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 Wantcha Around
Eartha Kitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go to bed early, early at night
Darling keep healthy, dont lose a pound
Cause if I love ya
Than I need ya
If I need ya
Than I want ya around
If you love matches, you can get burned
Never kiss strangers, nasty old germs
Exercise daily, jump up and down
Cause if I love ya
Than I need ya
If I need ya
Than I want ya around
Take vitamins A,B,C,D,E,F,G for lunch(lunch)
Sweetheart dont run yourself down
By hanging around with the bunch
You can have fun dear, life is a kick
Babys got kisses, theyll make you tick
Even at ninety, youll still be sound
Cause if I love ya
Than I need ya
If I need ya
Than I want ya around
Take vitamins A,B,C,D,E,F,G for lunch(lunch)
Sweetheart dont run yourself down
By hanging around with the bunch
You can have fun dear, life is a kick
Babys got kisses, theyll make you tick
Even at ninety, youll still be sound
Cause if I love ya
Than I need ya
If I need ya
Than I want ya around
Cause if I love ya
Than I need ya
If I need ya
Than I want ya around
Cause if I love ya
Than I need ya
If I need ya
Than I want ya around
Eartha Kitt's song "I Wantcha Around" is a whimsical and playful tune that expresses the singer's love and concern for her partner's well-being. The song's lyrics advise individuals to take good care of themselves by adhering to daily routines, getting sufficient sleep and nutrients, and avoiding bad habits. Eartha emphasizes the importance of healthy lifestyles, safety precautions, and happiness.
The lyrics highlight the desire to cherish each moment spent with one's loved ones and to make sure that they are healthy and happy. She advises lovers to be careful, to take care of themselves, to make sure to avoid risky behaviors, and to keep healthy. These may seem like typical pieces of advice about health and safety, but Eartha imbues them with a sense of fun and warmth that conveys her affection for her partner.
In conclusion, Eartha Kitt's "I Wantcha Around" is a fun, loving song that encourages listeners to take care of themselves and cherish their loved ones so that they can build a lasting and fulfilling relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Pause at the crossings, wait for the light
Be careful and patient in life, taking the time to make good decisions and not rush into things.
Go to bed early, early at night
Take care of yourself by getting plenty of rest, going to bed at a reasonable hour every night.
Darling keep healthy, don't lose a pound
Maintain your health and well-being, but don't stress too much about your appearance or weight.
Cause if I love ya
Than I need ya
If I need ya
Than I want ya around
The artist cares about the person they love and wants them to stay healthy and be around for a long time.
If you love matches, you can get burned
Never kiss strangers, nasty old germs
Exercise daily, jump up and down
Be careful in life and take care of your health by not taking unnecessary risks, avoiding germs, and staying active.
Take vitamins A,B,C,D,E,F,G for lunch(lunch)
Sweetheart don't run yourself down
By hanging around with the bunch
Make sure to take care of your health by eating a nutritious lunch and not letting yourself get run down by negative influences or unhealthy habits.
You can have fun dear, life is a kick
Baby's got kisses, they'll make you tick
Even at ninety, you'll still be sound
Enjoy life and have fun, because even in your old age, you can still be healthy and happy.
Cause if I love ya
Than I need ya
If I need ya
Than I want ya around
The artist loves and cares about the person they're singing to, and wants them to be healthy and happy for a long time.
Writer(s): Merrill
Contributed by Liam E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.