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.
Who Told You I Cared?
Harry James and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who told you my secret?
A secret I've held in the depth of my heart now for years
Who told you I cared?
Who saw us together?
We met in a dream, in a dream where your vision appeared
We keep meeting every night
And your kisses make me feel that my dreams are, oh, so real
Who told you I cared?
Who broke the enchantment?
I ask you to tell me who dared, who told you I care?
The song "Who Told You I Cared?" by Harry James & His Orchestra Feat. Frank Sinatra is a song about a secret love affair that is being exposed. The song opens with the singer wondering who told their secret, a love that has been kept hidden in the depths of their heart for years. The singer then goes on to ask who saw them together, suggesting that they have been meeting in secret. They then reveal that they have been meeting in dreams and that the other person's vision has appeared to them.
The singer acknowledges that what they are doing is not right, but they cannot help but be drawn back to this person every night. The kisses and the fantasies they share make their dreams feel real. The singer then goes back to wondering who told this secret and broke the enchantment they had created. They ask the person who dared to tell their secret and expose their feelings.
The lyrics of the song are melancholic and capture the sense of yearning and longing that the singer feels for this person. The song was originally released in 1940 and became a hit for Harry James and his orchestra. The song has since been covered by various artists and remains a popular jazz standard.
Line by Line Meaning
Who told you I cared?
Who revealed my hidden emotions for you?
Who told you my secret?
Who disclosed the confidential truth that I've been keeping to myself?
A secret I've held in the depth of my heart now for years
I've had this feeling for a long time and it's been buried deep within me.
Who saw us together?
Who witnessed us being together?
We met in a dream, in a dream where your vision appeared
We first met each other in my dreams where I saw you.
Though I know it isn't right
Even though I'm aware that it's not appropriate or accepted.
We keep meeting every night
We continue to see each other every night.
And your kisses make me feel that my dreams are, oh, so real
Your kisses feel so genuine and they make me believe that what I dream of is real and achievable.
Who broke the enchantment?
Who destroyed the magic that surrounded us?
I ask you to tell me who dared, who told you I care?
Can you tell me who had the nerve to reveal my feelings and emotions for you?
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BERT REISFELD, GEORGE WHITING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind