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.
Limehouse Blues
Harry James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never go away
Sad, mad blues
For all the while they seem to say
Oh, Limehouse kid
Oh, oh, Limehouse kid
Goin' the way
Poor broken blossom
And nobody's child
Haunting and taunting
You're just kind of wild
Oh, Limehouse blues
I've the real Limehouse blues
Can't seem to shake off
Those real China blues
Rings on your fingers
And tears for your crown
That is the story
Of old Chinatown
Rings on your fingers
And tears for your crown
That is the story
Of old Chinatown
The lyrics to Harry James's song "Limehouse Blues" paint a melancholic picture of a person haunted by their past, specifically their connection to a place called Limehouse, which is a district in London historically associated with Chinese immigrants. The singer refers to the "weird China blues" that "never go away" and describe them as sad and mad, suggesting a deep and enduring sorrow. These blues seem to linger and communicate something to the singer, perhaps reminding them of a painful or unresolved chapter in their life.
The mention of the "Limehouse kid" indicates that the singer is reflecting on their own past or the past of someone they know. The Limehouse kid is described as going "the way that the rest of them did" and as a "poor broken blossom" and "nobody's child." This character seems to symbolize someone who has become lost or abandoned, wandering through life with a wild and untamed spirit.
The lyrics also reference the "real China blues" that the singer can't seem to shake off. This further suggests a deep emotional connection to their Chinese heritage and the struggles associated with it. The mention of rings on your fingers and tears for your crown evokes a sense of loss and sacrifice, as if the singer has given up something precious in their journey through old Chinatown.
Overall, "Limehouse Blues" portrays a sense of longing, solitude, and a search for identity, using the backdrop of the Limehouse district and its connection to the Chinese community to convey a deeper emotional weight.
Line by Line Meaning
And those weird China blues
Referring to the lingering sadness and melancholy that is associated with Chinatown
Never go away
These blues are persistent and constant in Chinatown
Sad, mad blues
The blues are filled with both sorrow and frustration
For all the while they seem to say
The blues convey a message or feeling
Oh, Limehouse kid
Oh, young person from Limehouse
Oh, oh, Limehouse kid
Oh, oh, young person from Limehouse
Goin' the way
Following the path
That the rest of them did
That others from Limehouse have taken
Poor broken blossom
A metaphor for someone who is fragile and damaged
And nobody's child
Someone who is without family or support
Haunting and taunting
Persistently troubling and teasing
You're just kind of wild
You possess a wild and unpredictable nature
I've the real Limehouse blues
I experience the genuine, authentic blues of Limehouse
Can't seem to shake off
Unable to rid myself of
Those real China blues
The true blues of Chinatown
Rings on your fingers
Symbolizing wealth and material possessions
And tears for your crown
Representing the sadness and sacrifice that comes with power or authority
That is the story
This is the narrative
Of old Chinatown
Regarding the history and legacy of Chinatown
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DICK HYMAN, DOUGLAS FURBER, PHILIP BRAHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Filmer Ado
I've never seen this type of action on a turntable, the sizing. Love it.
Wayne Andrus
Great recording> James - the ultimate musician.
Greg's Music Machines 78rpm and Vinyl Records
Sounds very good!
Jason's Adventures
I was going to say, you have it on the wrong speed but it automatically goes to 78. Awesome turntable. I want one.
KojiRecords
My mother had a 50's Emerson record player with detachable speakers, this one would also change speeds, recognizing that after an album had ended the next record was a 78, while the tonearm was in motion, the speed would change from 33, go past 45, and before the needle dropped it was already spinning at 78 rpm. No turntables afterward did this, including the great one you see here, Dual turntables are the best!
mdmphd
I used to have a turntable with an automatic setting where the arm would tap the record for size - check if it were a 7" or 12" before it dropped, and adjust speeds. That could be overwritten by a manual speed adjustment but it was always confused by 10" records, and of course, I had 12" disco records that played 45 rpm. Still, that's what I had as a teenager.
El chico del fonógrafo
This find of spindle (Dual 1000 series) has three rubber pads to retain the stack. I think it´s the best for changing all records. Never destroy the hole but originally all spindles lost these pads. The rubber always is gone. If you have one, you can cut some little pieces of rubber to glue in to the spindle carefully. So you decide to put it up or down. Shellack records needs a little more space to work in those umbrella. Thanks for your interest.
El chico del fonógrafo
Ha ha ha. It´s the fabulous 1006 dual! I´m proud of it. I love the music too, of course. Thanks.
Rodrigo Saenz
The first record player my father ever owned was a German made machine, called Perpetuum Ebner (still remember the brand). It could play 78s, 45s, and 33s but you had to change styli. There was one for the 78s and one for 45s and 33s. My, we have come a long way, haven't we. However, I learned a lot of my music on that machine...
Dewey Eckler
Great machine, man. Were those made in the late 50s-early 60s? What kind of amp/speakers are you using with that?