Ray Noble Talks about Al Bowlly

[@macawattackgaming]

I almost cried at the end of this, and he way he said “I wish he were here now” with so much sorrow in his voice just broke my heart. I’m twelve and love Al Bowlly so much.

[@flannerymonaghan-morris4825]

Yeah…you can definitely tell that he and Al were great friends. God knows how he must have felt when he heard his friend died in an air raid…

[@zzlimited_editionzz]

@@flannerymonaghan-morris4825 wait he was friends with ai?

[@flannerymonaghan-morris4825]

@@zzlimited_editionzz no, no, it’s Al, as in the dude that he’s talking about here.

[@zzlimited_editionzz]

@@flannerymonaghan-morris4825 oh okay so hes talking to an ai, thanks

[@urlocal_menace]

Dude Im 11 and love his music too! Its nice seeing someone around my age who also loves 1920s and 40s music Even tho you’re probably like 14 by now-

[@CrestFilms]

This is Ray himself. This particular piece was recorded with him reading from a script he had written. I interviewed him in the 1970s myself and I can vouch that is indeed him.

[@petertaylor3600]

It's definitely him, having heard hisvoice before. He was in a Fred Astaire film, in about 1938, co starring Joan Fontaine the name of which I momentarily forget. Ray, I think, played himself.

[@hellsing3062]

I'm 9 years late, but you interviewed him? Wow. That's so cool. I turned 21 just recently. Wish I had known these greats as a child, growing up.

[@petertaylor3600]

There is no doubt about who is narrating this. The voice is recognisable. What I'd like would be to find your interview and listen to it. The one thing that jarred was his attempt at an American accent!! But you can't have everything, I suppose.

[@hauntedhose]

@@hellsing3062 it’s never too late for anything 👍

[@petertaylor3600]

@@hauntedhose Oooooo, I dunno!

[@VinylSamuraisMusic]

I’m 40 and a music producer. This is all well before my time but like many was introduced due to “The Shining” and ever since have been obsessed with Al. Got his life story book and all his music. Something about him really breaks my heart and I worked for several years just doors away from the savoy in London where he used to sing. Kind Of blows my mind as I see him as a hero. I actually walked on the same concrete he did. Over the top maybe but I just have a mad deep love for him. I wish to god there was much more live footage of him on here cos he is just so great. One of my true heroes forever. Big up AL. You’re a legend bro

[@timefortea1931]

He was something special that's for sure!

[@joanmagistrini4586]

I was the Firecheifs.

[@tootallbrown]

What a shame there isn't more film of him. He is a joy to watch work.

[@govinda102000]

That does amaze me. Nothing, not even made for TV movies.@@tootallbrown

[@braydengui6809]

I have never been able to hear about Al Bowlly like this before. He sounds like a fairly nice guy. The legacy he was able to establish in his sort carrier is amazing.

[@madamedemontmorency3811]

The greatest duo of 1930s ❤️💕

[@oddballtv712]

3:49 even in 2019, it's so very sentimental to hear Ray Noble say that.

[@timefortea1931]

Yes it is. It's so clear that Ray missed Al a lot.

[@SStupendous]

It's you, seen your Midnight, the stars and you video.

[@Shivelybanetek]

Its now 2024 and he is still missed and your comment still holds true to this day

[@larryfine4950]

Bowlly sounds like a great guy, one of the few who at the time didn't smoke.

[@timefortea1931]

Actually Al did smoke. I've seen many photos of him with a cigarette in his hand and read interviews he gave in old music magazines where he says he smoked like a chimney. Perhaps he went through periods of cutting down or not smoking to protect his voice, so when Ray knew him he wasn't smoking.

[@petertaylor3600]

@@timefortea1931 He still ended up with problems to his vocal chords...nodules, or some such, which needed surgery. Successful but at the time he was killed by a German parachute bomb, were deteriorating again.

[@timefortea1931]

@@petertaylor3600 I know. I've read his biography. Not long before the awful night Al is described as having a throat infection, so it may or may not have been another vocal nodule. Whatever it was may have been treatable like it was previously. Even so, his voice still sounded good.

[@petertaylor3600]

@@timefortea1931 To me he sounded better than before. He pitched his voice a little lower and it sounded far better. I read somewhere that the op. had been successful and you can hear it in recordings made with a US orchestra from the late 30s. But, this might be just me.

[@timefortea1931]

@@petertaylor3600 Yes like being very athletic and fit, hardly touching alcohol and being very friendly and sociable.

[@Matt78collector]

This was recorded in 1955 during an interview about Ray Noble looking back on his early career

[@scotnick59]

What a beautifully modulated speaking voice Ray had!

[@petertaylor3600]

What you get from a modulated Englishman, I suppose.

[@BuckieBear]

Ray Noble had such a fabulous speaking voice, and was a highly-talented musician and composer/lyricist (known particularly for "The Very Thought Of You" and "Cherokee"), with a great sense of humor, too.

[@timefortea1931]

Yes, I like his speaking on "Slumming on Park Avenue"- very funny!

[@Lilactime402]

Bowlly's musical talent and personnal appeal transcends time. I'm a new fan.

[@janettewalker3991]

Interesting recollections of an amazing singer - wonderful Al Bowlly - unforgettable.

[@john111257]

great to catch up, love all music, music is music

[@MrDaiseymay]

HE NEVER WILL BE

[@TheHealthyAdvocate]

How amazing. Thank you for sharing this! It's unfortunate that there are no recorded interviews with Al Bowlly himself. Still, very fortunate for this! :)

[@alternateunreleasedshellac505]

How I wish I could live in that alternate universe where Al Bowlly didn't go back to his flat that night.

[@MultiSuperguy101]

He’d still be dead by now anyways regardless

[@alternateunreleasedshellac505]

@@MultiSuperguy101 Nobody lives that long. I just wish he lived longer, and could record more music during the 40s, 50s and maybe 60s.

[@aileen694]

​@@alternateunreleasedshellac505 Yes, I agree! Had Al not gone home that night, we would surely have today's copies of his great song versions. With even better sound! A sad loss.

[@LoG_9961]

Imagine the kind of songs al bowlly would've sung in the 40s!

[@alanoneill3065]

but did he...

[@TheNightBandit1]

Wow this is a recording of gold.

[@Floxxxxxy]

Bowlly was such an awesome person

[@essexpeter6116]

What a lovely clip and brings a tear to the eye when RN said ''I wish he were here today''. Which decade was that recorded I wonder. RN does not sound old. Thanks

[@ChristopherScottDixon]

TY so much for sharing this. Fascinating anecdotes about Al & Ray Noble's heart felt words on wishing Al were here are so moving. :-)

[@timefortea1931]

One thing Ray didn't quite get was that Al WAS very good looking and this, with his singing voice and personal charm and charisma is what attracted women. I found that amusing that Ray didn't quite know why women found Al so attractive! Lew Stone's wife understood why- I have seen her talk about Al in a documentary and she said Al had a "magnetic" quality.

[@tootallbrown]

Very nice talk of the great Al Bowlly. I am a relatively new fan of his, having recently "discovering" him on KZbin. I am in awe of his great "Blue Moon". He needed a good break to have made it in America. Too bad.

[@AliceBowlly]

You must listen to Love Locked Out & Must It End Like This!

[@tootallbrown]

@@AliceBowlly will do, Teresa, thanks for the heads up

[@adamsz415]

I recommend his versions of "Maybe I Love You Too Much" and "I've Got You Under My Skin".

[@tootallbrown]

@@adamsz415 You got it. Both terrific!

[@Matt78collector]

He did make it in America, He actually became the second most popular singer in America in 1936, knocking Bing Crosby into third place.

[@nickdellow6073]

I have an acetate disc of this interview, from the 1950s, which was owned by Brian Rust. It's a pity this video uses a poor transfer; the original is crystal clear. It was reissued on an HMV LP Box Set of Ray Noble with Al Bowlly, which is well worth getting.

[@loris711]

What a fascinating piece of history: to get Ray Noble's insight and stories! What is the story behind this recording? Thank you!

[@thechinadesk]

How very interesting! Ray Noble confirms that both he and Al Bowlly were both sincere to a fault in their musical expression. One can hear that in their music. It comes across unmistakably. That of course is why so many "moderns" hung up with "being cool" can't deal with the music style exemplified by Noble and Bowlly. Their loss.

[@timefortea1931]

Well post 1960s people are less sentimental it seems.

[@pubgplayer1720]

What a posh accent. Al Bowlly was an absolutely awesome guy!

[@timefortea1931]

Agreed. Al is a legend!

[@hanseekhoff1093]

It's not a "posh" accent - it's correctly pronounced English which is hardly heard anymore.

[@aileen694]

​​@@hanseekhoff1093 True! But part of that "poshness" came from his voice tone and placement. So elegant!

[@rainlori]

Very good and thanks for that, CrestFilms.

[@TheJackster-tl8oi]

Ray Noble talks exactly how you think he would 😂

[@jazzpianoman01]

Loved Al with Ray Noble; tragic he was killed in 1941 in an air raid in London

[@harryoakley]

Wonderful! About when was this recorded?

[@eccehomer8182]

Stout fella!

[@femmcclure2213]

[@rainlori]

Very interesting. I wonder, is that Ray Noble himself or an actor reading from, say, Noble's memoirs?

[@petertaylor3600]

That's certainly Ray Noble's voice. He was in a British film with Fred Astaire and Joan Fontaine and his own voice was heard.

[@StevenTorrey]

"A Damsel in Distress" 1937, Fred Astaire, Joan Fontaine, George Burns and Gracie Allen, and Ray Noble....

[@petertaylor3600]

No, Noble's speaking voice, without a doubt. Recorded, maybe in the 50s perhaps because Bowlly was more or less forgotten by the 60s. Rediscovered now with KZbin. I remember hearing him singing on the radio when I was knee high but nobody took much notice here. In London he did live performances which helped.

[@quamenmike2]

i am ray noble!

[@colinluckens9591]

So exactly WHEN was this interview recorded???

[@hebneh]

I wonder why Al didn't stay in the USA and pursue his career.

[@petertaylor3600]

The war was coming and he probably wished to go to where home was. He had a career in England prior to that, But, actually he should have stayed in the US because he'd have lived his full life span. Who was to know the future?

[@timefortea1931]

@@petertaylor3600 If Al had stayed in America during the 1940s he would have lived his natural life span for sure. So sad!

[@Mousepie999]

Is this the tape Ray Noble sent to Brian Rust in the early 70s?

[@nickdellow6073]

Yes, but it was actually on an acetate disc, sent in the 1950s

[@ImpeturbableLawrence]

'rainlori' - Sounds just like Noble

[@sallismith298]

Al Bowlly was of a Lebanese and greek decent.

[@RoboLobster3000]

Was this after he died?

[@georgemackins9500]

This was in the 70s so 30 years after Al had died.