She was born in Caruthersville, Missouri, to a family of sharecroppers. She listened to singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, but never planned to have a singing career and by the age of 23 had been married, had two children, and divorced. While working in a diner in Chicago, she was heard singing by Bob Tillman, a reporter with the Chicago Defender newspaper, who then won her a booking as a singer at the Strand Hotel. Initially billed as Little Donna Hightower, she won a recording contract with Decca Records and recorded her first single, "I Ain't In The Mood", in 1951.
During the mid 1950s she recorded R&B songs, for RPM Records, often accompanied by the Maxwell Davis Orchestra as on her 1955 version of "Hands Off". She toured widely in the US, with Louis Jordan, B. B. King, Johnny Mathis, Della Reese and others. However, none of her records made the pop or R&B charts. By 1958, her career had slowed and she began working for a music publishing firm in New York City, recording demonstration records of new songs. Her version of "Light of Love" — later recorded by Peggy Lee — was heard by record producer Dave Cavanaugh, and as a result of his interest she was signed to Capitol Records. She recorded several albums for Capitol, including Take One! and Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You?, both in 1959. While noted for her "range and power, [she] was equally compelling doing sentimental, soft ballads."
In 1959, she performed in England, France, Sweden and elsewhere in Europe with Quincy Jones and The Platters. She settled in France and then, in the late 1960s, in Madrid. In 1971 she won the Costa del Sol International Song Festival, following which she began recording in Spain for Columbia Records, although her songs were issued in much of Europe by Decca Records. She worked with singer Danny Daniel as a duo, Danny y Donna, and they had a hit in the country with "El Vals de las Mariposas". She also recorded solo, and her most successful record, "This World Today Is A Mess" ("Este Mundo es En Conflicto"), which she co-wrote, was an international hit — though not in the US, where it was not released, or in the UK — in 1972, reportedly selling over one million copies worldwide. She is also known for the song "If You Hold My Hand", which was later sampled for the UK 2007 hit single "Handsfree" by Sonny J.
She returned to the US to live in semi-retirement in Austin, Texas, in 1990. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, and appeared on local radio programs. Her last performance in Spain was at a jazz festival in 2006. She died in Austin in 2013 at the age of 86.
Because Of You
Donna Hightower Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because of you my romance had its start
Because of you the sun will shine
The moon and stars will say you're mine
Forever and never to part
I only live for your love and your kiss
It's paradise to be near you like this
And I can smile
Because of you
[instrumental interlude]
Because of you the sun will shine
The moon and stars will say you're mine
Forever and never to part
I only live for your love and your kiss
It's paradise to be near you like this
Well, because of you my life is now worthwhile
And I can smile
Because of you
I can smile
Because of you !
The lyrics to Donna Hightower's song "Because of You" are a classic testament to the transformative power of love. The song is essentially a love letter to the person who has made the singer's life complete. The first verse speaks to the joy that this person brings to the singer's life - because of them, there is a song in their heart and their romance has started. The second verse continues the theme of joy and adds that the sun will shine and the moon and stars will say "you're mine." This suggests an almost cosmic union between the singer and their loved one.
The instrumental interlude provides a moment of reflection before the final verse reiterates the central message of the song - that the singer's life is now worthwhile because of their partner. It's worth noting that the lyrics don't explain why this person has such a transformative effect on the singer's life - it's left up to the listener to fill in those details based on their own experiences and imagination.
In summary, "Because of You" is a classic love song that celebrates the transformative power of love. It speaks to the joy and completeness that comes from finding the right person and suggests that this love has almost cosmic significance.
Line by Line Meaning
Because of you there's a song in my heart
You are the reason why I am happy and in love, and my heart is filled with joy and music
Because of you my romance had its start
You are the one who ignited the flame of love in my heart and started a romantic journey with me
Because of you the sun will shine
Your presence brings light and warmth to my life, just like the sun does to the earth
The moon and stars will say you're mine
Even the moon and stars seem to acknowledge that you belong to me and our love is meant to be
Forever and never to part
Our love is eternal and we will never be separated from each other
I only live for your love and your kiss
My existence and purpose revolve around receiving your love and affection, and feeling the happiness of your kiss
It's paradise to be near you like this
Being close to you gives me a perfect and enjoyable experience, like being in a paradise on earth
Because of you my life is now worthwhile
Before I met you, my life had no meaning, but now that you are in it, everything is worth living for
And I can smile
Your presence and love make me happy, and I feel joy and contentment because of you
Because of you
You are the reason for my happiness, my love, and my life
I can smile
Your love and affection have made my life complete, and I can't help but smile because of you
Because of you !
You are the most important and meaningful person in my life, and everything is better because of you
Contributed by Jake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.