Following in the footsteps of Jean-Pierre Rampal, he became one of the first flute players to establish an international career as a soloist.
Galway went to London as a teenager to study the flute.
He studied at the Royal College of Music under John Francis and then at the Guildhall School of Music under Geoffrey Gilbert.
He then studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Gaston Crunelle and Jean-Pierre Rampal and also privately with Marcel Moyse.
After his education time he spent fifteen years as an orchestral player.
Sir James Galway played with the Philharmonia Orchestra as it rose to prominence in the 1950s.
He auditioned for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Herbert von Karajan, and was principal flute of that orchestra from 1969 to 1975.
To Karajan's surprise and dismay, after a period of some disagreement, "Jimmy" Galway decided that he would leave to pursue a solo career, which he succeeded in doing admirably.
He still performs regularly and is one of the world's leading classical flute players.
He is Principal Guest Conductor of the London Mozart Players, based at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, South London.
And most recently, he performed for the Academy Award-winning ensemble recording the soundtracks of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
He now resides in Meggen, Switzerland, with his U.S.-born wife, Jeanne, also flute player. They often tour together playing duets, accompanied by Phillip Moll on piano.
Isn't She Lovely
James Galway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Isn't she wonderful
Isn't she precious
Less than one minute old
I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn't she lovely made from love
Isn't she pretty
Boy, I'm so happy
We have been heaven blessed
I can't believe what God has done
Through us he's given life to one
But isn't she lovely made from love
Isn't she lovely
Life and love are the same
Life is Aisha
The meaning of her name
Londie, it could have not been done
Without you who conceived the one
That's so very lovely made from love
The song "Isn't She Lovely" is a tribute to Stevie Wonder's newborn daughter, Aisha Morris, born in 1975. It captures the feelings of awe, wonder, and pure joy that come with the arrival of a new baby. The opening lines of the song express the amazement of the father, who looks at his newborn daughter and realizes how beautiful, wonderful, and precious she is, even though she is less than one minute old.
The song goes on to celebrate the miracle of life and how love can create something so wondrous and perfect. The father expresses his happiness and gratitude for being blessed with a child, and acknowledges that it is a gift from God. He also gives credit to his partner, Londie, for conceiving and bringing their daughter into the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Isn't she lovely
The subject of discussion is really beautiful
Isn't she wonderful
The subject of discussion is beyond doubt amazing
Isn't she precious
The subject of discussion is extremely valuable
Less than one minute old
The subject of discussion is very young, just born
I never thought through love we'd be
I never expected that our love could lead to such beauty
Making one as lovely as she
Our love resulted in such a beautiful offspring
But isn't she lovely made from love
The beauty of the subject is a result of the love that created her
Isn't she pretty
The subject of discussion is really attractive
Truly the angel's best
The subject of discussion is like an angel in beauty
Boy, I'm so happy
I am extremely content and satisfied
We have been heaven blessed
We feel very fortunate to be blessed by God
I can't believe what God has done
I am in awe of what God has created through us
Through us he's given life to one
God has given us the incredible opportunity to bring forth new life
But isn't she lovely made from love
The beauty of the subject is a result of the love that created her
Isn't she lovely
The subject of discussion is really beautiful
Life and love are the same
Both life and love are closely related
Life is Aisha
Life is named Aisha
The meaning of her name
The significance of her name
Londie, it could have not been done
Without Londie, this would not have been possible
Without you who conceived the one
Without you, the person being discussed would not exist
That's so very lovely made from love
The beauty of the subject is a result of the love that created her
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: Stevie Wonder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind