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.
And the Angels Sing
Harry James and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The angels sing the sweetest song I ever heard
You speak, and the angels sing
Or am I breathing music into every word
Suddenly, the setting is strange
I can see water and moonlight beaming
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore - Then
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
Through it all your face that I adore.
You smile, and the angels sing
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
We kiss, and the angels sing
And leave their music ringing in my heart.
The song "And the Angels Sing" by Harry James and His Orchestra is a beautiful love song that talks about the ethereal feeling one experiences when they meet their soulmate. The lyrics describe how angelic voices seem to sing in the background when the two people meet, giving the entire experience a magical and enchanting feeling. The song also touches on how the person's every word seems to be like sweet music to the singer's ears, and how the mere presence of their soulmate can transform the world around them.
As the song progresses, it goes on to describe the various moments that the singer has shared with their soulmate, each one painted with a vivid and immersive image. The song talks about how they see water and moonlight, silver waves breaking on an undiscovered shore, and long winter nights with candles gleaming. The mood of the song shifts with each image, capturing the different emotions and feelings that the singer experiences with their soulmate. Finally, the song describes how the two end up sharing a kiss, leaving their music ringing in the singer's heart.
Overall, the lyrics of "And the Angels Sing" are a beautiful tribute to true love, capturing the magic, wonder, and beauty that comes with finding one's soulmate. The song is a testament to the transformative power of love, capturing how it can make everything seem brighter, happier, and more beautiful than ever before.
Line by Line Meaning
We meet, and the angels sing
Our meeting is so wonderful and magical that even the angels are singing their sweetest song
The angels sing the sweetest song I ever heard
The angels are singing a song that is so incredibly beautiful that it is the sweetest song I have ever heard
You speak, and the angels sing
Your words are so lovely that they make the angels sing along with you
Or am I breathing music into every word
Perhaps I am just imagining the angels singing because everything you say sounds like a lovely melody to me
Suddenly, the setting is strange
All of a sudden, the environment around us seems different and unusual
I can see water and moonlight beaming
I can see a beautiful scene with water and moonlight shining brightly
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore - Then
I see silver waves crashing on a shore that I have never seen before
Suddenly, I see it all change
Then, the scenery changes again and becomes something completely new and different
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
Now, I see us together on long winter nights with candles flickering and shimmering
Through it all your face that I adore.
However, no matter what the setting, I am always drawn to your beautiful face that fills me with love
You smile, and the angels sing
Your smile is so captivating that even the angels sing out in joy and happiness
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
Our love is not always loud and boisterous, it can start out as a soft whisper
We kiss, and the angels sing
But once we kiss, our love becomes so passionate and intense that even the angels can't help but sing along
And leave their music ringing in my heart.
The angels' music is so powerful that it lingers in my heart and soul even after our love has ended
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ZIGGY ELMAN, JOHNNY MERCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
THEPETERC1
First rate info, Chuck. By the way, the great soloists Doc, Al Hirt, Butterfield, and Mendez have all played behind Harry.
Robert Sendrow
Excellent
Ramo nline
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra - vocal Martha Tilton - And the Angels Sing - recorded in Hollywood, August 1955
jdsmith02115
Liked it waaaaay better than Ziggy!
Joel Ponzan
Disagree. James sounds stiff and mechanical compared to Ziggy’s “Klezmer” feel.
Brian Miller
I can see a d appreciate both your views. I started out saying it's Ziggy's ..he owns that solo. But James plays ,I just am in heaven. The last 15 seconds James makes up for lagging a bit. Remember Zig was a young man when he played this 17 years earlier. They are both magnificent