Born in tiny North, South Carolina to Mamie Kitt, who was of Cherokee and African-American descent, and an American father (surname Kitt) of German and Dutch descent, she was raised by her maternal aunt Anna Mae Riley, whom she believed was her mother up until after Riley's death, when she was sent to live in New York City with her real mother.
Kitt began her career as a member of the Katherine Dunham Company and made her film debut with them in Casbah (1948). A talented singer with a distinctive voice, her hits include Let's Do It, C'est Si Bon (It's So Good), Just an Old Fashioned Girl, Monotonous, Love for Sale, I'd Rather Be Burned as a Witch, Uska Dara, Mink, Schmink, Under the Bridges of Paris, and arguably her most recognizable hit, the sexily sung Christmas song Santa Baby. She sang quite a few songs in French, a language she picked up during her years performing in Europe, but she never lost her American accent, which made her French songs sound rather amusing to native French speakers. She dabbled in other languages as well, which she demonstrated in many of the live recordings of her cabaret performances.
In 1950, Orson Welles gave her her first starring role, as Helen of Troy in his staging of Dr. Faustus. A few years later, she was cast in the revue New Faces of 1952, introducing "Monotonous", "C'est Si Bon" and "Santa Baby", three songs with which she continues to be identified. During her run, 20th Century Fox filmed a version of the play. Welles and Kitt allegedly had a torrid affair during her run in Shinbone Alley, which earned her the nickname by Welles as "the most exciting woman in the world". In 1958, Kitt made her feature film debut opposite Sidney Poitier in The Mark of the Hawk. Throughout the rest of the 1950s and early 1960s, Kitt would work on and off in film, television and on nightclub stages. In the late 1960s television series Batman, she played Catwoman after Julie Newmar left the role. This was the role for which she would best be remembered, owing to her purring feline drawl.
In 1968, however, Kitt encountered a substantial professional setback after she made anti-war statements during a White House luncheon that reportedly made First Lady Lady Bird Johnson weep uncontrollably. Professionally exiled from the U.S., she devoted her energies to overseas performances before returning to New York in a triumphant turn in the Broadway spectacle Timbuktu! (a version of the perennial Kismet set in Africa) in 1978. In the musical, one song gives a 'recipe' for mahoun, a preparation of cannabis, in which her sultry purring rendition of the refrain "constantly stirring with a long wooden spoon" was distinctive.
In 1984, she returned to hit music with a dance song, Where Is My Man; the first certified Gold record of her career. Kitt found new audiences in nightclubs across the country, including a whole new generation of gay male fans, and she responded by frequently giving benefit performances in support of HIV/AIDS organizations.
In 2000, Kitt again returned to Broadway in the short but notable run of the revival of the 1920s-themed, The Wild Party, opposite Mandy Patinkin and Toni Collette. In 2003, she replaced Chita Rivera in Nine. In recent years she had also appeared as the Wicked Witch in the North American national touring company of The Wizard of Oz.
One of her more unusual roles was as Kaa the python in a 1994 BBC Radio adaptation of The Jungle Book. Kitt lent her distinctive voice to the role of Yzma in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove and also did other voiceover work such as the voice of Queen Vexus on the animated TV series My Life as a Teenage Robot. She continued her role as Yzma on the spin-off TV series of The Emperor's New Groove, The Emperor's New School.
In recent years, Kitt's annual appearances in New York made her a fixture of the Manhattan cabaret scene. She took the stage at venues such as the Ballroom and, more recently, the Café Carlyle to explore and define her highly stylized image, alternating between signature songs (such as "Old Fashioned Millionaire"), which emphasized a witty, mercenary world-weariness, and less familiar repertoire, much of which she performed with an unexpected ferocity and bite that presented her as a survivor with a seemingly bottomless reservoir of resilience - her version of Here's to Life, frequently used as a closing number, was a sterling example of the latter. This side of her later performances is reflected in at least one of her recordings, Thinking Jazz, which preserves a series of performances with a small jazz combo that took place in the early 1990s in Germany, and which includes both standards (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes) and numbers (such as Something May Go Wrong) that seem more specifically tailored to her talents; one version of the CD includes as bonus performances a fierce, angry Yesterdays and a live take of "C'est Si Bon" that good-humoredly satirizes her sex-kitten persona.
Personal life
Kitt was married to John William McDonald, an associate of a real-estate investment company, from 1960 to 1965. They had one child, a daughter, Kitt (b. 1962, married Charles Lawrence Shapiro); and two grandchildren, Jason and Rachel Shapiro.
Eartha Kitt died of colon cancer on Christmas Day, December 25, 2008.
God Bless' The Child
Eartha Kitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Them that's not shall lose
So the Bible said and it still is news
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own
Yes, the strong gets more
Empty pockets don't ever make the grade
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own
Money, you've got lots of friends
Crowding round the door
When you're gone, spending ends
They don't come no more
Rich relations give
Crust of bread and such
You can help yourself
But don't take too much
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own
(Repeat)
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own
He just worry 'bout nothin'
Cause he's got his own
Yes he's got his own
The lyrics of Eartha Kitt's "God Bless the Child" are a poignant reflection on the value of self-sufficiency and independence. The song highlights the way that society often privileges those who already have resources, while the less fortunate are left to fend for themselves. As the lyrics state, "them that's got shall have, them that's not shall lose," emphasizing the way that poverty perpetuates itself and creates a cycle of disadvantage.
The song then pivots to celebrate those who are able to break out of this cycle and achieve financial independence: "God bless the child that's got his own." The lyrics suggest that having one's own resources is a form of liberation, freeing a person from the need to rely on others and allowing them to worry about "nothin'" in comparison to those who struggle to get by.
Overall, "God Bless the Child" is a pointed critique of the inequities of society, particularly around access to financial resources. At the same time, it celebrates the nobility and freedom that comes with being self-sufficient, highlighting the importance of individual effort in achieving a better life.
Line by Line Meaning
Them that's got shall have
Those who already have will continue to receive more.
Them that's not shall lose
Those who do not have will continue to lose what little they have left.
So the Bible said and it still is news
This is not a new concept and has been stated in religious texts for centuries.
Mama may have, Papa may have
One's family or support system may have wealth or resources.
But God bless the child that's got his own
However, it is only those who have their own wealth and resources who are truly blessed and have a sense of security.
That's got his own
Having one's own wealth and resources is a source of pride and safety.
Yes, the strong gets more
Those who are already strong, wealthy, or privileged will continue to gain more power and resources.
While the weak ones fade
Those who lack power, wealth, or privilege will continue to lose what little they have left.
Empty pockets don't ever make the grade
Lack of money or resources often leads to failure or the inability to succeed.
Money, you've got lots of friends
People are often only interested in someone with money or resources.
Crowding round the door
Friends or acquaintances will flock to someone with money or resources.
When you're gone, spending ends
Once someone who had money or resources is no longer around, the people who previously flocked to them disappear.
They don't come no more
The people who were only interested in money or resources will no longer be present or interested once those resources are gone.
Rich relations give
Family members or those with wealth often give only the bare minimum or scraps to those without.
Crust of bread and such
The wealthier may offer only the most basic necessities to those without resources.
You can help yourself
Those without resources are expected to take care of themselves.
But don't take too much
However, those without resources are also told not to take too much for fear of being seen as ungrateful or taking advantage.
He just worry 'bout nothin'
Those who have their own wealth and resources have no need to worry about losing what little they have or being taken advantage of.
Cause he's got his own
These individuals have a sense of pride and security in knowing they have their own wealth and resources.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: ARTHUR HERZOG, BILLIE HOLIDAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind