Will Bradley will always be remembered most for his boogie-woogie orchestra of the early 1940s. Bradley himself, however, preferred to play ballads and had a long and successful career as a trombonist outside of his band. Bradley was a busy studio musician throughout the 1930s, working with such artists as Red Nichols, Eddie Cantor, Victor Young. Jacques Renard, Nat Shilkret, Andre Kostelanetz, Raymond Paige, Kate Smith, and Al Jolson. In 1935 Glenn Miller, who thought Bradley the best trombonist in the business, hired him to play in Ray Noble's American band, which Miller was organizing. He left Noble the following year, however, and returned to studio work. Bradley also played with Milt Shaw's orchestra in 1931, where he met drummer Ray McKinley.
Bradley's name was unknown to the general public when in 1939 William Morris talent agent Willard Alexander suggested he form a swing orchestra. Trombone-playing leaders, such as Miller and Tommy Dorsey, were currently popular, and Alexander felt Bradley would do well on his own. Drummers were also the rage, and Alexander teamed Bradley with old bandmate McKinley, who was then with Jimmy Dorsey. Backed by a powerful publicity campaign the duo's orchestra debuted in 1939 under Bradley's name and soon had its first big hit in ''Celery Stalks.''
The band initially featured pianist Freddie Slack and a young Peanuts Hucko on tenor sax. Trumpeters Lee Castle and Pete Candoli later played with the group. Arrangements were provided by Hugo Winterhalter, Leonard Whitney, and Al Datz. McKinley sang on the more swinging numbers. Other vocalists included Carlotta Dale, Phyllis Miles, Louise Tobin, Larry Southern, and Jimmy Valentine. The group's first recordings were on the Vocalion and Okeh labels. Subsequent releases were on Columbia.
In 1940 Bradley and McKinley began to feature the boogie woogie sound in their arrangements. Initial success with the song ''Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar'' sparked a slew of similar recordings, such as ''Bounce Me Brother, with a Solid Four'' and ''Scrub Me Mama, with a Boogie Beat.'' The new style proved popular with the public, and the band quickly developed a niche following. By early 1942, however, Bradley had tired of boogie-woogie and wanted to focus more on ballads. McKinley disagreed and left to form his own band.
Bradley set about reforming his orchestra but was forced to hang up his baton after only six months due to the war. He lost too many musicians in the draft and was unable to replace them. The new orchestra did not enter the studio. Vocalists were Terry Allen and Lynn Gardner
Bradley continued to record under his own name during the war, using studio musicians, on the Signature label. Ironically, considering the cause of his orchestra's break-up, in 1944 he released material on the Beacon/Celebrity label as Will Bradley and His Boogie Woogie Boys. In 1947 he also recorded with vocalist Anita O'Day on Signature, and in the 1950s he released three albums, which included one RCA collection of boogie woogie songs.
Bradley worked often as a studio musician after the war and spent many years in the Tonight Show orchestra in the Johnny Carson era. In 1953 he had a brief spell with the Sauter-Finegan Band and also composed several classical works in his later years.
High On A Windy Hill
Will Bradley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel my heart stand still
All I can hear you calling my name
Into a misty blue
I go in search of you
There in the shadows calling your name
Why are you just beyond me
When will I see your face
And leave me this lonely space
Oh, into eternity your love will beckon me
I can't forget your voice that calls my name
Into eternity your love will beckon me
I can't forget your voice that calls my name
The lyrics to Will Bradley's song High on a Windy Hill evoke a sense of longing and yearning for a love that is just out of reach. The singer describes standing on a hill, feeling their heart stand still and hearing their beloved calling their name, yet unable to see or reach them. The imagery of a misty blue landscape and shadows further emphasizes the sense of mystery and unattainability surrounding this love. The singer questions why this love is just beyond their reach and why they are left in a lonely space. However, despite the distance, the singer insists that their love will continue to beckon them into eternity, and they cannot forget the voice that calls their name.
This song is a classic example of a love ballad, where the emotions of the singer are laid bare for all to hear. The use of nature imagery, such as the misty blue landscape and the windy hill, adds to the atmosphere of the song and creates a sense of wistfulness and yearning. The repetition of the phrase "calling my name" emphasizes the importance of the connection between the singer and their beloved, even if they are physically distant from each other.
Line by Line Meaning
High on a windy hill
I am on top of a breezy hill
I feel my heart stand still
My heart stops beating momentarily
All I can hear you calling my name
I hear you saying my name repeatedly
Into a misty blue
I am going towards a hazy blue
I go in search of you
I search for you
There in the shadows calling your name
You are in the dark and still calling for me
Why are you just beyond me
I wonder why you are always a little out of my reach
When will I see your face
I am uncertain as to when I will be able to see you again
Why do you just elude me
I can't seem to catch you or understand where you are
And leave me this lonely space
You have left me feeling lonely and sad
Oh, into eternity your love will beckon me
Even if forever, your love will keep calling me
I can't forget your voice that calls my name
Your voice that says my name is stuck in my memory
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALEX C. KRAMER, JOAN WHITNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind