Edwards was born Clifton A. Edwards in Hannibal, Missouri. He left school at age 14 and soon moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he entertained as a singer in saloons. As many places had pianos in bad shape or none at all, Edwards taught himself to play ukulele (then often spelled "ukelele") to serve as his own accompanist (selecting that instrument as it was the cheapest in the music store). He got the nickname "Ukelele Ike" from a club owner who could not remember his name. He got his first break in 1918 at the Arsonia Cafe in Chicago, Illinois, where he performed a tune called "Ja Da", written by the club's pianist, Bob Carleton. Edwards and Carleton made the tune a hit on the vaudeville circuit. Vaudeville headliner Joe Frisco hired Edwards as part of his act, which was featured at the Palace in New York City, the most prestigious theater in vaudeville, and then in the Ziegfeld Follies.
Edwards made his first phonograph records in 1919. He recorded early examples of jazz scat singing in 1922. The following year he signed a contract with Pathé Records. He became one of the most popular singers of the decade, and appeared in several Broadway shows. He recorded, in his distinctive style, many of the pop and novelty hits of the day, such as "California, Here I Come", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", and "I'll See You in My Dreams".
In 1925, his recording of "Paddlin’ Madeleine Home" would reach number three on the pop charts. In 1928, his recording of "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" was number one for one week on the U.S. pop singles chart. In 1929, his recording of "Singin' in the Rain" was number one for three weeks. Edwards's own compositions included "(I'm Cryin' 'Cause I Know I'm) Losing You", "You're So Cute (Mama O' Mine)", "Stack O' Lee", "Little Somebody of Mine", and "I Want to Call You 'Sweet Mama'". He also recorded a few "off-color" novelty numbers for under-the-counter sales, including "I'm a Bear in a Lady's Boudoir".
More than any other performer, Edwards was responsible for the soaring popularity of the ukulele in the 1920s. Millions of ukuleles were sold during the decade, and Tin Pan Alley publishers added ukulele chords to standard sheet music. Edwards always played American Martin ukuleles favoring the small soprano model in his early career. In his later years Edwards moved to the sweeter, large tenor ukulele more suited to crooning which was becoming popular in the 1930s.
Edwards' continued to record until shortly before his 1971 death. His last record album, Ukulele Ike, was released posthumously on the independent Glendale label. He reprised many of his 1920s hits, but his then failing health was evident in the recordings
When You Wish Upon A Star
Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards Lyrics
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They possess a gift or two
One of them is this
They have the power to make a wish come true
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
The song "When You Wish upon a Star" by Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards is about the power of wishing upon a star. The lyrics speak of the idea that when a star is born, it possesses the power to grant wishes. The song emphasizes that it doesn't matter who you are, or how big or small your dream is, if your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme. It assures the listener that if they wish upon a star, their dreams will come true, and fate will be kind.
The song also focuses on the idea of the sweet fulfillment of secret longings. It speaks of how fate steps in and sees you through, like a bolt out of the blue when you wish upon a star. The song ends on an optimistic note by reiterating that when you wish on a star, your dreams will come true, no matter who you are or what you desire.
Overall, the song is inspiring and optimistic, emphasizing how anything is possible when you believe in your dreams and have the power of fate on your side.
Line by Line Meaning
When a star is born
A star possesses a gift or two
They possess a gift or two
A star has the power to grant wishes
One of them is this
One of the gifts is the power to make wishes come true
They have the power to make a wish come true
If you wish upon a star, your wish might come true
When you wish upon a star
If you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
It doesn't matter who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you
You might get anything you want if you wish hard enough
If your heart is in your dream
If you want something badly
No request is too extreme
You can ask for anything
As dreamers do
Like many dreamers
Fate is kind
You might be lucky
She brings to those who love
Fate might reward those with love
The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing
Those people might get what they want
Like a bolt out of the blue
Unexpectedly and suddenly
Fate steps in and sees you through
You might get lucky when fate intervenes
Your dreams come true
Your wishes might come true
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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