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.
Willow
Harry James and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Surround you with my long limbs
My dear, let me grow in the shade
In the sands by the bank of your river
Let I drink from your streams
The cool breeze fill my leaves
We will sing together
And I'll be by your side forever
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
Sweet river caress how softly
Stir my searching roots
Shading the sun in the summers heat
Let I cool you
We have been dancing so long
In the winters freeze and the summers drought
We survive
We belong
Let us sing together
Water over the pebbles
And I'll be by your side forever
I wish I was your weeping willow tree
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
Let us sing together
Water over the pebbles
And I'll be by your side forever
Let us sing together
Water over the pebbles
And I'll be by your side forever
We can sing together
Water over the pebbles
And I'll be by your side forever
Let me be
Your willow tree
Your willow tree
The song "Willow" by Harry James and His Orchestra is a love song that uses the imagery of a weeping willow tree to convey the desire to be a shelter and source of comfort for the beloved. The lyrics describe wanting to grow alongside the riverbank and quenching one's thirst from the river. The singer wishes to provide shade and coolness to the beloved, shielding them from the heat of the summer sun. The repeated refrain of "I wish I was a weeping willow tree" emphasizes the desire to be a stable presence for the beloved, enduring through both the harshness of winter and the dryness of summer. The final lines express the longing to be the beloved's willow tree, offering protection and support.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me be your weeping willow tree
I want to be like a willow tree and offer you comfort and protection.
Surround you with my long limbs
I will wrap my branches around you and keep you safe.
My dear, let me grow in the shade
Please let me be near you, where I can provide you shelter, support and love.
In the sands by the bank of your river
I want to be near you, sharing all your joys and sorrows, like a tree planted by the waterside.
Let I drink from your streams
I need you to nourish me like the water that feeds my roots.
The cool breeze fill my leaves
I am happy and content when I am with you. Your presence is like a gentle breeze that soothes me.
We will sing together
Our relationship is a beautiful melody that we will sing together.
Water over the pebbles
Nature's music is a wonderful backdrop to our love story, like the sound of water flowing over pebbles.
And I'll be by your side forever
I will always be there for you, through thick and thin, good times and bad.
I wish I was a weeping willow tree
I can't express how much I want to be there for you, like a beautiful willow tree.
Sweet river caress how softly
The river represents the gentle touch of love that I want to offer you.
Stir my searching roots
Your love for me is deeply rooted and inspires me to grow and reach new heights.
Shading the sun in the summers heat
Just as the willow tree provides shade on a hot summer day, I want to be your source of comfort and protection.
Let I cool you
I want to provide you with the cooling and refreshing feeling you need to get through even the hottest of days.
We have been dancing so long
Our love story is like a beautiful dance that we have been performing together for a long time.
In the winters freeze and the summers drought
Our love is strong enough to weather any storm, even the harshest winter or the driest summer.
We survive
Through all the ups and downs, we have survived together and grown even stronger as a result.
We belong
Our love is meant to be and we truly belong together.
Let me be your willow tree
I want to be your haven, shelter and support, like a willow tree that stands by your side.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: THOMAS 'FATS' WALLER, ANDY RAZAF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind