Bradley was born Wilbur Schwitchenberg on July 12, 1912 in Newton, New Jers… Read Full Bio ↴Bradley was born Wilbur Schwitchenberg on July 12, 1912 in Newton, New Jersey and died on July 15, 1989.

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.

Pinocchio: When You Wish Upon A Star
Will Bradley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When a star is born
They possess a gift or two
One of them is this
They have the power to make a wish come true

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Fate is kind

She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Fate is kind

She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through

When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "When You Wish Upon A Star" by Will Bradley capture the magical and hopeful essence of the song. The song reminds us that when a star is born, it possesses the ability to grant wishes. This magical power is not limited to any specific person; it makes no difference who you are, anyone has the potential to have their heart's desires fulfilled.

The lyrics suggest that if one's heart is truly invested in a dream, then no request is too extreme. The song encourages us to believe in the power of our dreams and to have faith that they can become a reality. There is an element of fate and destiny, as it is portrayed as being kind and stepping in to see one through when they wish upon a star.

The words further emphasize that when you wish upon a star, your dreams can come true. The fulfillment of one's secret longings is compared to a sudden and unexpected event, described as a bolt out of the blue. It implies that sometimes, when we least expect it, our dreams can manifest in our lives.

Overall, the lyrics of this song inspire optimism, hope, and the belief in the power of dreams. It suggests that no matter who you are or what your heart desires, if you truly and sincerely wish upon a star, fate can intervene and make your dreams become a reality.

Line by Line Meaning

When a star is born
At the moment of a new star's creation

They possess a gift or two
Stars have special abilities

One of them is this
One of their abilities includes

They have the power to make a wish come true
Granting wishes and making them a reality

When you wish upon a star
When you have a strong desire for something and express it to a star

Makes no difference who you are
It doesn't matter your status or background

Anything your heart desires will come to you
Everything you deeply desire will manifest

If your heart is in your dream
If your passion and emotions are invested in your aspirations

No request is too extreme
There are no limits to what you can ask for

As dreamers do
Like those who imagine and strive for their goals

Fate is kind
Destiny shows benevolence