Childhood and rise to success
Born to Solomon and Anna Stein Shore, Jewish immigrants from Russia, she lived in Winchester, Tennessee. When she was two years old, she was stricken with polio (infantile paralysis), a disease that was not handled well at the time. Thankfully, her parents cared enough to provide intensive care for her, and she recovered and overcame the disease. However, she suffered from having a slightly deformed foot and limp, which did not physically impede her. She performed at a night club when she was only 14 years old.
When her mother died unexpectedly of a heart attack, Dinah went to Vanderbilt University, where she participated in many events and activities. She graduated from the university in 1938. She decided to get back into pursuing her career in singing, so she went to New York to audition for orchestras and radio stations. In many of her auditions, she sang the popular song "Dinah." When disc jockey Martin Block could not remember her name, he called her the "Dinah girl," and soon after the name stuck, becoming her stage name. She eventually was hired as a vocalist at radio station WNEW, where she sang with Frank Sinatra. She also recorded and performed with the Xavier Cugat orchestra. Eventually, she got her recording contract with RCA Victor records in 1940.
Career in the 1940s and 1950s
While recording on RCA Victor's Bluebird label, she released her first recording, "Yes, My Darling Daughter" and it became a major hit for her. Dinah's singing came to the attention of Eddie Cantor, and he signed her as a regular on his popular radio show, "Time to Smile", in 1940. Dinah credits him for teaching her self-confidence, comedic timing and the ways of connecting with an audience.
She was a featured vocalist on The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street and soon became a successful radio and music star with her own radio show in 1943, "Call to Music". Also in 1943, she appeared in her first movie, "Thank Your Lucky Stars". The movie starred Eddie Cantor, and she soon went to another radio show, "Paul Whiteman Presents". During this time, America had been actively involved in World War 2 and Dinah became a popular favorite with the troops, similar to the popularity of Bing Crosby. She was having major record hits, like "I will Walk Alone" and "Blues In the Night", one of her first of many number-one hits to come. To support the troops overseas, who adored her singing, she participated in USO tours to Europe. She met a young actor ready to go into military service named George Montgomery. They married on December 3, 1943. Despite their marriage, Montgomery soon went into service. When he returned from the service, they settled in San Fernando, California. In 1948, their first child was born, a daughter named Messina, and they also adopted a son in 1954 named John David and then moved to Beverly Hills.
Dinah continued appearing in radio shows throughout the 1940s. She performed in radio shows like "Birds Eye-Open House" and "Ford Radio Show". One of her most popular recordings was "Baby It's Cold Outside" with Buddy Clark. The song was covered by many other artists, Ella Fitzgerald for example. Other hits followed this success like "Buttons and Bows" and "The Gypsy". She was a regular with Jack Smith on his radio show on CBS, which ran for 15 minutes. She went into many more movies. As an actress, Shore appeared in many musical films, such as "Belle of the Yukon" and "Up in Arms" (both in 1944), and "Till the Clouds Roll By" (1946). She was also featured in numerous TV movies and series. She lent her musical voice to two Disney films: "Make Mine Music" (1946) and "Fun and Fancy Free" (1947). In early 1946, she moved to another label, Columbia Records. In 1950 she made her television show debut on "The Ed Wynn Show" and also made a guest appearance on Bob Hope's first television show. After being on many other people's television shows, she got her own, "The Dinah Shore Show" in 1951. She did two fifteen minute shows a week for NBC. She won her first Emmy for the show in 1955. The show was sponsored by Chevrolet automobiles. The sponsor's theme song ("See the USA in your Chevrolet") became the singer's signature piece. She continued to appear in Chevrolet advertising through the 1950s.
Later career
From 1970 through 1980, Shore hosted two daytime programs, "Dinah's Place" (1970-1974) on NBC and "Dinah!" (later "Dinah and Friends") in syndication from 1974 through 1980. On her show "Dinah!", she once had the misfortune of interviewing the comedian Andy Kaufman in his Tony Clifton guise. He took deliberate offense at her questions and eventually tipped a pan of eggs over her head. This happened live on the air in front of a huge TV audience and Shore's producers cut to an impromptu commercial as Kaufman was escorted out of the studio.
TV screenshot image
Shore, with her Dixie drawl and demure manner, was always identified with the South, and guests on her shows often commented on it.
Shore won nine Emmys, a Peabody Award and a Golden Globe.
Shore guest starred on "Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special", calling Pee-wee on his picturephone and singing "The 12 Days of Christmas". Throughout the special, Pee-wee walks past the picture phone, only to hear her going past the original 12 days ("...on the 500th day of Christmas...")
Personal life
Shore was married to actor George Montgomery from 1943 to 1962 and had a daughter, Melissa Ann (known today as Melissa Montgomery-Hime, executor of the Dinah Shore Trust and the owner of the rights to most of Shore's television series). Shore later adopted a son, John David 'Jody' Montgomery. After her divorce from Montgomery, she briefly married Maurice Smith. In the early 1970s, Shore had a long and happy public romance with actor Burt Reynolds, who was 20 years her junior. The relationship gave Shore an updated, sexy image, and took some of the pressure off Reynolds in maintaining his image as a ladies' man.
Death and legacy
Dinah Shore died in Beverly Hills, California of ovarian cancer at age 77 (5 days before her 78th birthday). Her ashes were divided and she has two burial sites. Half were interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California and the other half interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City) near her beloved second home in Palm Springs, California.
Shore's legacy resonates posthumously, with a 1998 album featuring the arrangement skills of Andre Previn combined with the re-releasing of some of her classic recordings like 'April in Paris', and 'My Funny Valentine', garnering moderate success.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Dinah Shore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My true love was true
Oh, I of course replied
Something here inside cannot be denied
They said someday you'll find
All who love are blind
Oh, when your heart's on fire
Smoke gets in your eyes
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
To think they could doubt my love
Yet today my love has flown away
I am without my love
Now laughing friends deride
Tears I can not hide
Oh, so I smile and say
When a lovely flame dies
Smoke gets in your eyes
Smoke gets in your eyes
In the song Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Dinah Shore reflects on the transformative power of love and the devastating pain of heartbreak. The song opens with a question from an unknown source asking how she knows her love is true. The answer is instinctual, as the singer acknowledges that something inside her cannot deny her love. However, the second verse takes a darker turn, with the warning that love can bring blindness to those who experience it. This sentiment sets up the heartbreaking chorus, with the realization that even when love feels all-consuming, it can lead to a painful end.
The final verse of the song represents the singer's emotional journey. She initially laughs off the idea that love could falter or disappear from her life but is ultimately left without her love. The last line of the song, "Smoke gets in your eyes," is a powerful metaphor for the way love can blind us to reality, only to leave us with the painful residue of our emotions. In total, the song Smoke Gets in Your Eyes paints a harrowing picture of the beauty and pain of love, one that is relatable to anyone who has experienced the ups and downs of a romantic relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
They asked me how I knew
They asked me how I knew my love was true
My true love was true
That my love was real and genuine
Oh, I of course replied
Without hesitation, I replied with confidence
Something here inside cannot be denied
I have a feeling deep inside that confirms my love is true
They said someday you'll find
They warned me that someday I might discover
All who love are blind
Those in love can be blinded by their emotions
Oh, when your heart's on fire
When you are passionately in love
You must realize
You need to recognize and accept
Smoke gets in your eyes
That the smoke from the flames can cloud your judgment and reasoning
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
I joked around with them and laughed it off
To think they could doubt my love
The idea that they didn't believe my love was genuine was absurd to me
Yet today my love has flown away
But now, my love has left me
I am without my love
I am alone and without the one I love
Now laughing friends deride
My friends now laugh and make fun of me
Tears I can not hide
I am unable to conceal my sadness and pain
Oh, so I smile and say
So, to avoid showing my emotions, I put on a fake smile and say
When a lovely flame dies
When a beautiful relationship comes to an end
Smoke gets in your eyes
The feelings of sadness and pain can overwhelm and cloud your thoughts
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Xavier Lechard
The Platters version cannot be surpassed, but this one proves it can be equaled. I love Dinah's clarinet-like singing, a very original take on the song.
Phil Simpson
Beautiful song by a wonderful artist - and I loved the pictures in the video thank you
Oscar Martins Afonso de Paiva
Música Linda!!!
Samuel Yulish
So fantastic--I've watched this one dozens of times. Ms. Shore--you are fantastic!
Luis Pérez
Que hermosa versión...la adoro
Chris Orton
What a beautiful voice, Dinah could certainly hold a note, not like the singers today, who seem to think they have to scream out a song. Nice to see Anna Mae Wong a few times in the montage.
Andrew Roberts
Just once I'd like to see a clip of an old-time singer without this kind of guff. Loads of fab singers today - Adele, Imelda May, Duffy just to name three.
Kim Suyeon Li
They asked me how I knew My true love was true Oh, I of course replied Something here inside cannot be denied They said someday you'll find All who love are blind Oh, when your heart's on fire You must realize Smoke gets in your eyes So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed To think they could doubt my love Yet today my love has flown away I am without my love Now laughing friends deride Tears I can not hide Oh, so I smile and say When a lovely flame dies Smoke gets in your eyes Smoke gets in your eyes
Brian Keeene
A true Diva perfect pitch
Jacqueline Boisse
Fabulous music in a time I wish we could go back to.