Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing Flashdance...What a Feeling. She is best known for her recordings of the songs Fame and Flashdance... What a Feeling. She also starred in the 1980 film version of Fame.
Personal
Her father Gaspar (died in 1994) is an Afro-Puerto Rican. Her mother Louise is of French and Cuban descent. She has 2 sisters and 2 brothers.
Married Hollywood stuntman Conrad Palmisano in 1986. They divorced in 1991.
Her age has always been a confusing mystery by biographers who stated her birth year as either 1959 or 1964 from the day she shot to fame. In July 2004 the Associated Press claimed to have found her voter registration record in Florida, where she lives. However, Ms. Cara has never voted or registered to do so in Florida. Ms. Cara disputes this and claims that she has never voted. Her date of birth is March 18th 1962 on Twitter.
Career
Irene first captivated the audiences of her family sometime after her fifth birthday when she began to play the piano by ear. Irene soon moved into serious studies of music, acting, and dance. Her career started on Spanish-language television as a child, professionally singing and dancing. By age 8, Cara recorded a Latin-market Spanish-language record; an English Christmas album soon followed.
From there, Cara appeared in on- and off-Broadway theatrical shows including the musical The Me Nobody Knows (which won an Obie award) and Maggie Flynn, opposite Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy.
As a pre-teen, Her first national exposure was in the educational series The Electric Company, playing a member of the band The Short Circus. The series also featured Bill Cosby, Rita Moreno, Morgan Freeman, Mel Brooks, Joan Rivers and Gene Wilder.
Next came her role as Angela in romance thriller classic Aaron Loves Angela, followed by her portrayal of the title character in Sparkle.
Television brought Irene international acclaim for serious dramatic roles in two outstanding mini series, Roots: The Next Generations, the critically acclaimed adaptation of Alex Haley’s moving novel and Guyanna Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones.
1980s box office smash movie Fame catapulted Irene to stardom. As Coco Hernandez she sang both the title song Fame and the film’s second hit single Out Here On My Own. This made the movie soundtrack be a multi-platinum album that topped the charts. Further history was made when at the Academy Awards that year; for the first time two songs from one film were nominated in the same category: Fame and Out Here On My Own. Cara had the opportunity to be one of the few singers to perform more than one song at the Oscar ceremony. (Note: Robert Goulet, who sang all the Oscar-nominated songs in 1963, is among several singers who had done so in the past.) Fame, written by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford, won the award that year.
Fame earned Irene a 1980 Grammy nominations for "Best New Female Artist" and "Best New Pop Artist," as well as a Golden Globe nomination for "Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical". Billboard Magazine named Irene "Top New Single Artist," while Cashbox awarded her both "Most Promising Female Vocalist" and "Top Female Vocalist."
In 1982 Irene earned the Image Award for Best Actress when she co-starred with Diahann Carroll and Rosalind Cash in the NBC Movie of the Week, Maya Angelou's Sister, Sister. Irene portrayed Myrlie Evers-Williams in the PBS TV movie about Civil Rights Leader Medgar Evers, For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story; and earned an NAACP Image Award Best Actress nomination. She also was in 1982's Killing 'em Softly.
In 1983, Irene's title song for the movie Flashdance Flashdance...What A Feeling, which she co-wrote with Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey won her numerous awards. She won the 1983 Academy Award for Best Song(Oscar); 1984 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, 1984 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, Top Female Vocalist-Pop Singles, Black Contemporary Female Vocalist-Pop Singles, Top Pop Crossover Artist-Black Contemporary Singles, Pop Single of the Year, American Music Awards for Best R&B Female Artist and Best Pop Single of the Year.
In 1984 she was in City Heat and in 1985 she was in Certain Fury and in 1986 she was in Busted Up. She provided the voice of Snow White in the unofficial sequel to Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Filmation's Happily Ever After in 1993.
In 1992, Irene toured in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, along with Ted Neely and Carl Anderson playing their respective roles from the film adaptation of the play.
Singing Career
Along with her successful career in acting, Cara released three albums in the 1980s: Anyone Can See in 1982, What A Feelin' in 1983 and Carasmatic in 1987. She also released a compilation of Euro-dance singles in the mid to late 90's entitled Precarious 90's.
Currently
In June 2005, Irene won the third round of NBC television series Hit Me Baby One More Time, performing "Flashdance (What a Feeling)" and covered Anastacia's hit "I'm Outta Love" with her current band, Hot Caramel.
At the 2006 AFL Grand Final in Melbourne, Cara performed "Flashdance (What a Feeling)" as an opener to the pre-match entertainment.
She lived in Florida and continues work in preparation for her band Hot Caramel's album.
Cara died at her home in Largo, Florida, on November 25, 2022, at the age of 63. The official cause of death was determined to be arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease.
Out Here On My Own
Irene Cara Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who I am,
Do I fit in.
Make believein' is hard alone,
Out here on my own.
We're always provin' who we are,
Always reachin'
To guide me far
And shine me home,
Out here on my own.
When I'm down and feelin' blue,
I close my eyes so I can be with you.
Oh, baby be strong for me;
Baby belong to me.
Help me through.
Help me need you.
Until the morning sun appears
Making light
Of all my fears,
I dry the tears
I've never shown,
Out here on my own.
But when I'm down and feelin' blue,
I close my eyes so I can be with you.
Oh, baby be strong for me;
Baby, belong to me.
Help me through.
Help me need you.
Sometimes I wonder where I've been,
Who I am,
Do I fit in.
I may not win,
But I can't be thrown,
Out here on my own,
Out here on my own.
The lyrics of Irene Cara's “Out Here On My Own” are about feeling lost and alone, and searching for a sense of belonging. The first verse begins with the singer expressing her doubts about herself and her place in society, wondering where she comes from and if she is accepted. The second verse suggests that we all want to achieve our dreams, but in order to do so, we must constantly prove ourselves, while always searching for someone or something to guide and support us. The chorus repeats the refrain “out here on my own”, capturing the sense of isolation and vulnerability, but also a determination to persevere. The bridge is about finding solace in love and relationships, acknowledging that sometimes we all need someone to lean on when we feel lost.
The song is a testament to the power of self-reflection, perseverance, and the importance of human relationships. It encourages listeners to embrace their individuality, never give up on their dreams, and to seek out relationships that help and support them. The metaphorical use of light and darkness is also significant in this song, as the singer seeks the light that will shine her home, and in doing so, overcome the fears that have been holding her back.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I wonder where I've been,
At times I ponder over my past and my journey so far.
Who I am,
I question my true identity and what defines me.
Do I fit in.
I contemplate if I belong and if I am accepted by others.
Make believein' is hard alone,
It's tough to live in a world of fantasy without anyone to share it with.
Out here on my own.
I am all alone, and there is no one to turn to.
We're always provin' who we are,
We continuously strive to prove our worth and establish our identity.
Always reachin'
We keep striving for success and growth in life.
For that risin' star
We look up to a goal or an ambition that will lead us to success.
To guide me far
I seek a path that will take me far in life.
And shine me home,
I hope for a guiding light that will lead me to my ultimate destination or purpose.
When I'm down and feelin' blue,
During tough times when I feel sad and low,
I close my eyes so I can be with you.
I rely on my imagination to be with someone who can comfort me, even if they are not physically present.
Oh, baby be strong for me;
I need someone to be my rock, and to support me during my struggles.
Baby belong to me.
I need someone who is committed to me and who will always be there for me.
Help me through.
I need someone to help me overcome my difficulties.
Until the morning sun appears
I wait for the dawn when there is hope and light for a new day.
Making light
The sun brings brightness and hope to my life.
Of all my fears,
The brightness of the sun diminishes my fears and doubts.
I dry the tears
I no longer cry or express my emotions because now I have hope.
I've never shown,
I hide away my emotions and vulnerability from the world.
But when I'm down and feelin' blue,
During tough times when I feel sad and low,
I close my eyes so I can be with you.
I rely on my imagination to be with someone who can comfort me, even if they are not physically present.
Oh, baby be strong for me;
I need someone to be my rock, and to support me during my struggles.
Baby, belong to me.
I need someone who is committed to me and who will always be there for me.
Help me through.
I need someone to help me overcome my difficulties.
Sometimes I wonder where I've been,
At times I ponder over my past and my journey so far.
Who I am,
I question my true identity and what defines me.
Do I fit in.
I contemplate if I belong and if I am accepted by others.
I may not win,
I may not succeed or achieve my goals.
But I can't be thrown,
Despite my failures or setbacks, I won't give up.
Out here on my own,
I am all alone, and there is no one to turn to.
Out here on my own.
I am all alone, and there is no one to turn to.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Lesley Gore, Michael Gore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ip3ym2sm5r
Haven't heard this song in years. Bring tears to eyes just listening to this beautiful song sung by a pure talented singer Irene Cara.. Sung from the heart and soul.--Updated 11/26/2022 RIP. RIH. Irene Cara. The movies that you ⭐ in "Sparkle ' and "Fame' will always remained my all time favorites. My condolences to your family and friends.
Sometimes I wonder where I've been,
Who I am,
Do I fit in.
Make believein' is hard alone,
Out here on my own.
We're always provin' who we are,
Always reachin'
For that risin' star
To guide me far
And shine me home,
Out here on my own.
When I'm down and feelin' blue,
I close my eyes so I can be with you.
Oh, baby be strong for me;
Baby belong to me.
Help me through.
Help me need you.
Until the morning sun appears
Making light
Of all my fears,
I dry the tears
I've never shown,
Out here on my own.
But when I'm down and feelin' blue,
I close my eyes so I can be with you.
Oh, baby be strong for me;
Baby, belong to me.
Help me through.
Help me need you.
Sometimes I wonder where I've been,
Who I am,
Do I fit in.
I may not win,
But I can't be thrown,
Out here on my own,
Out here on my own.
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Lesley Gore / Michael Gore
Out Here on My Own lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
@stevecramer9233
And this morning I learned of her passing. Another incredible light has gone out. Yes, no one has ever sung this song with the passion that she has shared. RIP Irene Cara. You will be missed.
@cathyfromohio5862
Yes, I've shared it to my FB page. "What a SINGER!"
@davidfuller4110
THANK you Irene for the music you gave us in the 70s and 80s. There will never be another Irene Cara.
@julietcapps3416
Sad news this morning. 😢
@sophiefontaine1237
@@cathyfromohio5862 ,me too
@raphaelsmith5777
beautiful person beautiful voice
@arielsmith2511
I listen to this song every day, and to hear that Irene Cara has passed away weighs so heavily on my heart !! A beautiful actress and singer gone too soon.. REST IN LOVE
@MT-ek9te
Irene Cara is a National Treasure !!!
IS IT TOO LATE TO APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT OF THESE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS THAT IRENE CARA BE AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM FOR HER OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE NATION AND TO THE ENTIRE WORLD ?
@hillsane9262
She was a triple threat!! A good dancer too!
@hillsane9262
And if she is really playing the piano, too much! Not fair but wonderful!