Ray Noble

Raymond Stanley Noble (17 December 1903 – 3 April 1978) was an English jazz and big band musician, who was a bandleader, composer and arranger, as well as a radio host, television and film comedian and actor; he also performed in the United States.

Noble wrote both lyrics and music for many popular songs during the British dance band era, known as the "Golden Age of British music", notably for his longtime friend and associate Al Bowlly, including "Love Is the Sweetest Thing", "Cherokee", "The Touch of Your Lips", "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", and his signature tune, "The Very Thought of You". Noble played a radio comedian opposite American ventriloquist Edgar Bergen's stage act of Mortimer Snerd and Charlie McCarthy, and American comedy duo Burns and Allen, later transferring these roles from radio to TV and popular films.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 17, 1903 (Brighton), Died April 3, 1978 (London)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1948

Roles Represented in DAHR: director, composer, songwriter, lyricist, conductor, arranger, vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 246 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-51103 10-in. 3/29/1929 Nobody's fault but your own Bernie Cummins ; New York Biltmore Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-58988 10-in. 8/25/1932 Viver, iri e, amar New Mayfair Orchestra ; Ray Noble Re-recording : Jazz/dance band director  
Victor 65439 10-in. 5/10/1932 Boa noite querida Castro Barbosa Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor BAVE-66691 10-in. Spring 1932 Buenas noche, querida Orquesta Típica Ciriaquito Instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor BAVE-66692 10-in. Spring 1932 Buenas noche, querida Libertad Lamarque Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor BVE-67572 10-in. 9/29/1931 Good-night, sweetheart Ernie Birchill ; Wayne King Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBVE-68344 10-in. 3/2/1932 I found you Ted Dahl Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBVE-68356 10-in. 5/11/1932 (In the gloaming) By the fireside Donald Novis Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor BRC-70282 10-in. 10/9/1931 Good night sweetheart Russ Columbo Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor LBVE-70635 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 12/1/1931 Popular selections Mildred Bailey ; Jack Fulton ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra ; Romancers Jazz/dance band, with female and male vocal solos and male vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor BRC-70996 10-in. 12/22/1931 Buenas noches Virgilio Raben Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor BRC-71915 10-in. 3/4/1932 (In the gloaming) By the fireside Bob Borger ; George Olsen and his Music ; Ethel Shutta Jazz/dance band, with recitation and male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BRC-71916 10-in. 3/4/1932 Al anochecer George Olsen and his Music Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor BS-77622 10-in. 9/6/1933 Love is the sweetest thing Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-78089 10-in. 10/5/1933 Love is the sweetest thing Conrad Thibault Baritone vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-80639 10-in. 6/18/1934 The very thought of you King Harvey ; Red Nichols ; Pennies Jazz/dance band composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-84232 10-in. 9/7/1934 It's all forgotten now Sam Robbins Orchestra ; Sydney Schiff Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-87358 10-in. 1/12/1935 Blue moon Al Bowlly ; Ray Noble Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band director, arranger  
Victor BS-87359 10-in. 1/12/1935 In a blue and pensive mood Al Bowlly ; Ray Noble Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band arranger, director  
Victor BS-87360 10-in. 1/12/1935 A little white gardenia Al Bowlly Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band director  
Victor BS-87361 10-in. 1/12/1935 You and the night and the music Al Bowlly Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band director  
Victor BS-87496 10-in. 2/9/1935 Soon Al Bowlly ; Ray Noble Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-87497 10-in. 2/9/1935 Clouds Al Bowlly ; Ray Noble Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-87498 10-in. 2/9/1935 Down by the river Al Bowlly ; Ray Noble Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-87499 10-in. 2/9/1935 Sonny's little lullaby Ray Noble Orchestra ; Sally Schermerhorn Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, lyricist, composer  
(Results 1-25 of 246 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Noble, Ray," accessed March 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102805.

Noble, Ray. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102805.

"Noble, Ray." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102805

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