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.
Laura
Harry James Lyrics
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Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
That you've never met as far as you could tell, well
Laura is the face in the misty light
Footsteps that you hear down the hall
The laugh that floats on a summer night
And you see Laura on the train that is passing through
Those eyes, how familiar they seem
She gave your very first kiss to you
That was Laura but she's only a dream
The song 'Laura' by Harry James tells the story of a person who experiences a feeling of nostalgia or déjà vu to a woman who they only half-remember. It is a poignant and insightful tale about the impact of love and dreams in one's life. The lyrics are well-crafted, evoking imagery of a mysterious, haunting, and elusive woman.
The opening lines of the song capture the essence of the feeling of something half-remembered. It describes the sensation of a memory that remains clear and vivid in the mind, yet it cannot be placed in terms of events or people. The lyrics capture the ambiguity of emotions that come with this experience - like recognizing someone that you have never met, as far as you can tell.
The song centers around the figure Laura, who represents the ideal woman that the singer spent a lifetime chasing. She is described as the face in the misty light, footsteps that you hear down the hall, and the laugh that floats on a summer night that you can never quite recall. She embodies what is best and worst in our past, a dream that once held everything, but now only serves to haunt us.
Overall, the lyrics of 'Laura' are an insightful portrayal of how the past can impact the present, shaping our desires and dictating our dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
You know the feeling of something half remembered
The sensation of half recollection
Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well
Remembering things that never actually occurred
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
Identifying someone without having met them before
That you've never met as far as you could tell, well
Not having actually met this person before
Laura is the face in the misty light
Laura represents the face seen in unclear or ambiguous lighting
Footsteps that you hear down the hall
Hearing footsteps in the distance
The laugh that floats on a summer night
The sound of laughing that carries through the air
That you can never quite recall
Having difficulty remembering certain aspects
And you see Laura on the train that is passing through
Encountering Laura on a passing train
Those eyes, how familiar they seem
The eyes of Laura provoke a sense of familiarity
She gave your very first kiss to you
Laura is connected with the first kiss ever received
That was Laura but she's only a dream
Laura is just a figment of imagination
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Raksin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jorge Luiz Ferraz
Parabéns Gustavo Morales pela postagem desta relíquia!
Jorge Luiz Ferraz
Sou fã do Harry James e da Doris Day, Harry James é um dos trompetista mais técnico que já existiu, a Doris Day é a artista completa !
Oscar Davila
DORIS DAY, imcomparable. Jarry James para escucharlos toda una vida. Vale Gustavo.
madalena746
Encantador mee gusta mucho Harry James, gracias amigo Gustavo
madalena746
With A Song In My Heart ,These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You) , Embraceable You ,How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky) & Laura, minhas preferidas, gracia, gracias mil...
music
Me gusta mucho
Gracias Gustavo*****
hightrumpet
Foi genial... via ao vivo em 78. Hj o estilo é ultrapassado...mas foi um grande trompetista.
Pepper Williams
The music is good (as usual) and the girl on the cover is beautiful! Doris Day on vocals sounds great! However, Harry James was never one of my favorites though. I prefer Bobby Hackett over HJ incessant vibrato playing.
tony salvatore
I know you mean Bobby Hackett.. or maybe you don't since you have no idea
what genius sounds like.
tony salvatore
Ouch. That hurt. I hope you haven't lost your way. The God
inspired genius that brought us Kingdom Melodies needs to
keep fulfilling his ministry.
God Love You