Dick Haymes — Music Videos

A baritone of the 1940s

Dick Haymes was an Argentine-born popular singer and actor who built his career in the United States. His warm baritone became familiar through big bands, radio, records, and musical films. He worked with orchestras led by Harry James, Benny Goodman, and Tommy Dorsey before building a substantial solo career. His singing belonged to the generation that carried the carefully shaped popular ballad from dance-band vocal features into records issued under a singer’s own name.

Decca recordings and film songs

Haymes became a major recording artist during the 1940s, particularly through releases on Decca. His songs included “You’ll Never Know,” “It Can’t Be Wrong,” “Little White Lies,” and “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?” He also recorded duets with singers including Helen Forrest and appeared in musical films such as State Fair. The mixture of show songs, film ballads, and established standards gave his repertoire a broad popular reach.

Phrasing and interpretation

His performances are marked by a rounded tone, smooth legato, and an unhurried approach to a lyric. He generally gives the song’s melody room to unfold, using changes in vocal weight rather than abrupt theatrical gestures. Later recordings continued his interest in the American songbook, showing that the appeal of his voice extended beyond the wartime period in which it first became widely known.