Henry Haag “Harry” James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American mu… Read Full Bio ↴Henry Haag “Harry” James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician and bandleader. James was an instrumentalist of the swing era, employing a bravura playing style that made his trumpet work identifiable. He was one of the most popular bandleaders of the first half of the 1940s, and he continued to lead his band until just before his death, 40 years later.
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.
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.
I'll Buy That Dream
Harry James and His Orchestra Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'I'll Buy That Dream' by these artists:
Dean Martin Imagine me with my head on your shoulder And you with…
Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest Imagine me with my head on your shoulder And you with…
Harry James feat. Kitty Kallen Imagine me with my head on your shoulder And you with…
The Pied Pipers Imagine me with my head on your shoulder And you with…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Harry James and His Orchestra:
'Tain't What You Do Do you know what is means to miss New Orleans I…
A Little Bit of Heaven There's a dear old land of leprechauns And wondrous wishing …
A Man and a Woman For every man there's a woman For every life there's a…
A String of Pearls Savoy, the home of sweet romance Savoy, it wins you with…
AIN Ain't she sweet? See her walking down that street. Yes I…
Ain't Misbehavin' No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…
Ain't She Sweet Ain't she sweet? See her walking down that street. Yes I…
Alice Blue Gown Everybody's laughing Yes everybody's laughing They know that…
All My Love My love for you Is deep and endless as the sea Strong…
All Of Me It all comes back to me now, A starry summer…
All of My Life Every day of my life you'll be near to me For…
All Or Nothing At All All or nothing at all Half a love, never appealed to…
All the Thngs You Are You are the promised kiss of springtime That makes the lonel…
All The Way When somebody loves you It's no good unless he loves you…
Always I'm always chasing rainbows Watching clouds drifting by My s…
And the Angels Sing We meet, and the angels sing The angels sing the sweetest…
And Then It's Heaven There's a dear old land of leprechauns And wondrous wishing …
Anything Times have changed And we've often rewound the clock Since…
Anytime Anytime you're feelin' lonely Anytime you're feelin' blue An…
April in Paris I never knew the charm of spring I never met it…
Around The World Around the world, around the world Around the world, around …
Aurora Aurora comes from Rio De Janeiro She dances in a little…
Autumn Leaves The falling leaves drift by the window The autumn leaves of…
Autumn Serenade Through the trees comes autumn with her serenade. Melodies …
Avalon I found my love in Avalon Beside a bay, I left…
Bali Ha'i Bali Ha'I may call you, any night, any day In your…
Beguine When they begin the beguine It brings back the sound of…
Bells Silver bells, silver bells, It's Christmas time in the city.…
Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you You've…
Blue Skies Blue skies, smilin' at me Nothin' but blues skies do I…
Blue Turning Grey Over You Gee, how I miss Your tender kiss, And the wonderful things w…
Blues And those weird China blues Never go away Sad, mad blues …
Blues for Sale Our little dream castle with every dream gone, Is lonely and…
Blues in the Night Saturday night is the loneliest night in the week 'Cause th…
Body And Soul My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Boog-It Boog it, nothin' to it Jack, Boog it, in the mellow…
But Not for Me Old man sunshine listen you Never tell me dreams come true …
By the Sleepy Lagoon A sleepy lagoon, a tropical moon and two on an…
By the Time I Get to Phoenix Never thought that you would be standing here so close…
Bye Bye Blues I got a big surprise when I saw you smile I…
Can't It Wrong Would it be wrong to kiss Seeing I feel like this Woul…
Caravan Night and stars above that shine so bright The myst'ry…
Castle Rock I met her dancing to the Castle Rock, I held her…
Cherokee Sweet Indian maiden, since first I met you, I can't forget…
Cherry Cherry, cherry, you're hard to get Cherry, cherry, I'll get…
Ciribiribin When the moon hangs low in Napoli, there's a handsome…
Ciribiribin And Don't Be That Way Don't cry, Oh honey please don't be that way Clouds in…
Ciribiribin Pt. 1 & 2 When the moon hangs low in Napoli There's a handsome gondoli…
Come And Get It It all comes back to me now, A starry summer…
Come By Here Here comes the night, my cloak of blue, Here comes the…
Come rain or come shine I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you Come rain or…
Comes Love Come a rain storm put your rubbers on your feet, Comes…
Concerto For Trumpet Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't…
Cotton Tail Come on, wail Wail, cotton tail Benny Webster, come on and…
Cottontail Come on, wail Wail, Cotton Tail Benny Webster, come on and b…
Crazy Rhythm Crazy rhythm, here's the doorway I'll go my way, you'll go…
Daddy Daddy, I want a diamond ring, bracelets, everything. Daddy, …
Day Dreaming You are oh so close to me I hold you…
Daybreak Daybreak, another new day The mist on the meadow is drifting…
Dear Old Southland Dear old Southland I hear you calling me. And I long…
Deep Purple Woo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo When the…
Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans Do you know what is means to miss New Orleans I…
Do You Love Me Love you didn't do right by me You planned a romance…
Dolores How I love the kisses of Dolores Aye-aye-aye Dolores Not M…
Don Ever since the lucky night I found you I've hung around…
Don't Be That Way Don't cry, Oh honey please don't be that way Clouds in…
Don't Cry Cherie Don't cry, Joe, let her go, let her go, let…
Don't Get Around Much Anymore Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
Don't Take Your Love From Me Tear a star from out the sky And the sky feels…
Easter Parade Never saw you look quite so pretty before Never saw you…
Easy Know it sounds funny But, I just can't stand the pain Girl,…
Eli Eli Eli, Eli . . . Eli, Eli, lomo asavtoni, Eli,…
Embraceable You Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you Embrace me, you irrepla…
End of Town Blues Well, I had a woman Living way back o' town Well, she…
Every Day of My Life Every day of my life you'll be near to me For…
Exactly Like You I used to have a perfect sweetheart Not a real one,…
Eyes Are the stars out tonight I don't know if it's cloudy…
Fight of the Bumble Bee Be my little baby bumble bee (Buzz around, buzz around Keep …
Five Minutes More Dear, this evening seemed to go so awfully fast We had…
Flight of the Bumble Bee Be my little baby bumble bee (Buzz around, buzz around Keep …
FLY ME TO THE MOON Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars Let…
Fools Rush In "Romance is a game for fools" I used to say A game…
For Want of a Star When life doesn't seem worth the living And you don't reall…
From the Bottom of My Heart What more can I say? From the bottom of my heart…
Get Happy Pack up your troubles and just get happy Ya better…
Gigi Gigi, am I a fool without a mind Or have I…
Girl Of My Dreams Dear, it seems years since we parted, Years full of tears…
Got No Time Long time no see, Baby, what's the reason I get the…
Guess I I guess I'll to dream the rest If you can't remember…
Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry The torch I carry is handsome It's worth its heartache in…
He Harry James He's my guy, I don't care what he…
He's 1-A in the Army When I was mustered out I thought without a doubt That I…
He's 1-A in the Army and A-1 in My Heart With a song in my heart, I behold your adorable…
He's My Guy Harry James He's my guy, I don't care what he…
Heartaches Heartaches Heartaches My loving you meant only heartaches Yo…
Here Comes the Night Here comes the night, my cloak of blue, Here comes the…
Here's One When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
Hernando's Hideaway I know a dark secluded place A place where no one…
Home Gee, man, it's great after bein' out late Walkin' my baby…
Honeysuckle Rose Honey, honey, Oh, honey, listen to my plea: Every honeybe…
how deep is the ocean How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
How High The Moon Somewhere there's music How faint the tune Somewhere there…
I It seems to me I've heard that song before It's from…
I Can't Afford to Dream (Dream on, dream on) I can see No matter how near you'll…
I Can't Begin To Tell You I can't begin to tell you How much you mean to…
I Cover the Waterfront I cover the waterfront, I'm watching the sea, Will the one I…
I Cried For You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
I Don All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
I Don't Care Who Knows It Don't you know I care Or don't you care to…
I Don't Want to Walk Without You All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
I Don't Want to Walk Without You Baby All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
I Don’t Want To Walk Without You All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
I Found a New Baby Ev'rybody look at me, Happy fellow you will see, I've got…
I Guess I It seems to me I've heard that song before It's from…
I Guess I Expected Too Much I love you much too much I've known it from the…
I Guess I'll Have to Dream the Rest I guess I'll to dream the rest If you can't remember…
I Had The Craziest Dream In a dream the strangest and the oddest things appear And…
I Heard You Cried Last Night I heard you cried last night and I know why I…
I May Be Wrong I may be wrong but I think you're wonderful I may…
I Only Have Eyes For You Are the stars out tonight I don't know if it's cloudy…
I Remember You This lovely day will lengthen into evening We'll sigh goodby…
I Tipped My Hat I left my hat in Haiti In some forgotten flat in…
I Want a Little Girl I want a little girl to call my own, Just a…
I Want to Be Happy I'm a very ordinary man Trying to work out life's happy…
I Wish I Knew I wish I knew someone like you could love me I…
I'll be seeing you I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places That…
I'll Get By I'll get by As long as I Have you Though there be rain And…
I'll Never Let a Day Pass By I'll never let a day pass by, Without a prayer or…
I'll Remember April This lovely day will lengthen into evening We'll sigh goodby…
I'll Walk Alone I'll walk alone But to tell you the truth, I'll be…
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows I'm always chasing rainbows Watching clouds drifting by My s…
I'm Beginning to See the Light I never cared much for moonlit skies I never wink back…
I'm Confessin' I'm confessin' that I love you, Tell me, do you love…
I'm in Love With Two Sweethearts I knew the time had to come When I'd be held…
I'm in the Market for You I'll have to see my broker, Find out what he…
I'm Satisfied A small Jean Genie snuck off to the city Strung out…
I'ts Been So Long 'Cause it's been so long Since I held you tight When we…
I've Found A New Baby Ev'rybody look at me, Happy fellow you will see, I've got…
I've Heard That Song Before It seems to me I've heard that song before It's from…
If I If I didn't care, would I feel this way If I…
If I had you I could show the world how to smile I could be…
If I Loved You If I loved you, time and again I would try…
If I'm Lucky As I walk down the street Seems everyone I meet Gives me…
Ill Never Let a Day Pass By I'll never let a day pass by, Without a prayer or…
Im Beginning to See the Light I never cared much for moonlit skies I never wink back…
In a Sentimental Mood In A Sentimental Mood I can see the stars come…
in the mood I'm in the mood for love Simply because you're near me. Funn…
Indiana Back home again in Indiana, And it seems that I can…
It We were more than lovers, We were more than sweethearts, I…
It's Been A Long Long Time Never thought that you would be Standing here so close…
It's Been So Long 'Cause it's been so long Since I held you tight When we…
It's Funny to Everybody But Me It's funny how you loved me, then forgot so suddenly, It's…
It's the Last Time Never thought that you would be Standing here so close…
I´ve Heard That Song Before It seems to me I've heard that song before It's from…
I’m Beginning To See The Light I never cared much for moonlit skies I never wink back…
I’ve Found A New Baby Ev'rybody look at me, Happy fellow you will see, I've got…
Jersey Bounce They call it that Jersey bounce A rhythm that really counts …
Juanita He was a handsome young Irish lad She was a…
Jubilee Ask me how do I feel Ask me now that we're…
Just A Gigolo Was in a Paris cafe that first I found him He…
Just for Fun My baby don't care for shows My baby don't care for…
Just Lucky Up in the mornin' out on the job, work like…
Lament for Love My love for you Is deep and endless as the sea Strong…
Laura Laura, is the face in the misty light Footsteps that you…
Lazy River Up a lazy river by the old mill run Lazy, lazy…
Let I'll never let a day pass by, Without a prayer or…
Let Me Up I didn't mean to, Start any scene to Make you sigh Hope t…
Let's Go Home As you listen to the band don't you get a…
Little Bit of Heaven There's a dear old land of leprechauns And wondrous wishing …
Little White Lies The moon was all aglow But heaven was in your eyes The…
Lost in Love Love walked right in and drove the shadows away Love walked…
Love Is A Necessary Thing Love is a many splendored thing It's the April rose that…
Love Is Just Around the Corner Beautiful miracle, pardon my lyrical rhapsody, But can't you…
Love's a Necessary Thing Love is a many splendored thing It's the April rose that…
Lover You went away I let you We broke the ties that bind I…
Lush Life I used to visit all the very gay places Those come-what-may…
Make Love to Me (Ba-boom-boom-boom-boom Ba-boom-boom-boom-boom Ba-boom) (Ba…
Manhattan Summer journeys To Niagara And to other places Aggravate all…
Manhattan Serenade Summer journeys To Niagara And to other places Aggravate …
Maria Elena Maria Elena You're the answer to a prayer Maria Elena Can't …
Maybe Maybe you'll think of me When you are all alone Maybe the…
Mean to Me You're mean to me Why must you be mean to me? Gee,…
Melancholy Mood Melancholy mood forever haunts me Steals upon me in the nigh…
Memphis Blues Folks I've just been down, down to Memphis town, That's whe…
Memphis in June Memphis in June A shady veranda under a Sunday blue sky Memp…
Merry Christmas Baby Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack frost nipping at yo…
Midnight Sun Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice, Warmer than…
and many more tracks by Harry James and His Orchestra.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@dudley5533
This song was heard on the radio so often in 1945.......this is the best version having the performance ot the great Harry James band and vocalist Kitty Kallen.
@hipsterdoofus1026
Sony music,Bear Family or Mosaic: can you please do The Complete Harry James on Columbia?
@YGHF
I feel like Nick waiting for Cap listening to this album. Ha ha
@amauicelticconnectionandot2674
3 comments in 3 years?...this is a sad state of our culture....this song is a portent of the horror of the consumer economy...note the post ww2 timing?..and for only 3 comments in 3 years.
@brianpspruyt8166
Crying Shame.