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.
What Goes On
Brenda K. Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
SHE WAS GOOD, SHE WAS FINE
AND SHE MADE ME THINK SHE WAS MINE ALL MINE.
TILL I LOOKED IN HER EYES
AND I READ THAT GIRL BETWEEN HER LIES, WELL.
SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO PARADISE,
AND EV'RY CHEATIN' HEART PAYS THE PRICE, YEAH, YEAH.
WHAT GOES AROUND (goes around)
COMES AROUND, (comes around)
BABY, DON'T LOOK BACK WHEN YOU HEAR THAT SOUND.
(Round and round and round)
WHAT GOES AROUND (goes around)
COMES AROUND, (comes around)
AND I WON'T BE HERE WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN ON YOU,
IT ALL COMES BACK TO YOU.
SHE SAID, "PLEASE, TAKE MY HAND,
LET ME LEAD YOUR HEART TO THE PROMISED LAND."
BUT THE GIRL HAD A PLAN,
AND SHE LEFT ME THERE FOR ANOTHER MAN, WELL.
EV'RYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL NOW AND THEN,
BUT NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE
THAT IT ALL EVENS OUT IN THE END, YEAH, YEAH.
WHAT GOES AROUND (goes around)
COMES AROUND, (comes around)
BABY, DON'T LOOK BACK WHEN YOU HEAR THAT SOUND.
(Round and round and round)
WHAT GOES AROUND (goes around)
COMES AROUND, (comes around)
AND I WON'T BE HERE WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN ON YOU,
IT ALL COMES BACK TO YOU.
SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO PARADISE,
BUT EV'RY HEARTACHE HAS ITS DAY.
AND EV'RY CHEATIN' HEART PAYS THE PRICE, YEAH, YEAH.
WHAT GOES AROUND (goes around)
COMES AROUND, (comes around)
BABY, DON'T LOOK BACK WHEN YOU HEAR THAT SOUND.
(Round and round and round)
WHAT GOES AROUND (goes around)
COMES AROUND, (comes around)
AND IT WON'T BE LONG TILL IT ALL COMES DOWN.
WHAT GOES AROUND (goes around)
COMES AROUND, (comes around)
BABY, DON'T LOOK BACK WHEN YOU HEAR THAT SOUND.
WHAT GOES AROUND (goes around)
COMES AROUND, (comes around)
AND IT WON'T BE LONG TILL IT ALL COMES DOWN.
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND,
BABY, DON'T LOOK BACK WHEN YOU HEAR THAT SOUND.
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND,
AND IT WON'T BE LONG TILL IT ALL COMES DOWN.
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
(Goes around, comes around, goes around)
The lyrics of Brenda K. Starr's song "What Goes On" tell a story of a person who falls for someone who initially seemed perfect and made them believe they were in love. However, as the relationship progresses, the singer realizes that there is deception and lies in their partner's actions and words. Despite the heartache caused by this betrayal, they acknowledge that every heartache has its time and every cheating heart pays the price.
The singer warns their former lover that what goes around comes around, and they shouldn't look back when they hear the consequences of their actions. The lyrics reaffirm the idea that everyone plays the fool at some point in life, and it all evens out in the end. The song suggests that no one is exempt from the rule that actions have consequences, and eventually, the truth catches up to those who deceive others.
Overall, "What Goes On" explores themes of deceit, karma, and the universal nature of experiencing heartache and betrayal. It serves as a reminder that actions have repercussions, and the truth will always prevail in the end.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Suchow Music
Written by: Rick Suchow
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind