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Harry Barris |
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Basic InformationBorn: November 24, 1905, New York City Died: December 13, 1962 (age 57), Burbank, California Primary songwriting role: composer; also pianist and singer Co-writers: Click here for a database of |
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Overview and Commentary |
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Overview
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Harry Barris was a popular singer and songwriter, born to Jewish parents in New York City, and as described by Gary Giddins, was "as frenetic as Bing was calm . . . the quintessence of Jazz Age show buiness, or at least though he was." Giddins portrays him as "small, wiry, and moon-faced with glittery eyes, and dark hair slicked back and parted in the middle." Barris first made his mark as a member of the Rhythm Boys, a trio of singers also including Crosby and Crosby's boyhood friend Al Rinker. The group's most well known gigs were first with Paul Whiteman, which included singing several numbers in the film King of Jazz (1930). The Rhythm boys recorded both with Whiteman, with whom they were a star attraction between 1927 and 1930, and on their own with Barris on piano. After Whiteman fired them for undependable behavior (usually caused by drinking too much), they landed a job with the Gus Arnheim Orchestra at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, which led to Crosby's first hit "I Surrender Dear," written by Barris (music) and Gordon Clifford (words) in 1931. Barris appeared in scores of films between 1931 and 1950, usually as a pianist and singer. Later he was the night club pianist In The Lost Weekend (1945) who humiliates Ray Milland by singing "Somebody Stole My Purse." Off screen, Barris was a successful songwriter composing the music for "Mississippi Mud," "I Surrender Dear," "It Must Be True," and "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams." Plagued by a life-long drinking problem, Barris died in Burbank, California, at the age of 57.
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| Two glimpses of Harry Barris and a Crosby recording of one of his songs. | ||||
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Harry Barris / Harry Tobias song "What Is It?" performed by Gus Arnheim and his orchestra featuring Bing Crosby and Loyce Whiteman at the Coconut Grove, Los Angeles, 1931 |
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| Harry Barris sings and plays in this clip from a currently unknown source, reprotedly just after he left The Rhythm Boys. | ||||
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Alec Wilder, distinguished critic of the music of The Songbook, finds that he "must mention, if only in passing, a sweet little 1930 song by Harry Barris called 'It Must Be True'." Concerned that he is breaking his own rule in discussing a song that "does not break any new ground," Wilder justifies himself by saying, although "it's up to nothing but fun and games, its honesty and camaraderie deserve illustration." He concludes in what would seem to be the spirit of Barris, that "whenever I see a song that seems free of strict commercialism, and has the quality of having been fun to write as opposed to having been ground out, I am impelled to mention it" (Wilder, pp. 469-470, hardcover Ed.) | |||
| Harry Barris with Shirley Ross and The Kingsmen perform "Feelin' High" in the 1934 movie Hollywood Party. Apparently Durante was also invited. |
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, New York: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (3rd edition, 1966, entry p. 35).
, Boston: Little Brown, 2001 (multiple references including a chapter on The Rhythm Boys.
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