Noble played the piano but seldom did so with his orchestra. In a movie short from the 1940s featuring Ray Noble and Buddy Clark (one of his most popular band singers), Ray Noble is asked by the announcer to play one of his most popular hits. He sits down at the piano and plays "Goodnight Sweetheart" ("Goodnight sweetheart, 'til we meet tomorrow. Goodnight sweetheart, parting is such sorrow"). This is the song that once seemed to be played at the end of every high school and college prom, the end of every party featuring live music, and the last song played by a dance band to signal the end of the evening.
Although Noble was no singer, he did appear twice as an upper crust Englishmen on two of his more popular New York records, 1935's Top Hat and 1937's Slumming on Park Avenue.
Noble and Bowlly's 1934 recording of "Midnight, the Stars and You" was prominently featured on the soundtrack of Stanley Kubrick's film The Shining in 1980.
And the Angels Sing
Ray Noble and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The angels sing the sweetest song I ever heard
You speak, and the angels sing
Or am I breathing music into every word
Suddenly, the setting is strange
I can see water and moonlight beaming
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
Through it all your face that I adore
You smile, and the angels sing
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
We kiss, and the angels sing
And leave their music ringing in my heart
The lyrics to Ray Noble and His Orchestra's song And The Angels Sing describe the feeling of meeting someone special and experiencing a magical connection with them. The writer describes how the presence of this person makes them feel like they are surrounded by angels singing the sweetest song they have ever heard. The writer is entranced by the sound of the other person's voice, wondering if they are breathing music into every word they speak.
The scene suddenly shifts to a strange setting where the writer imagines water and moonlight beaming and silver waves breaking on an undiscovered shore. But then, just as suddenly, the scene changes again to a cozy winter night with candles gleaming and the face of the person they adore. The writer is happy just to see the object of their affection smile, and when they kiss, it's as though the angels are singing and leaving their music ringing in their heart.
Overall, the lyrics convey the feeling of falling in love and being swept away by the magical feeling of being with someone who makes your heart sing.
Line by Line Meaning
We meet, and the angels sing
Our meeting is so magical that even the angels in heaven are singing a sweet song of joy
You speak, and the angels sing
Your words sound like music to my ears, almost as if the angels themselves are singing along with you
Or am I breathing music into every word
I am so enamored with you that I could be imagining your words as a beautiful melody
Suddenly, the setting is strange
My surroundings have changed, and I am transported to an unknown place
I can see water and moonlight beaming
I am surrounded by a picturesque scene of shimmering water reflecting the light of the moon
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore
I see waves crashing onto a beach that I have never laid eyes on before
Then suddenly, I see it all change
Just as quickly as the scenery appeared, it disappears before my eyes
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
I am now reminiscing about long, cold nights spent in the solemn glow of candlelight
Through it all your face that I adore
Amidst all of these visions, the one constant is the image of your beloved face that I treasure
You smile, and the angels sing
Your smile is so radiant that even the angels can't help but sing in response
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
Our kiss begins softly, but it is enough to set the angels singing once again
We kiss, and the angels sing
Our love is so powerful that it even inspires the angels to sing with joy and happiness
And leave their music ringing in my heart
The melody of the angel's song echoes within me, a reminder of our love and the magic we share
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ziggy Elman, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@justblank5132
We meet and the angels sing
The angels sing the sweetest song I ever heard
We speak and the angels sing
Or am I reading music into every word
Suddenly the setting is strange
I can see water and moonlight beaming
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore
Then suddenly I see it all change
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
Through it all, your face that I adore
You smile and the angels sing
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
We kiss and the angels sing
And leave there music ringing in my heart
You smile and the angels sing
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
We kiss and the angels sing
And leave there music ringing in my heart
@MarkBlackburnWPG
For those (like Sinatra) who care to ask and remember "who arranged that?" The answer: “Glenn Osser” – not well known when he died 5 years ago, age 99. But good enough to have a respectable Wiki entry which says in part:
---
Abraham "Glenn" Osser (August 28, 1914 – April 29, 2014) was an American musician, musical arranger, orchestra leader, and songwriter . . . born in Munising, Michigan, the child of Russian-Jewish immigrants.
He studied piano, violin, saxophone and clarinet in high school and went on to study music at the University of Michigan, beginning in music education and switching to music theory. After graduating in 1935 he worked with a college dance band and, on advice from the band leader, moved to New York City [where he] began arranging [and] got to work with Benny Goodman on his radio program, and (although he was not officially credited) wrote the arrangement of Martha Tilton's recording of "And the Angels Sing" with the Goodman orchestra.
During World War II Osser served in the U.S. Maritime Service, stationed on Hoffman Island in New York harbor. After his discharge in 1944 he began to arrange for the Paul Whiteman orchestra. (According to one source,[2] it was Whiteman who, disliking the name "Abe Osser," suggested the name "Glenn."
Osser became an arranger/conductor, first for Mercury Records, where he backed such vocalists as Patti Page, Vic Damone, and Georgia Gibbs, and later for Columbia Records, where he backed Doris Day, Jerry Vale, Johnny Mathis and Jill Corey, among others.
How good were his arrangements for Johnny Mathis? Try this Richard Rodgers classic. Only Gordon Jenkins' arrangement for Frank's "September of My Years" album is comparably beautiful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3a540lJ62M
@kennethpack1963
I was about 12 the first time I heard this, fell in love with Miss Tilton, and the music of Benny Goodman, still hooked....
@marthaslawek2405
My dad named me after his favorite singer, Martha Tilton. I was born in 1945. When I reached my teens I thought Martha was too old fashioned and insisted I be called Martie. Now I go by both...my dad's relatives (those still living) still call me Martha. A bit old fashioned but still a good name. She is a wonderful singer. I am not, sadly, but my son has a beautiful tenor voice.
@uyyvchhedbpeterzervakos6916
20lb qqq
@billaurilio5627
Woke up this morning and this song just went through my head I'm 91 yes old go figure!
@stephensanfilippo1845
Martha Tilton - lovely voice - perfect phrasing - a true delight.
@robertlamb9416
As a schoolboy in wartime Liverpool I first heard this on AFN " March of Dimes ". Ziggy 's trumpet really hooked me and almost certainly got me into jazz from an early age. Hitler never stood a chance.
That solo still sends a shiver....and the angels sang indeed....never bettered
@BrickPa
Keep listening to this genre of music! I'm a "Boomer" and grew up on it since my parents were fans of "Big Band Swing". But I'm convinced now that the music of Goodman, Miller, James Dorseys is what kept Allies on the move. The beat just keeps moving you forward! Stay Healthy!
@AngusTCat
Me too. I grew up listening to my parents' big band records. I used to love listening to AFN when I was living in Germany especially their big band hour every Sunday morning.
@justblank5132
We meet and the angels sing
The angels sing the sweetest song I ever heard
We speak and the angels sing
Or am I reading music into every word
Suddenly the setting is strange
I can see water and moonlight beaming
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore
Then suddenly I see it all change
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
Through it all, your face that I adore
You smile and the angels sing
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
We kiss and the angels sing
And leave there music ringing in my heart
You smile and the angels sing
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
We kiss and the angels sing
And leave there music ringing in my heart
@fazbell
Ziggy Elman absolutely KILLS the middle of this song. An amazing artist.