Kay Starr was successful in every field of music she tried, jazz, country and pop. But her roots were in jazz, Billie Holiday, considered by many the greatest jazz singer of all time, called Starr "the only white woman who could sing the blues."
She is best remembered for introducing two songs that became #1 hits in the 1950s, "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Rock And Roll Waltz".
Kay Starr was born on a reservation in Dougherty, Oklahoma. Her father, Harry, was a full-blooded Iroquois Indian; her mother, Annie, was of mixed Irish and American Indian heritage. When her father got a job installing water sprinkler systems, the family moved to Dallas, Texas.
While her father worked for the Automatic Sprinkler Company, her mother raised chickens, and Kay used to sing to the chickens in the coop. As a result of the fact that her aunt, Nora, was impressed by her singing, she began to sing at the age of seven on a Dallas radio station, WRR, first in a talent competition where she finished third one week and won every week thereafter, then with her own weekly fifteen minute show. She sang pop and "hillbilly" songs with a piano accompaniment. By the age of ten, she was making $3 a night, a lot of money in the Depression days.
As a result of her father's changing jobs, her family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and she continued performing on the radio, singing "Western swing music," still mostly a mix of country and pop. It was while she was on the Memphis radio station WMPS that, as a result of misspellings in her fan mail, she and her parents decided to give her the name "Kay Starr". At the age of fifteen, she was chosen to sing with the Joe Venuti orchestra. Venuti had a contract to play in the Peabody Hotel in Memphis which called for his band to feature a girl singer, which he did not have; Venuti's road manager heard her on the radio, and suggested her to Venuti. Because she was still in junior high school, her parents insisted that Venuti take her home no later than midnight.
Although she had brief stints in 1939 with Bob Crosby and Glenn Miller (who hired her in July of that year when his regular singer, Marion Hutton, was sick), she spent most of her next few years with Venuti, until he dissolved his band in 1942. It was, however, with Miller that she cut her first record: "Baby Me"/"Love with a Capital You." It was not a great success, in part because the band played in a key more appropriate for Marion Hutton, which was less suited for Kay's vocal range.
the Man With the Bag
Kay Starr Lyrics
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The bells that'll tingle all your troubles away
Everybody's waitin' for the man with the bag
'Cause Christmas is comin' again
He's got a sleigh full, it's not gonna stay full
He's got stuff to drop at every stop of the way
Everybody's waitin' for the man with the bag
'Cause Christmas is comin' again
He'll be here with the answers to the prayers
That you've made through the year
You'll get yours if you've done everything you should
Extra special good
He'll make this December, the one you'll remember
The best and the merriest you ever did have
Everybody's waitin' for the man with the bag
Christmas is here again
Old Mr. Kringle is soon gonna jingle
All the bells that'll tingle all your troubles away
Everybody's waitin' for the man with the bag
Christmas is here again
He's got a sleigh full and it's not gonna stay full
Got stuff that he's droppin' every stop of the way
Everybody's waitin' for the man with the bag
Christmas is here again
He'll be here with the answer to the prayers
That you've made through the year
You'll get yours if you've done everything you should
Extra special good
He'll make this December, the one you'll remember
The best and the merriest you ever did have
Everybody's waitin', they're all congregatin'
Waitin' for the man with the bag
Better watch out now
, because it seems like Santa Claus is on his way! Kay Starr's "The Man with the Bag" is a Christmas classic that gets us all excited for the holiday season. She sings about the anticipation that builds up as people wait for Santa's arrival. Mr. Kringle, a classic name for Santa Claus, is coming with his sleigh full of presents to make the holiday special for everyone.
Starr sings about how the man with the bag can make your December the best and merriest you've ever had by granting your holiday wishes if you have behaved well throughout the year. This brings up the idea of Santa's naughty or nice list, which has been ingrained in our holiday culture. The lyrics also imply that the man with the bag may have the answers to the prayers that people have made throughout the year, which could be interpreted as a message of hope or a reminder to be grateful for the blessings in life.
The song has a cheerful and upbeat tune that captures the spirit of excitement and joy that the holiday season brings. The lyrics convey a message that goes beyond just Christmas presents and Santa Claus, reminding us of the importance of being kind, grateful, and hopeful.
Line by Line Meaning
Old Mr. Kringle is soon gonna jingle
Santa Claus is almost here
The bells that'll tingle all your troubles away
The sounds of holiday joy will distract you from your worries
Everybody's waitin' for the man with the bag
Everyone is eagerly anticipating Santa's arrival
'Cause Christmas is comin' again
The holiday season is upon us once more
He's got a sleigh full, it's not gonna stay full
Santa has loads of presents to deliver at every stop
He's got stuff to drop at every stop of the way
There will be gifts for everyone, everywhere
He'll be here with the answers to the prayers
Santa will make your wishes come true
That you've made through the year
The wishes you made throughout the year have been heard
You'll get yours if you've done everything you should
If you have been good, you will receive your present
Extra special good
You need to be extra good to get something special
He'll make this December, the one you'll remember
This December will be unforgettable because of Santa's visit
The best and the merriest you ever did have
It will be the happiest holiday you've ever had
Everybody's waitin', they're all congregatin'
Everyone is gathered, waiting in anticipation
Waitin' for the man with the bag
Waiting for Santa Claus to deliver presents
Better watch out now
You better behave or you might not get any presents
Lyrics © Kanjian Music
Written by: Dudley Brooks, Hal Stanley, Irving Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind