Ray Noble (December 17, 1903 – April 3, 1978) was a British bandleader, com… Read Full Bio ↴Ray Noble (December 17, 1903 – April 3, 1978) was a British bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day. The most popular vocalist with Noble's studio band was Al Bowlly.

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.

Midnight the Stars and You
Ray Noble and His Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In my imagination, I live the things I like to do
In my imagination, may feeling the drilling through
In my imagination, I pay just seen a vet to see
In my imagination, my hero thinks these words to me

You are my lucky star
I saw you from afar
Two lovely eyes, at me they were gleaming, beaming

I was star-struck

You're all my lucky charms
I'm lucky in your arms
You've opened heaven's portal
Here on earth

For this poor mortal
You are my lucky star

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ray Noble and His Orchestra's song "Midnight, the Stars and You" convey the power of imagination and how it can transport you to a place of comfort and happiness. The writer suggests that through imagination, they can experience the things they love and feel deeply, even if they aren't physically present. The singer's hero, likely someone they admire and look up to, speaks affirming words to them in their imagination.

Line by Line Meaning

In my imagination, I live the things I like to do
My mind is a place where I can create my perfect world

In my imagination, may feeling the drilling through
My emotions are so intense that they feel physical in my dreams

In my imagination, I pay just seen a vet to see
In my mind, I have just visited a veterinarian to care for my imaginary pet

In my imagination, my hero thinks these words to me
My fantasies include a heroic figure who says comforting things to me

You are my lucky star
You are the one who brings me good fortune and happiness

I saw you from afar
I noticed you from a distance and was immediately drawn to you

Two lovely eyes, at me they were gleaming, beaming
Your beautiful eyes shone with joy and happiness when you looked at me

I was star-struck
I was completely overwhelmed and enamored with you

You're all my lucky charms
Everything about you brings me good luck and good fortune

I'm lucky in your arms
Being close to you and in your embrace is a truly fortunate experience for me

You've opened heaven's portal
Being with you feels like I am experiencing pure bliss and happiness

Here on earth
In this mortal world

For this poor mortal
For someone like me who is human and imperfect

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Arthur Freed, Nacio Herb Brown

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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01Midnight, the Stars and You3:27

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Ray Noble and His Orchestra

02An Hour Ago This Minute2:47

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@visayanmissnanny2.076

4y↑72

Lyrics:
Midnight where the stars and you
Midnight and a rendezvous
Your eyes held a message tender
Saying "I surrender all my love to you"
Midnight brought us sweet romance
I know all my whole life through
I'll be remembering you
What ever else I do
Midnight with the stars and you

All comments from YouTube:

@MattKlocke

10w↑21

I am writing this on February 16th, 2024. It is the 90th anniversary of when this song was recorded (February 16th, 1934). Cheers to 90 wonderful years of this masterpiece!

@JosephStalin1941

10w

I am one day late, but I concur!

@fabriciocorrea78

32w↑22

I saw the actor who played Lloyd Mr. Joe Turkel once after a screening of The Shining at the American Cinematheque. What a gracious person and elegant gentleman!!!

@matthewarnold5531

30w↑5

He was the guy who also played Tyrell in Bladerunner

@justingoddard6926

3y↑124

I’m the kind of man who likes to know who’s buying their drinks Lloyd

@daviddavidsonn3578

3y↑26

It's not a matter that concerns you, mr Torrance. At least, not at this point.

@strangerthingshorrorfanbas6977

2y↑20

Anything you say Lloyd, anything you say :)

@dja-train2265

1y↑9

Best goddamned bartender from Timbuktu to Portland, Maine. Or Portland, Oregon for that matter.

@jiminystevens1036

1y↑12

It is not a matter that concerns you.. At least not at the moment Mr. Torrance!

@FightVerse.

1y↑6

Women you can live with them and you can’t live without them

2 More Replies...

@huntrrams

2y↑84

This song made me fell in love with 1930s music especially Al Bowlly.

@shoofly529

2y↑7

According to Wiki, Bowlly died of a parachute bomb dropped on London during the Blitz.

@TheGrape761

1y↑4

Check out Ray noble

@TheCarebaker

2y↑41

As the old saying goes "I'm the type of guy who likes to know
who's buying their drinks, Lloyd."

May the ballroom remain eternal.

@yigit-nh2vn

1y↑6

"It's not a matter which concerns you Mr, Torrance."

@Freeway_Rollercoaster

1y↑4

It's his mother. She, uh, interferes.

@MattKlocke

1y↑3

@@Freeway_Rollercoaster Perhaps she needs a good... Talking to. Perhaps... A bit more.

@Bennifm

23w↑1

"Perhaps they need..correcting; if I may be so bold, Sir."

@jeromewegand4785

45w↑26

I CONSIDER THIS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONG EVER WRITTEN, AND PLAYS ON MY CLOCK RADIO NIGHTLY WHEN BEDDING ! THE VERSION IN "THE SHINING" HAD THE REVERB ADDED TO GIVE IT THE SPECTRAL QUALITY NEEDED FOR THE MOVIE !

@visayanmissnanny2.076

4y↑72

@thomasbrady8056

28w↑1

Small correction - it's:
"I'll be remembering, dear"

@anthonyfrew1571

2y↑15

You Al are the singer in the film, you have always been the singer in 'The Shining' I should know, I have always been here.

@marshallhackett990

4y↑77

Still, great music stands the test of time. My gram was 34 when this tune came out in 1934. I worked for a big band station at a very young 22 years olds in the 1980s and came to love this stuff!

@alanoneill3065

1y↑18

What a beautiful melody...how achingly romantic

@GabaraKldanaya

26w↑4

Best old song , I heard it in " the shining" movie end credits , loved it ........

@cha5

5y↑59

I’ve been hunting for this song for so long, Thank you. 😌

@the78prof72

5y↑10

Glad that you like it.

@davegaba9091

5y↑15

"You need not hunt, sir... This song has always been here. I know, I've always been here..."

@SStupendous

4y↑6

me too, (since 2015) and imagine, all I needed to do was look up 'midnight the stars and you' lol

@crazymelvis5877

3y↑2

@@SStupendous So sad the few words we need to search to find the thing we can never find.

@SStupendous

3y↑3

@@crazymelvis5877 HOLY CRAP. Cannot believe my comment was a year and a half ago already. Time flies. It's almost 100 years since that July 4th 1921 ball.

@shahidawalker4014

1y↑19

When you select memories from a haunted ballroom

@christophererwin5718

1y↑5

When you’re everywhere in the beginning of nowhere

@alanoneill3065

Nice one!
Do you know about these channels?....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JJi-NhExzs

@1mandraws_

1y↑2

@@christophererwin5718 When I'll be remembering you

@guhling

15w↑1

when you are climbing a stairway to the stars

@_-hag

11w

when you'll all go riding on a rainbow

@davidmorey1668

4y↑82

Ahhh! This version less all that horrible reverb. Thanks for posting.

@colinclarke4285

4y↑18

It's a lot clearer...but unfortunately the reverb was needed in the film to give the impression of an echoey ballroom..

@davidmorey1668

4y↑20

@@colinclarke4285 I totally get that. And the added reverb was GREAT in the movie. I'd just always wanted to hear a clean version - and here it is! Thanks 78prof (again!)

@colinclarke4285

4y↑5

@@davidmorey1668 I found as l bowlly by accident on you tube while searching for music from boardwalk empire and it linked me to him

@delete--5563

4y↑2

.🤔😑.

@swinehorde9118

3y↑1

haha Don't listen to the Deerhoof version, then. They really ham it up with the reverb. Of course, they are referencing the Shining's version but BOY does it ever get muddy in the last leg with the organ and the staccato guitar.

1 More Replies...

@maggs131

2y↑16

Its amazing how the times have changed.

@spencersmith2798

1y↑11

One of my favorite recordings of all time.

@phantomcorsair8476

4y↑26

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

@camilo_fb668

3y↑50

"A Man Takes a Drink The Drink Takes a Drink And Then The Drinks Takes a Man"

@Taremioca69

3y↑7

"This is the cure"

@Nergal_Slayer

3y↑9

@@Taremioca69 "The mind is a blackboard, and this is the eraser."

@Danny.777

2y↑3

I feel left out becase i dont understand what are you doing

@simondoesstuff5881

2y↑3

And then a man takes a man and then the man takes the man

@tylerbrey8086

2y↑1

@@Danny.777 They are refering to "Doctor Sleep" a film that is a Sequel of sorts to "The Shining". Both wonderful films.

3 More Replies...

@shawnc.3010

4y↑39

Beautiful recording! An extremely collectable record. I have seldom seen a copy come for sale in decent shape for less than $600 USD.

@xcalabur18

1y↑2

wow!!! seriously? these old records go for that much money?

@QuadMochaMatti

31w↑3

My late grandparents were all born around the turn of the last century, and my maternal grandparents had a number of Edison discs/assorted other 78s that they played on their Victrola. I recall as a teen in the '80s that my late mother told me that a collector had purchased both the full-sized upright Victrola and what they determined to be the choicest records of what they had; this would have probably been in the '70s, though I have no idea as to what was paid for them back then. When my maternal grandparents passed in the late '80s, I was given the remainder of what they still had (roughly a loosely-packed milk crate's worth) - all very worn, but from the late teens/'20s. There's not much that would be highly desirable by anyone else (no coveted jazz recordings, etc.), but they are a tangible connection to my own past, and I've played them on a few occasions recently.

@richarddavis8863

28w↑2

@@QuadMochaMattithat's a beautiful and well written memory, thanks for sharing. I'm curious about these records, can you share any of the titles? I like deep cuts and obscure stuff

@noahboat580

3y↑36

In 2029 this will be public domain. Hopefully people wont abuse the copyright on the song when that happens...

@infinitewednesday6412

what is public domain?

@eomex8379

@@infinitewednesday6412 your mother [haha funny mother joke get trolled on kid]

@vinnycuozzi1278

2y↑1

@@infinitewednesday6412 All copyright restrictions are lifted and you are free to do what you please with the content

@lolpop2118

Don't worry, i don't know what's the worst that can happen

@lolo-be7wr

2y↑3

Sad to say but I've heard that one of the big movie studios might try and renew the copywrite. It was recently used in toys story 4. And in a couple indie films

@soil-desperate226

2y↑19

The intro of the song is quite beautiful, especially the first few seconds.

@alwaysblake148

1y↑15

A masterpiece

@xmemelord9000x

31w↑4

This music was in Toy Story 4. The scene where Gabby Gabby is taking Woody and Forky around in her stroller. Check it out.

@louk6196

Why am I crying? Why does my heart break when I hear this song?

@JudgeMatty

2y↑7

"I'm John Batchelor, this is the John Batchelor show..."

@nellykevbbc

3y↑8

oh what a tremendous artist fantastic repertoire of songs to his name one of the true greats

@chriscjongeneelen2960

2y↑9

Um, interesting note: I’ve also heard this playing in one room in the PlayStation 3 Bioshock series in one of the haunted city of Rapture’s various rooms , but I can’t remember which one, but I know this one was also playing in an room in one of the first two games in that Series faintly but still playing in one room…

@marcoantoniosalazarcampos4112

24w↑1

GEM ALL TIMES ....................... ADDICTIVE !

@lionkingfan

3y↑9

People who were at parties listening to stuff like this were possibly rich people back then

@renatobiscetti9343

10w

La perfezione di Kubrick!

@christophererwin5718

1y↑5

Heard this from eitbon and this sounds quite nice

@animefan0077

2y↑6

All Work and No Play makes Jack a Dull Boy. All Work and No Play makes Jack a Dull Boy

@_djv

1y↑4

I can still see that evil grin.
The Cold Room. 1921

@richardpetrocelli7105

4y↑14

Any Palooka can have a date...But a Rendezvous at Midnight the Stars and You...Now that’s something else...Sign me up Darlin.😉

@mrvossel4491

1y↑5

Thank you.

@malcolmnicoll1165

19w

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…

@jamiebishop504

20w

Back when we brits ran the world and still had our glorious empire! 🇬🇧

@untitledtheunknown3489

11w

Not funny bro

@daviddavidsonn3578

3y↑11

Good evening, Mr. torrance. What'll it be, sir?

@hookshot55

1y↑3

"Good evening, Mr. Torrence."

@did3d523

1y↑5

REDRUM .... REDRUM .... REDRUM .... REDRUM .... REDRUM ....

@Man-sg7yn

49w↑3

Nice

@elforeigner3260

12w

Al Bowlly was the Man
Damned Luftwaffe!
😭😭😭

@malcolmkoharian

42w↑5

i think i will sample this in a non creepy way

@Kirke182

1y↑3

Here's to three miserable years on the wagon and all the irreparable harm it's done me.

@SalemHill

4y↑6

Midnight, the stars and you. Midnight and a Ron-Day-Voo. 😜

@SStupendous

4y↑7

it's "Ronde - Vouz." it's French. You say you will have a Ronde - Vouz when you part with someone, just to be able to meet with them somewhere else.

@SalemHill

4y↑2

StupendousWill has joined the Server ... Merci, mon ami and Happy Gaming!😜

@Shays_Shellac_Shelf

3y↑2

@@SStupendous it’s actually spelled “Rendezvous” but you were pretty close

@Frunobulax_

30w

Boy, what an imagination! 🎃🐈‍⬛

@Malaparte593

11w

is this music song in Netflix Outsider yakuza... i try to find the same soud as in movie.... so impressive

@garymazzeo3490

3y↑13

A really nice song but if it weren't for the 1980 film "The Shining " it would of been forgotten.

@eustace8520

2y↑4

And it also wouldn't have skyrocketed the value of this record too!

@niek024

36w↑2

This a good reason to have good films.

@Oldtimemusiclover

3y↑5

would this 78 be for sale by chance :) !!!

@the78prof72

3y↑3

No, sorry.

@thEannoyingE

@@the78prof72 you own it?

@hobbygamer6220

1y↑2

Re all your records and evryone elsesi always 1 2 know wut is on side 2 ?

@SpookShow-dp3yf

12w

Hello, Last Podcast fans ♥️

@lrfcarreviews2570

1y↑5

Does Al Bowlly count as meme music?

@guhling

15w

no its al bowlly

@musicglobal5908

4y↑13

wendy. im home

@lucianoosorio5942

1y↑4

Rip Al Bowlly. He was killed in a nazis air raid by a luffwaffe parachute mine.

@MMMutatedRabbit

11w

Danny isn’t here Mrs. Torrence☝️

@jocozaraspe2889

33w

Smiles family (Last known) 2013

@guhling

15w

Not quite, getting there!

@makimakipapura7543

2y↑3

This is the US version, isn't the UK version superior?

@the78prof72

2y↑5

Same version....just also issued in the U.S. by Victor, as were many of Noble's recordings.

@makimakipapura7543

@@the78prof72 I mean, was it recorded on magnetic tape? And by that, did they use the same tape as the UK version? Or how does that work?

@the78prof72

2y↑6

That I don't know. According to my database, the audio for this particular post came from an unidentified CD, as I don't own an actual copy of the 78 from either country.