Columbo was born in Camden, New Jersey, United States the twelfth child of Italian immigrant parents. He started playing the violin while still very young, and debuted professionally at the age of 13. He left high school at 17 to travel with various bands around the country. He sang and played violin in numerous nightclubs.
By 1928, at the age of 20, Columbo began to participate in motion pictures. In several of his early films, his voice and violin were overdubbed to create the illusion that various popular entertainers were musical. Eventually, he did obtain some feature work in front of the camera, but he slowed down his activities in cinema to pursue other interests.
Columbo tried to run a nightclub for a while, but the venture was unsuccessful. In 1931, he traveled to New York with his manager, songwriter Con Conrad. Conrad secured a late-night radio slot with NBC. This led to numerous engagements, a recording contract with RCA Victor records, and tremendous popularity with legions of mostly female fans. The type of singing that was popularized by the likes of Columbo, Rudy Vallee, and Bing Crosby is called crooning. Columbo disliked the label, but it caught on with the general public. It gained popular credence, despite its initial use as a term of derision for the singers employing their low, soothing voices in romantic songs.
On September 2, 1934, Columbo was shot under peculiar circumstances by his longtime friend, photographer Lansing Brown. Columbo was visiting him at the studio one day. In lighting a cigarette, Brown lit the match by striking it against the wooden stock of an antique French dueling pistol. The flame set off a long-forgotten charge in the gun, and a lead pistol ball was fired. The pistol ball ricocheted off a nearby table and hit Columbo in the left eye, killing him almost instantly. Columbo's death was ruled an accident, and Brown exonerated from blame.
His mother was never told of his death. Family and friends made her believe that her son was on a world tour by sending postcards addressed from Russ. She lived the remaining 10 years of her life thinking he was still alive.
Russ Columbo is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
(www.en.wikipedia.org)
Guilty
Russ Columbo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
Russ Columbo's song Guilty is a romantic song that tells the story of a person who is deeply in love with someone who has decided to end the relationship. The lyrics express how the person is struggling to come to terms with the end of the relationship, and how they will always have feelings for the other person even if they have to accept the blame for the end of the relationship.
The first verse of the song speaks of the person's love being viewed as wrong, and the need for the two to part, but despite this, the person's love remains strong, and speaks out that the love from the heart will remain forever. The chorus then questions whether loving someone could be considered a crime or sin, and if it is guilty of the said crime, then the person admits to being guilty of loving the other person. The second verse talks about the person's dream to be with the other person but struggles with the possibility of it being wrong. The following lines echo the chorus where they accept the blame and declare it's better to be guilty of loving the person than living their life without them.
The song's theme is that of unrequited love, and expresses the deep feeling of an individual who has had to come to terms with the end of a relationship. The lyrics are simple but powerful, and the melody is engaging, making it a popular tune. Columbo's soothing voice adds to the song's charm and makes it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Though you've decided that our love is wrong
You have decided that our love is not morally right.
And think that we should part
You believe it is best if we separate.
It seems as though I have loved you so long
I have loved you for such a long time that it feels like it has always been this way.
You'll always be in my heart
I will always have feelings for you in my heart.
Is it a sin
Is it considered a sin in the eyes of God or society?
Is it a crime
Is it illegal to love someone in this way?
Loving you dear like I do
I love you so intensely.
If it's a crime then I'm guilty
If loving you is against the law, then consider me guilty.
Maybe I'm wrong dreaming of you
Perhaps I should not be dreaming of you.
Dreaming the lonely night through
I spend my nights dreaming of you in loneliness.
Guilty of dreaming of you
I am guilty of fantasizing about you.
What can I do
What action can I take?
What can I say
What words can I use to express my feelings?
After I've taken the blame?
After taking the responsibility for the situation, what then?
You say we're through
You have declared that we are finished.
You'll go your way
You are leaving me behind.
But I'll always feel just the same
My love for you will remain unchanged despite our separation.
Maybe I'm right
Perhaps I am correct in my feelings for you.
Maybe I'm wrong
Perhaps my love for you is not right.
If it's a crime then I'm guilty
If loving you is against the law, then consider me guilty.
Guilty of loving you
I am guilty of having intense feelings of love for you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Harry Akst, Gus Kahn, Richard A. Whiting
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheNancy1938
Russ Columbo’s voice touches me so deeply I can’t explain, I have loved him most of my life, I am now 80😍
@james1565
He is such a good singer, very much so!
@LeanUmbers
Excellent copy! This recording was made on September 3, 1931. Russ was only 23 at the time. HIs voice shows an uncommon maturity. Is it any wonder why he was such an inspiration to so many popular vocalists who came after him.
@maynardcat
@LeanUmbers Hi Thanks for the information, and I agree Russ Columbo is an outstanding singer, and the best I have ever heard. I have never heard another male singer that can carry the melody with such perfection, warmth and depth. He was truly one of a kind. If I locate any more of his records I will be sure and upload them with the best sound quality I can for others to enjoy.
@calvertsch
Fascinating info on Russ' death. I understand his style of singing is referred to as "crooning," an expression he did not like very well. Lovely tune. Of course later male singers imitated Russ' style. That is the highest form of praise I would imagine.
@janettewalker3991
Wonderful recording. Much appreciated.
@pax41
Very nice recording, thank you for sharing.
@maynardcat
@Adoria01 Russ is a one of a kind singer, and he really does stand out with his amazing voice.
@eustace8520
The beginning really captures you! Russ Columbo at his peak here... The man's career could've been much bigger if he didn't die so early.
@RobinHood5045
He sounds like a great singer. Bing Crosby must surely have been influenced by Russ Columbo.