Roy Fox was raised in Hollywood, California. He began playing cornet when he was eleven years old, and by age 13 was performing in the Los Angeles Examiner's newsboys' band. Soon after he played bugle for a studio owned by Cecil B. DeMille. His first major association came at the age of 16, when he joined Abe Lyman's orchestra at the Sunset Inn in Santa Monica, where he played alongside Miff Mole, Gussie Miller, Henry Halstead, and Gus Arnheim. He developed a soft style of playing there which earned him the nickname "The Whispering Cornetist".
In 1920 he put together his own band, with whom he recorded in 1925. That same year he also scored a gig on radio broadcasting with Art Hickman's orchestra; this ensemble toured the U.S., then did an extended residency in Florida. After some time in New York City, Fox and Arnheim reconvened in Hollywood, working at the Ambassador Hotel, and Fox continued to broadcast with his own bands. During this time he also did a number of film soundtracks.
In 1930 Fox was invited to perform in London, which he first did on September 29, 1930. He recorded on the BBC that year, and when his band returned to the U.S. the following spring, Fox remained behind, recording with a new group for Decca Records and accepting an engagement at the Monseigneur restaurant in Piccadilly.
He lost this contract in November 1931 when he fell ill with pleurisy and traveled to Switzerland for a stay at a sanatorium. Upon his return he put together yet another group composed entirely of new members aside from trumpeter/vocalist Sid Buckman, and performed in Belgium as well as the UK. Art Christmas played a variety of instruments in this band. He made the films On the Air and Big Ben Calling in 1933-34, recorded for HMV in 1936, and toured Europe until 1938, when he fell ill again.
Fox moved to Australia, where he led the Jay Whidden Orchestra and visited the U.S. for a few tours with small groups. He led a band in England in 1946-47, with appearances at the Isle of Man and London's Potomac Club. He went into semi-retirement after 1952, when he opened his own booking agency.
Guilty
Roy Fox and His Band Lyrics
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And think that we should part
It seems as though I have loved you so long
You'll always be in my heart
Is it a sin
Is it a crime
Loving you dear like I do
Guilty of loving you
Maybe I'm wrong dreaming of you
Dreaming the lonely night through
If it's a crime then I'm guilty
Guilty of dreaming of you
What can I do
What can I say
After I've taken the blame?
You say we're through
You'll go your way
But I'll always feel just the same
Maybe I'm right
Maybe I'm wrong
Loving you dear like I do
If it's a crime then I'm guilty
Guilty of loving you
These lyrics from Roy Fox and His Band’s “Guilty” speak to a person who is so deeply in love with someone else, despite the fact that their love is categorized as wrong and unacceptable in the eyes of society. The singer admits that their love is unconventional and that their partner has decided that they should go their separate ways, but the singer’s love for their partner is so strong that they cannot help but still feel deeply connected to them. The singer questions whether their love is a sin or a crime, and while they acknowledge that their love may be perceived as such, they cannot help the way they feel. The chorus admits that if loving their partner is a crime, then they are guilty of loving them.
Throughout the song, the singer struggles with their love for their partner, questioning whether they are right or wrong for loving someone society deems as unacceptable. The lyrics paint a picture of deep uncertainty and confusion, as the singer grapples with the consequences of their love. Yet despite this, they still feel a strong connection to their partner and cannot help but love them. The song portrays the complexity of forbidden love and the human emotions that come with such a situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Though you've decided that our love is wrong
Despite your decision that our love is not acceptable
And think that we should part
And believe that we should end our relationship
It seems as though I have loved you so long
It appears that I have had great affection for you for a very long time
You'll always be in my heart
You will forever hold a special place in my heart
Is it a sin
Is it morally wrong
Is it a crime
Is it a violation of the law
Loving you dear like I do
Having such strong feelings of love towards you
If it's a crime then I'm guilty
If this love is unlawful, then I accept responsibility for breaking the law
Guilty of loving you
I confess to having deep love for you
Maybe I'm wrong dreaming of you
Perhaps it is inappropriate for me to have fantasies about you
Dreaming the lonely night through
Fantasizing about you during my long and solitary nights
Guilty of dreaming of you
I admit to daydreaming about you excessively
What can I do
What actions can I take
What can I say
What can I verbalize
After I've taken the blame?
After confessing to being at fault
You say we're through
You declare that our relationship has ended
You'll go your way
You will move on with your life
But I'll always feel just the same
However, I will continue to harbor the same feelings for you
Maybe I'm right
Perhaps my actions are justified
Maybe I'm wrong
Or perhaps they are inappropriate
If it's a crime then I'm guilty
If my love for you is illegal, then I am culpable
Guilty of loving you
I admit to having intense love for you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GUS KAHN, HARRY AKST, RICHARD A. WHITING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind