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.
Mona Lisa
Harry James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
Is it only cause you're lonely they have blamed you
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile
Do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there, and they die there
Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art.
Do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there, and they die there
Are you warm, are you real Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art.
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa.
Harry James's song "Mona Lisa" is a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci's world-famous painting, which he parallels to a woman of great mystery and beauty. In the first verse, James mentions how men have named her Mona Lisa because of the striking resemblance she has to the lady in the painting. He asks if her elusive and mystic smile is because she is lonely and in need of a lover. James further ponders on the question if the smile is just a façade to hide a broken heart. He then reflects upon the countless dreams that had been brought to her doorstep, yet none of them materialized, leaving her cold and lonely like a piece of art.
In the second verse of the song, James repeats his earlier questions, asking if Mona Lisa's smile is an invitation to a lover or merely a façade to hide her pain. He further laments the fact that the dreams of many hopeful lovers had died without any action taken, leaving Mona Lisa a work of art that is cold and lonely. James's lyrics serve as an insightful perspective into the painting's subject, but it is also an ode to the universal experience of love thwarted by loneliness and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa men have named you
People have given you the name Mona Lisa
You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
Your smile is reminiscent of a mysterious lady
Is it only cause you're lonely they have blamed you
People have blamed your enigmatic smile on your supposed loneliness
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile
Your smile has a certain peculiarity that people can't quite put their finger on
Do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa?
Is your smile intended to lure in a romantic partner, Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Or is your smile a way to conceal a heart that has been hurt, Mona Lisa?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
Countless aspirations have been placed at your feet
They just lie there, and they die there
However, those hopes usually go unfulfilled and wither away
Are you warm, are you real Mona Lisa?
Do you possess warmth and authenticity, Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art.
Or are you merely a beautiful but solitary and distant masterpiece?
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa.
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@swingman5635
This is much cleaner than my well-worn 78. "La Vie En Rose", is the flip, and also nicely done by the James crew.
@the78prof72
This track is not pristine, but preferable (IMO) to the reissue versions with the added reverb.
@swingman5635
@the78prof Ah,although I haven't heard the version that you're referencing, I'll say you made a good call. I'm no fan of reissues that include a distracting reverb.
@td3993
Love Harry James. Have many of his records, but yes, Nat's version stands alone.
@themort4life
A #1 song at Denver's 1340 KMYR on August 5, 1950, as reported to Cash Box Magazine.
@reisvanessa
This is magical..
@stevehoffman9735
They were STILL using that label in 1950? Amazing.
@CPorter
Yep, the Columbia microphone label was used up through 1957 I believe.
@CrossOfBayonne
In the 1950s despite Rock music becoming popular swing bands like Tommy Dorsey and Harry James were still popular
@Andymanpr
Nice version, but the big band era was over. Nat rules on this one.