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.
Blue Skies
Harry James and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothin' but blues skies do I see
Bluebirds singin' a song
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long
Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things looking so right
When you're in love, my how they fly
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things looking so right
Noticing the days hurryin' by
When you're in love, oh how they fly
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
The lyrics of Harry James and His Orchestra's song "Blue Skies" speak of the power of love that can change one's life completely, making everything look brighter, and all the troubles vanish. The first verse of the song is about seeing only blue skies and bluebirds singing when one is in love, which shows the profound effect of love on our perception. The sunshine is brighter, and things look right, indicating that love can be a source of happiness in our lives.
The second verse speaks about the significance of time when we are in love. We tend to notice the days passing more quickly than usual, indicating that love makes time pass swiftly, and moments become cherished memories. The final verse declares that all the blue days are gone, and from now on, there will be nothing but blue skies, suggesting that love has put an end to all the sorrows and brought eternal joy and happiness. Overall, the song speaks of the power of love to change how we see the world and the significance of the presence of a loved one in our life.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue skies, smilin' at me
The sky is clear and bright, and it makes me happy.
Nothin' but blues skies do I see
The singer is surrounded by clear blue skies, and there are no clouds or other obstructions.
Bluebirds singin' a song
The birds that the singer hears are bluebirds, and they are singing a song.
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long
Throughout the day, the artist only hears bluebirds, and they continue to sing their songs.
Never saw the sun shining so bright
The intensity and brightness of the sun is unlike anything the artist has previously experienced.
Never saw things looking so right
The world around the singer appears to be in order and free of chaos or problems.
Noticing the days hurryin' by
The singer is aware that time is moving quickly, and the days seem to be passing rapidly.
When you're in love, my how they fly
The artist believes that time passes quickly when one is in love, and this is contributing to their perception of the days flying by.
Blue days, all of them gone
The unhappy, difficult times the artist may have experienced in the past are no longer present.
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
The artist feels optimistic about the future, and expects that there will continue to be good times ahead.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bob ster
conrad gozzo ? willie smith and buddy on drums ? what more could one ask for musical personal to make this one of amercas best band .. then throw in the trumpet master mr harry james who i always admired as a true musician playing for the people not just the musicians of his time .. this is a great song too ,
bobby g