as his heart still deeply cares for the one who left him.
The singer goes on to express his dilemma of what to do next. His head tells him that he should forget and move on from this bad affair, but his heart clearly tells him otherwise. He still loves her, and this love has become a joke to the world. This love story that was supposed to end up "happily ever after" has turned into the joke of the century, and the singer cannot find any humor in it. The song ends with the sad realization that, although everyone else finds this tale of heartbreak amusing, it is anything but funny to the person who finds themselves trapped in the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
It's funny how you loved me, then forgot so suddenly,
It's strange how you used to love me and then suddenly forgot about me.
It's funny to everyone but me. (It's the talk of the town)
Everyone finds it amusing except for me, it's the subject of gossip among people.
They told me this would happen, now they're laughing secretly,
People warned me that this would happen and now they're laughing behind my back.
It's funny to everyone but me. (gosh, he's crying again)
People find it funny that I'm crying, but it's not funny to me.
I should shrug my shoulders and say, good riddance to a bad affair,
I should let go of this bad relationship and move on.
But how can I do, but my head tells me to,
I want to move on, but I can't help the way I feel.
When my heart tells me how much I care?
I still care for you deeply despite everything that's happened.
It's so funny I still love you, it's the joke of the century,
It's funny to everyone that I still love you even though you hurt me so much.
It's funny to everyone but me. (I got the right to think of you)
People find it amusing that I still think of you, but I have every right to do so.
Ah but it's funny to everyone but me.
It's a joke to everyone except for me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVE FRANKLIN, ISHAM JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jan Procházka
on All or Nothing at All
trumpet boogie