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.
I
Eartha Kitt Lyrics
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I've petted stray dogs, and shied clear of dope
My smile is brilliant, my glance is tender
But I'm noted most for my unspoiled gender
I've been made Miss Reingold, though I never touch beer
And I'm the person to whom they say, "You're sweet, my dear"
The only etchings I've seen have been behind glass
And the closest I've been to a bar was at ballet class
I'm tired of being pure and not chased
Like something that seeks it's level
I wanna go to the devil
I wanna be evil, I wanna spit tacks
I wanna be evil and cheat at jacks
I wanna be wicked, I wanna tell lies
I wanna be mean and throw mud pies
I want to wake up in the morning
With that dark brown taste
I wanna see some dissipation in my face
I wanna be evil, I wanna be mad
But more than that, I wanna be bad
I wanna be evil and trump an ace
Just to see my partner's face
I wanna be nasty, I wanna be cruel
I wanna be daring, I wanna shoot pool
And in the theatre, I want to change my seat
Just so I can step on everybody's feet
I wanna be evil, I wanna hurt flies
I wanna sing songs like the guy who cries
I wanna be horrid, I wanna drink booze
And whatever I've got, I am eager to lose
I wanna be evil, little evil me
Just as mean and evil as I can be
The song "I Want To Be Evil" by Eartha Kitt and Henri René portrays the desire of a woman who has always been seen as the epitome of grace and femininity, but is tired of living up to that image. In the first verse, the singer describes how she has always been an innocent woman who has never touched beer or drugs, and has always maintained a proper demeanor. However, she is tired of being pure and wants to experience a sense of rebellion. The singer is tired of everyone calling her "sweet" and wants to break out of that stereotype.
The second and third verses amplify her desire to be evil, to spit tacks, cheat at jacks, tell lies, throw mud pies, and be bad. She wants to experience dissipation in her face, wake up with a dark brown taste, lose her inhibitions, and be cruel. The singer wants to be daring and shoot pool, change her seat in the theater so that she can step on everybody's feet. The desire to be evil is heightened as she wants to hurt flies, sing songs like the guy who cries, and drink booze. The singer is eager to lose her inhibitions and be the little evil woman she has always wanted to be.
Overall, the song "I Want To Be Evil" is a satirical representation of the desire of a woman who wants to break free from the confinements of society's expectations and be her true self.
Line by Line Meaning
I've posed for pictures with Iv'ry Soap
I've done the wholesome, innocent stuff that's expected of me.
I've petted stray dogs, and shied clear of dope
I've done kind things, and avoided any illegal or immoral behavior.
My smile is brilliant, my glance is tender
I have a very pleasing outer appearance and demeanor.
But I'm noted most for my unspoiled gender
But despite my positive qualities, the thing people seem to focus on most is the fact that I'm a woman who hasn't done anything 'bad'.
I've been made Miss Reingold, though I never touch beer
I've even won a beauty pageant for being an admirable and sober woman.
And I'm the person to whom they say, "You're sweet, my dear"
People often treat me as if I'm incapable of doing anything wrong or 'unladylike'.
The only etchings I've seen have been behind glass
I've only ever observed sexually suggestive or inappropriate things from a distance, never actually participating or engaging with them myself.
And the closest I've been to a bar was at ballet class
The closest I've been to something deemed 'unladylike' is by being near a bar in a ballet studio.
Prim and proper, the girl who's never been kissed
I've lived my life in a very 'correct' way, never doing anything out of the norm.
I'm tired of being pure and not chased
But now, I'm fed up with everything about myself that has been deemed good, and I want to explore my darker side.
Like something that seeks it's level
I want to let myself be free and do what comes naturally to me, without worrying about societal expectations or norms.
I wanna go to the devil
I want to be seen as 'bad' or 'wicked', like someone who has sold her soul to the devil.
I wanna be evil, I wanna spit tacks
I want to be overtly mean and nasty towards other people; spitting tacks is a metaphor for being that cruel.
I wanna be evil and cheat at jacks
I want to embrace mischievousness and cheat in a child's game, which is something that 'good' people don't typically do.
I wanna be wicked, I wanna tell lies
I want to break societal norms and be the bad girl who tells tall tales.
I wanna be mean and throw mud pies
I want to be childish and hurtful, embracing the image of the classic naughty child.
I want to wake up in the morning
With that dark brown taste
I want to wake up with the remnants of alcohol from the night before; a dark brown taste is a common description of the taste of liquor.
I wanna see some dissipation in my face
I want to see visible changes in myself as I become more dissolute and devilish.
I wanna be evil, I wanna be mad
I want to fully embrace being evil and insane.
But more than that, I wanna be bad
But ultimately, I want to be seen as a 'bad girl', to shed the image of the good, pure woman I've always presented myself as.
I wanna be evil and trump an ace
I want to bend the rules and win in ways that are considered unfair or unsportsmanlike.
Just to see my partner's face
I want to see the look of shock or disbelief from someone else when I do something 'bad'.
I wanna be nasty, I wanna be cruel
I want to be seen as the bad guy and be malicious just for the sake of it.
I wanna be daring, I wanna shoot pool
I want to embrace activities that are typically associated with bad boys and be daring and adventurous.
And in the theatre, I want to change my seat
Just so I can step on everybody's feet
I want to act out in public spaces and be cruel to others, even just for the small pleasure of stepping on their feet.
I wanna be evil, I wanna hurt flies
I want to find pleasure in hurting small, seemingly harmless things.
I wanna sing songs like the guy who cries
I want to embody the classic 'crybaby' man who is seen as weak and vulnerable.
I wanna be horrid, I wanna drink booze
I want to be seen as a woman who is horrid and does the things ladies don't do, such as drinking to excess.
And whatever I've got, I am eager to lose
I'm willing to toss aside my old reputation and image if it means fully embracing my inner 'bad girl'.
I wanna be evil, little evil me
Just as mean and evil as I can be
I want to be everything that society says women shouldn't be, and I want to embrace a fully evil persona.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Raymond Taylor, Lester Judson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
frankielovemrears
I don't care what the gossips may say
I don't care they can gammor all day
If they dare try to get in my way
They're aware I don't care what they say
Either way I will do as I please
Come what may if they're down on their knees
Who can say if I'm doing it wrong
For today I'm still here I am strong
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way
Let them jeer let them rant and rave
I'm still here if I misbehave
I don't care what the trendies may do
I don't care what they tell me is new
It's so square, monkey see monkey do
Let them stare I'm enjoying the view
Through the years I have paid them don't mind
Through the tears I have left them behind
By their fears do you think I'm afraid
No my dears not the slightest phase
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way
Let them jeer let them rant and rave
I'm still here if I misbehave
I don't care,
Some are sad, they say my taste is extreme
Some get mad, because the Kitt gets the cream
I have had the eyes of all of the world
Not too bad for a material girl
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way
Let them jeer let them rant and rave
I'm still here if I misbehave
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way
Let them jeer let them rant and rave
I'm still here if I misbehave
I don't care,
Some are sad, they say my taste is extreme
Some get mad, because the Kitt gets the cream
I have had the eyes of all of the world
Not too bad for a material girl
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way
Let them jeer let them rant and rave
I'm still here if I misbehave
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way
Let them jeer let them rant and rave
I'm still here if I misbehave
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way
Let them jeer let them rant and rave
I'm still here if I misbehave
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way
Let them jeer let them rant and rave
I'm still here if I misbehave
I don't care what the people saying
I will still carry on this way...
Amanda vegan for the animals
There's never been or ever going to be another woman like Eartha. She was awesome in every way. 👏 love her ❤
DGray78
I know I miss her on Batman LOL!
D C
So true!
Mark MA
well thank goodness!
Nick Pavia
I hope you have gone back to eating meat. Plants don't have over 15 nutrients essential for human life.
Alexis M
She was an under appreciated icon.
RIXRADvidz
again, another one with no sense of History. Eartha Kitt was a major player in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's to the point that it got her blackballed in America and she had to go to Europe to keep her career going, it wasn't until the 1980's that she returned to the World Stage from Europe and America suddenly rediscovered their darling sweet heart, Miss Eartha Kitt. she's not Under Appreciated, perhaps by the current herd of anthropoid hominids, but 'In The Day' she was a very well known and appreciated performer, humanitarian.
youparejo
@RIXRADvidz I agree. But I think she sould be more remembered now. Her talent, Charisma and personal convictions/activism makes her extra ordinary
Mario Caffari
@TemujinMSM Hi. her Spirit is still around
Rob Parker
Not under appreciated by me!