Harbor Lights

Album

Single

Label

Mercury Records

Media Type

45s

Duration

2:47

Composer(s)

Hugh Williams;Jimmy Kennedy

Entered Chart

Jan 25, 1960

Peak Date

Mar 28, 1960

Released

22 Feb 1960

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Mercury SS-10024X45

B-Side

Sleepy Lagoon

Original Artist

Roy Fox & his Orchestra

"Harbor Lights", is a popular song by Northern Irish songwriter Jimmy Kennedy with music by Hugh Williams (the pseudonym of exiled Austrian composer Will Grosz). The song was originally recorded by Roy Fox & his Orchestra with vocal by Barry Gray in London on 29 January 1937. Another famous early version was recorded by American singer Frances Langford in Los Angeles on 14 September 1937 and was published again in 1950. The highest charting version of the song was by Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra which reached number one on Billboard in 1950. The melody of the song is done in a Hawaiian style, 18 years before this island became a state. Several versions featured a ukulele and a steel guitar.

I saw the harbor lights
They only told me we were parting
The same old harbor lights
That once brought you to me

I watched the harbor lights
How could I help if tears were starting
Goodbye to tender nights
Beside the silvery sea

I long to hold you near
And kiss you just once more
But you were on the ship
And I was on the shore

Now I know lonely nights
For all the while my heart is whispering
Some other harbor lights
Will steal your love from me

I long to hold you near
And kiss you just once more
But you were on the ship
And I was on the shore

Now I know lonely nights
For all the while my heart is whispering
Some other harbor lights
Will steal your love from me