Al Bowlly, Ray Noble Orchestra - The Prisoner's Song (1930)

Albert Allick 'Al' Bowlly (January 7, 1899 April 17, 1941) was a popular British Jazz singer in the United Kingdom during the 1930s, making more than 1,000 recordings between 1927 and 1941. Bowlly was born in Mozambique to Greek and Lebanese parents who met en route to Australia and moved to South Africa. He was brought up in Johannesburg, South Africa.

He was killed by the explosion of a parachute mine outside his apartment in Jermyn Street, London during the Blitz.

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Ray Noble (December 17, 1903 April 3, 1978) was a British bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day. The most popular vocalist with Noble's studio band was Al Bowlly.

The Bowlly/Noble recordings achieved popularity in the United States. Union bans prevented Noble from taking British musicians to America so he arranged for Glenn Miller to recruit American musicians. Glenn Miller played the trombone in the Ray Noble orchestra which performed Glenn Miller's composition "Dese Dem Dose" during a performance at the Rainbow Room in 1935. The American Ray Noble band had a successful run at the Rainbow Room in New York City with Bowlly as principal vocalist.

Bowlly returned to England but Noble continued to lead bands in America, moving into an acting career portraying a stereotypical upper-class English idiot. His last major successes as a bandleader came with Buddy Clark in the late 1940s.

Noble wrote both lyrics and music and contributed "Love Is The Sweetest Thing", "Cherokee", "The Touch of Your Lips", "I Hadn't Anyone Till You" and "The Very Thought Of You" to popular culture. The Ray Noble composition "You're So Desirable" was recorded by Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson, and Robert Palmer in 1990.

Ray Noble was also an arranger who scored many record hits in the 1930s: "Easy to Love" (1936), "Mad About the Boy" (1932), "Paris in the Spring" (1935).

Noble and Bowlly's 1934 recording of "Midnight, the Stars and You" was prominently featured on the soundtrack of Stanley Kubrick's film The Shining in 1980.


Al Bowlly, Ray Noble Orchestra - The Prisoner's Song (1930)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Al
• Bowlly
• Ray
• Noble
• 1930
• 20's
• 30's

[hoteldennis]

Please tell me what language Al is singing on this record. Does anyone know?

[edmundusrex]

On my channel you can find a song from Al Bowlly, called "Die Eensaam Weg". This song is he sung in Africaans. I think ist's the same language.

[Bigband78]

Very good,Edmund.I knew Al was killed in the London blitz,but didn't know how.

[discott75]

Al was killed in 1941 when the door from his apt. blew off and hit him in the head while lying in his bed during a raid by Hitler. Snakehips was killed a few weeks earlier in that cafe.

[Sheumais1]

Lekker! Pragtig! The extent of my Afrikaans. Al was great. Listen to 'Die einsamm weg. (The Lonesome Road) it's lovely too.

[hellenicNS]

Whites in South Africa originate from England?

[LornaduPreez]

I am originally from South Africa and you are correct - this is Afrikaans. I got such a thrill from hearing this. Have always loved Al Bowlly - first time I have heard him sing in Afrikaans. Thanks for posting.

Those of you who share your music and comments with us truly enrich us with memories.

[stevedexteruk]

I think this is Africaans and the following lyrics are the English version. I had to post it in two due to the youtube word limit. Please correct me if i am wrong. Thanks for posting edmundsrex - its a lovely tune

[stevedexteruk]

Part one

Oh, I wish I had someone to love me,

Someone to call me their own.

Oh, I wish I had someone to live with

'Cause I'm tired of livin' alone.

Oh, please meet me tonight in the moonlight,

Please meet me tonight all alone,

For I have a sad story to tell you,

It's a story that's never been told.

[stevedexteruk]

part two I'll be carried to the new jail tomorrow, Leaving my poor darling alone, With the cold prison bars all around me And my head on a pillow of stone. Now I have a grand ship on the ocean, All mounted with silver and gold, And before my poor darlin' would suffer, Oh, that ship would be anchored and sold. Now if I had the wings of an angel Over these prison walls I would fly, And I'd fly to the arms of my poor darlin', And there I'd be willing to die.

[candw87]

AL was killed in 1940 singing with Snakehips Johnson's Orchestra when ( I f I remember ) the Cafe de Paris was bombed