Starr was born as Brenda Kaplan to a Jewish American father, organist Harvey Kaplan (also known as Harvey Kaye of the 1960s band the Spiral Starecase) and a Puerto Rican Roman Catholic mother.
In the early 1980s, through a chance meeting with Harry Belafonte, Starr landed a role in his 1984 hip hop film, Beat Street. Starr's appearance in the movie garnered attention, leading to a recording contract on Mirage Records, through Arthur Baker, who enlisted the help of two production teams to complete the album: Lotti Golden & Richard Scher, and Carl Sturken & Evan Rogers. The lead single, from (I Want Your Love) Starr's debut album, "Pickin' Up Pieces" written by Arthur Baker and Lotti Golden was a local club sensation and national hit, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Charts and on the Maxi Single's Chart. "Pickin' Up Pieces" also cracked the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs reaching number 83.
Starr's eponymous sophomore LP, released in 1987 on MCA, included, what is considered her signature song, the power ballad "I Still Believe", which peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming Starr's first and only top 20 single on the Hot 100. In 1998, Mariah Carey covered the song, which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. The album also contained the club/dance smash "What You See is What You Get". The album peaked at #58 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Starr has had two top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "I Still Believe" (which peaked at #13) and "What You See is What You Get" (which peaked at #24 and at #6 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play.
Her song "Sweet Surrender" was included in the soundtrack for the 1988 teen film License to Drive starring Corey Haim. Her Song "Sata" was on the soundtrack for the 1990 film Lambada. During the late 1980s, Mariah Carey sang background vocals for Starr, and Starr helped Carey secure a recording contract by giving a demo tape of hers to Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola at a party. By 1991, Mariah Carey had become Sony/Columbia's star attraction, which caused Starr's career to shrink in terms of commercial success.[citation needed] After being dropped from Sony/Columbia Records for lackluster sales of her second album, By Heart, Starr worked odd jobs to support herself and her family for several years, including one at a shopping mall in New Jersey.
Starr successfully reinventing herself as a Salsa/Tropical and Latin Pop artist. After the release of her cover of Herida, (originally by Myriam Hernandez) which peaked at #16 on the Latin Pop Airplay and at #1 on the Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay chart, she was on top again. Starr continued her success with a string of popular albums and chart hits.
Brenda was also a disc jockey at MIX 102.7, WNEW-FM, where she presented a request program "Under the Stars", from 9 p.m. to midnight on Sunday nights before it changed formats. It appeared to have helped her music career since her concerts have begun to sell even stronger than before. The lead single from her seventh album, Atrevete a Olvidarme, titled, "Tu Eres" earned her a nomination by the Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2006.
Starr has starred in several films, most notably in the 1980s urban film Beat Street, which had her portraying herself as a singer at an open-microphone audition.
In 2013, Starr returned with a bilingual cover of "Yo Te Estraño Tanto" (Miss You Like Crazy) which is a Batacha/Latin Pop song. She continues to be record and tour.
Christmas
Brenda K. Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on.
Every year I wait for Christmas to come, it's all right, (it's all right, it's all right)
A lot of presents, I'll be opening one, it's all right. (it's all right, it's all right)
If I get nothing, it'll be okay
'Cause Santa promised you won't go away.
Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on.
When we're together all the jingle bells ring, it's all right, (it's all right, it's all right)
My Christmas baby really makes my heart sing, it's all right, (it's all right, it's all right)
Now I know you're coming home to stay,
It's Christmas morning every single day.
So, come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on,
Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on, Christmas, come on!
If I get nothing, it'll be okay
'Cause Santa promised you won't go away.
So, come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on,
Yeah! Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on, Christmas, come on.
Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on,
Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come, Christmas, come, Christmas, come on!
Yeah, come on, Christmas! Come on, Christmas! Come on, Christmas!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Yeah! Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come, Christmas, come, Christmas, come on!
The lyrics of Brenda K. Starr's song "Christmas" are a joyful ode to the holiday season. The song opens with an exhortation to Christmas itself, inviting it to come forth and bring its revelry and cheer. The singer expresses their excitement for the holiday, anticipating the presents they will receive (or the ones they won't get but will still be happy), and the joy of being with loved ones. They even claim that it's Christmas morning every single day because their beloved will be staying with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on,
I am excited for the arrival of Christmas, and I can't wait for it to come.
Every year I wait for Christmas to come, it's all right, (it's all right, it's all right)
I eagerly wait for Christmas every year, and I am perfectly fine with waiting because I know it will come eventually.
A lot of presents, I'll be opening one, it's all right. (it's all right, it's all right)
I am looking forward to opening many presents on Christmas day, but even if I only get one, it's still okay.
If I get nothing, it'll be okay
'Cause Santa promised you won't go away.
Even if I don't receive any presents on Christmas, it will be okay because I know that my loved ones will still be there for me.
When we're together all the jingle bells ring, it's all right, (it's all right, it's all right)
The joy of being together with loved ones during Christmas is so great that it makes everything feel alright and perfect.
My Christmas baby really makes my heart sing, it's all right, (it's all right, it's all right)
Spending Christmas with my loved one fills me with such happiness and joy that everything in the world feels alright and perfect.
Now I know you're coming home to stay,
It's Christmas morning every single day.
Now that I know my loved one is home for good, it feels like every day is Christmas morning and I am filled with the same joy and hope as on Christmas day.
Yeah! Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come on, Christmas, come on. Come on, Christmas, Christmas, come, Christmas, come, Christmas, come on!
I am so excited for Christmas to come that I am practically begging it to arrive already. I can't wait to celebrate and be with my loved ones.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DEAN MICHAEL GRAKAL, MARK HUDSON, RICHARD STARKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind