He was born in Albany, Georgia, the son of a bandleader of a traveling circus. By the age of 10 he was taking trumpet lessons from his father, who placed him on a strict daily practice schedule. Each day, James was given one page to learn from the Arban's book and was not allowed to pursue any other pastime until he had learned that particular page.
In 1931 the family settled in Beaumont, Texas, where James began playing with local dance bands.
He joined the nationally popular Ben Pollack in 1935 but at the start of 1937, left Pollack to join Benny Goodman's orchestra, where he stayed through 1938.
In February 1939 James debuted his own big band in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His hit "You Made Me Love You" was in the Top 10 during the week of December 7, 1941. He toured with the band into the 1980s.
His was the first "name band" to employ vocalist Frank Sinatra, in 1939. He wanted to change Sinatra's name to 'Frankie Satin' but Sinatra refused. His later band included drummer Buddy Rich.
He played trumpet in the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn, dubbing Kirk Douglas. James's recording of "I'm Beginning to See the Light" appears in the motion picture My Dog Skip (2000). His music is also featured in the Woody Allen film Hannah and Her Sisters. James recorded many popular records and appeared in many Hollywood movies.
He was second only to Glenn Miller as the most successful recording artist of 1942.
James was married three times. On May 4, 1935, he married singer Louise Tobin, with whom he had two children. They divorced in 1943. That same year, he married actress Betty Grable. They had two daughters, Victoria and Jessica, before divorcing in 1965. James married a third time in 1968 to Las Vegas showgirl Joan Boyd, whom he would divorce in March 1970. Contrary to some assertions, he did not marry a fourth time. He had five children (two by Tobin, two by Grable, one by Boyd) and (as of his death) 16 grandchildren.
James owned several thoroughbred racehorses that won races such as the California Breeders' Champion Stakes (1951) and the San Vicente Stakes (1954). He was also a founding investor in the Atlantic City Race Course. His knowledge of horse racing was demonstrated during a 1958 appearance on The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour entitled "Lucy Wins A Racehorse."
In 1983, James was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer, but he continued to work, playing his last professional job on June 26, 1983, in Los Angeles, California, just nine days before his death in Las Vegas, Nevada. Frank Sinatra gave the eulogy at the Bunkers Eden Vale Memorial Park in Las Vegas.
Alice Blue Gown
Harry James and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes everybody's laughing
They know that you and I are through
And everybody's laughing
I told the world you loved me
And bragged about it proudly
But since they know it's over
People love to linger
So they can point a finger
And tear apart a gal whose heart
Was taken through the wringer
It we could start all over
The laugh might be on them
But meanwhile
Everybody's laughing
It we could start all over
The laugh might be on them
But meanwhile
Everybody's laughing
The lyrics of "Alice Blue Gown" by Harry James and His Orchestra encapsulate the feeling of a person who has faced public embarrassment due to a failed relationship. The first stanza establishes that everyone around the singer is laughing, and they know that the singer is going through a rough patch. The second stanza is particularly poignant - the singer had boasted to the world about how much their ex-partner loved them, but now that the relationship is over, they're being laughed at for their foolishness. The third stanza adds another layer of sadness to the song - not only is the singer being ridiculed, but people also take pleasure in criticizing and tearing down someone who is already hurting.
The final stanza is perhaps the most hopeful part of the song. The singer acknowledges that if they and their ex-partner could start over, then everyone who was laughing at them would be ashamed of their mockery. The song ends on a bittersweet note - the singer is resigned to the fact that things might not get better, and in the meantime, they have to suffer the indignity of everyone around them laughing at their expense.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's laughing
The world is amused
Yes everybody's laughing
Indeed, everyone is laughing
They know that you and I are through
They are aware of the end of our relationship
And everybody's laughing
Everyone is still laughing
I told the world you loved me
I loudly proclaimed your love for me
And bragged about it proudly
And boasted about it incessantly
But since they know it's over
However, since they know it ended
They're laughing at me loudly.
They are mocking me loudly
People love to linger
People love to dwell
So they can point a finger
So they can criticize
And tear apart a gal whose heart
And shred a woman whose heart
Was taken through the wringer
Has been subjected to much emotional pain
It we could start all over
If only we could begin again
The laugh might be on them
Perhaps they would be the ones to be laughed at
But meanwhile everybody's laughing
But for now, everyone is still laughing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Tierney, Joseph Mc Carthy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BubbaTex
Listen to all of Harry James' releases from 1940 on the Varsity label (from the Savoy Jazz re-issue album First Team Player On The Jazz Varsity ) here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTVPqQ80bUo&list=PL0E0123v1zlPilFuIzxvfV8UU2AyibW20