He was born in Albany, Georgia, the son of a bandleader of a traveling circus. By the age of 10 he was taking trumpet lessons from his father, who placed him on a strict daily practice schedule. Each day, James was given one page to learn from the Arban's book and was not allowed to pursue any other pastime until he had learned that particular page.
In 1931 the family settled in Beaumont, Texas, where James began playing with local dance bands.
He joined the nationally popular Ben Pollack in 1935 but at the start of 1937, left Pollack to join Benny Goodman's orchestra, where he stayed through 1938.
In February 1939 James debuted his own big band in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His hit "You Made Me Love You" was in the Top 10 during the week of December 7, 1941. He toured with the band into the 1980s.
His was the first "name band" to employ vocalist Frank Sinatra, in 1939. He wanted to change Sinatra's name to 'Frankie Satin' but Sinatra refused. His later band included drummer Buddy Rich.
He played trumpet in the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn, dubbing Kirk Douglas. James's recording of "I'm Beginning to See the Light" appears in the motion picture My Dog Skip (2000). His music is also featured in the Woody Allen film Hannah and Her Sisters. James recorded many popular records and appeared in many Hollywood movies.
He was second only to Glenn Miller as the most successful recording artist of 1942.
James was married three times. On May 4, 1935, he married singer Louise Tobin, with whom he had two children. They divorced in 1943. That same year, he married actress Betty Grable. They had two daughters, Victoria and Jessica, before divorcing in 1965. James married a third time in 1968 to Las Vegas showgirl Joan Boyd, whom he would divorce in March 1970. Contrary to some assertions, he did not marry a fourth time. He had five children (two by Tobin, two by Grable, one by Boyd) and (as of his death) 16 grandchildren.
James owned several thoroughbred racehorses that won races such as the California Breeders' Champion Stakes (1951) and the San Vicente Stakes (1954). He was also a founding investor in the Atlantic City Race Course. His knowledge of horse racing was demonstrated during a 1958 appearance on The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour entitled "Lucy Wins A Racehorse."
In 1983, James was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer, but he continued to work, playing his last professional job on June 26, 1983, in Los Angeles, California, just nine days before his death in Las Vegas, Nevada. Frank Sinatra gave the eulogy at the Bunkers Eden Vale Memorial Park in Las Vegas.
Stompin' At The Savoy
Harry James and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Savoy, it wins you at a glance
Savoy, gives happy feet a chance, to dance.
Your form, just like a clinging vine
Your lips, so warm and sweet as wine
Your cheek, so soft and close to mine, devine
How my heart is singin'
While the band is swingin'
And stompin' with you, at the Savoy,
What joy, a perfect holiday
Savoy, where we can glide and sway
Savoy, There let me stomp away with you.
The Harry James and His Orchestra's song Stompin' at the Savoy is a classic that celebrates the beauty and romance of the Savoy ballroom in Harlem, New York. The lyrics vividly capture the electric energy of the beloved ballroom and the joyful experience of dancing there. The song opens with the lines "Savoy, the home of sweet romance/Savoy, it wins you at a glance." Here, the singer sets up the ballroom as a space of romance and allure, drawing people in with its beauty and charm.
The lyrics go on to describe the physical qualities of the singer's partner, who is clearly a great dancer. Her form is compared to a "clinging vine," her lips are described as "warm and sweet as wine," and her cheek is "soft and close" to the singer's. These descriptions create a picture of the singer's partner that is both beautiful and intoxicating. The chorus of the song celebrates the pure joy of dancing at the Savoy: "How my heart is singin'/While the band is swingin'/Never tired of rompin'/And stompin' with you, at the Savoy/What joy, a perfect holiday/Savoy, where we can glide and sway/Savoy/There let me stomp away with you." These lines capture the sheer exhilaration of dancing at the Savoy and the deep connection that the singer feels with his partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Savoy, the home of sweet romance
Savoy is a place where love blooms in the air
Savoy, it wins you at a glance
Savoy's allure is irresistible at first sight
Savoy, gives happy feet a chance, to dance.
Savoy provides an opportunity for people to dance and express themselves
Your form, just like a clinging vine
The way you hold onto me is like a plant clinging to its support
Your lips, so warm and sweet as wine
Your kisses are so tender and pleasing, just like sweet wine
Your cheek, so soft and close to mine, divine
The feeling of your soft cheek pressed against mine is simply heavenly
How my heart is singin'
My heart is filled with happiness and joy
While the band is swingin'
As the band plays lively music
Never tired of rompin'
I never tire of having fun
And stompin' with you, at the Savoy,
Dancing with you, stomping to the beat of the music at Savoy
What joy, a perfect holiday
What a joyful experience, like a perfect holiday getaway
Savoy, where we can glide and sway
Savoy is a place where we can effortlessly and smoothly dance together
Savoy, There let me stomp away with you.
At Savoy, I want to dance excitedly with you
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Benny Goodman, Edgar Sampson, Chick Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BubbaTex
Listen to the entire Harry James Snooty Fruity compilation album here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wag4w-BqwVc&list=PL0E0123v1zlOQuKzcrd2liNP8AkAlKbSk