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.
In The Mood
Harry James and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Simply because you're near me.
Funny, but when you're near me
I'm in the mood for love.
Heaven is in your eyes
Bright as the stars we're under
Oh! Is it any wonder
Why stop to think of whether
This little dream might fade?
We've put our hearts together
Now we are one, I'm not afraid!
If there's a cloud above
If it should rain we'll let it
But for tonight, forget it!
I'm in the mood for love
The Love I Long For by Harry James and His Orchestra is a song about being in love and feeling euphoric simply because the person you love is near you. The first stanza sets the tone for the song, stating that the singer is in the mood for love because his loved one is nearby. He feels amazing, euphoric, and almost high with happiness because of his lover's presence. It’s like he is under a spell.
Moving on to the next section, the singer describes the physical beauty of his lover's eyes, the brightness of the stars in the sky. Both his lover's eyes and the sky represent that everything around them is serene and perfect, just as the way love should be. The singer is in complete awe, trying to make sense of how he’s feeling. However, he doesn't dwell on the confusion for long because he knows that being with this person is what makes him feel alive.
The last stanza suggests that the singer isn’t worried about any bumps on the road in their relationship. Even if there is a cloud above or it’s raining outside, it will not affect how he feels. He suggests forgetting everything for one night and just indulging in the love he has. The song emphasizes the way the euphoric feeling of being in love makes everything else seem insignificant.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in the mood for love
I'm feeling particularly romantic and affectionate right now
Simply because you're near me
It's because of your close proximity to me that I'm experiencing these feelings
Funny, but when you're near me
It may seem strange, but every time you're close by, these emotions come over me
Heaven is in your eyes
There's something ethereal and captivating about the way you gaze at me
Bright as the stars we're under
Your eyes sparkle like the stars above us
Oh! Is it any wonder
It's no surprise that I'm feeling so enamored with you
Why stop to think of whether
There's no need to worry or contemplate whether or not this feeling will last
This little dream might fade?
This brief moment of heightened emotion may fade, but it's worth experiencing nonetheless
We've put our hearts together
We've opened ourselves up and allowed our feelings to intertwine
Now we are one, I'm not afraid!
We're united in this moment, and I'm not intimidated by the intensity of our feelings
If there's a cloud above
Even if there's something weighing on our minds or a bad omen lurking, it won't dull our passion
If it should rain we'll let it
If there's a metaphorical raincloud we're dealing with, we'll take it in stride
But for tonight, forget it!
For now, let's put that out of our minds and enjoy this moment of love and happiness
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy Mchugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brewsk Litovsk
I always loved this one. Harry proved once again that he could play everything, even free-fusion. Fabulous!
rfvee
This has always been my favorite rendition of this old evergreen. Had no idea it was a Thad Jones chart, though.
Larry Gilbo
Truly amazing! Thanks Chuck Larry
Rich Thompson
I wish this would have been in the Glenn Miller book when I toured w/the band in 1985. Great Thad Jones arrangement of a Miller Classic.
Nude Dado
Simply fantastic! Fine post Chuck