Irene's older brother, Roy Kral, was a successful musician when Irene started singing professionally as a teenager. She sung with bands on tours led by Woody Herman and Chubby Jackson, former Herman bass player.
Irene joined Maynard Ferguson's band in the late 1950s and sang with groups led by Stan Kenton and Shelly Manne.
Irene then started a solo career until her death at 46 years of age. She was a ballad singer who stated that Carmen McRae was one of her inspirations.
Irene was made more famous posthumously when Clint Eastwood used her recordings in his 1995 movie, The Bridges of Madison County.
(from Wikipedia)
Star Eyes
Irene Kral Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That to me is what your eyes are,
Soft as stars in April skies are,
Tell me some day you'll fulfill
Their promise of a thrill.
Star eyes,
Flashing eyes in which my hopes rise,
Let me prove that it adores
That loveliness of yours.
All my life I've felt
Content to stargaze at the skies.
Now I only want to to melt
The stardust in your eyes.
Star eyes,
When if ever, will my lips know
If it's me for whom those eyes glow?
Makes no diff'rence where you are,
Your eyes still hold my wishing star,
Oh, star eyes, how lovely you are.
In Irene Kral's song Star Eyes, the singer describes the eyes of her love interest as "star eyes." She describes them as being soft, flashing, and promising a thrill. She longs for him to fulfill the promise of a thrill that his eyes hold. Throughout her life, she has been content to stargaze at the skies, but now all she wants to do is to melt the stardust in his eyes. She is hopeful that one day she will know if it's her for whom his eyes glow.
The imagery of star eyes is used to describe a sense of wonder and elation that the singer feels when looking at her love interest's eyes. They are compared to the stars in April skies, which are soft and fleeting, but still hold a sense of beauty and wonder. Her hopes rise when she looks into his flashing eyes, and she is eager to show him where her heart lies. The lyrics suggest a sense of yearning and passion that is waiting to be fulfilled.
Line by Line Meaning
Star eyes,
I'm addressing you and your eyes that are like stars to me.
That to me is what your eyes are,
In my eyes, your eyes are as beautiful as stars.
Soft as stars in April skies are,
Just like the stars that shine softly in the April skies, your eyes have a gentleness and beauty to them.
Tell me some day you'll fulfill
I'm hoping that one day you will fulfill
Their promise of a thrill.
the potential or promise of a thrill that your eyes hold.
Flashing eyes in which my hopes rise,
Your eyes shine, and they give me hope that there is a possibility of something between us.
Let me show you where my heart lies.
Let me reveal my love for you and show you that my heart belongs to you.
Let me prove that it adores
I want to demonstrate how much I love you and how much adoration I have for you.
That loveliness of yours.
You are so lovely to me, and I want to show you my appreciation and love.
All my life I've felt
I've felt this way for my entire life
Content to stargaze at the skies.
I used to be happy just stargazing at the skies, but now I want more.
Now I only want to to melt
My desire is now to melt
The stardust in your eyes.
The sparkle and beauty in your eyes is what I want to experience and be a part of.
When if ever, will my lips know
I'm questioning when my lips will finally know
If it's me for whom those eyes glow?
If your eyes are shining for me or someone else.
Makes no diff'rence where you are,
It doesn't matter where you are
Your eyes still hold my wishing star,
Because your eyes are so beautiful to me, they still hold my dreams and my hopes of what could be.
Oh, star eyes, how lovely you are.
I'm admiring your beauty and telling you how much I appreciate you and your star-like eyes.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GENE DE PAUL, DON RAYE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
amtrakatsfnyc
Betty Carter has also recorded this song with her very "up tempo Betty Style" touch. This is not to detract from Irene's slower style. Both ladies are excellent singers with poise and grace.
Desperate Times
Perfect intonation and diction. She had it all!
marktarmannpiano
Powerful Piano player. High level combination of chops, assertive, creative rhythmic comping, and restraint, supporting the singer.. That's a nice trick to combine all those qualities.
I have this on a compilation, and had to find the name of the pianist. Wow. I am going to study this man some more. Lovely vocal reading too. "Bin ganz begeistert"
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doc
Bird rescued this from the dustbin of forgetfulness. This fascinating melody so prime for jazz interpretation has never had a really fine vocal presentation. But this one is really fine. The song is one that everyone in the jazz world must come to terms with sooner or later.
Desperate Times
Jerome Kern was never in a dustbin.
Grissy Haygood
Milton Moore every singer has their own interpretation of a song...
Milton Moore
Never really had a
fine vocal presentation until
now? Have you never heard Sarah
Vaughan's two
versions? (particularly the
slower of the pair,
which is my favorite.)
Grissy Haygood
Nice...really, really nice...
JungleYT Jim
I saw Irene perform at California State University Long Beach in 1978... I am shocked and saddened to discover that she was dead within months. You would not have known it seeing her... I think I got her autograph. She was very gracious of course. In my minds eye I thought she was fair-skinned Black or mixed heritage. Or maybe thought she was Black until I saw her perform - No Internet back then. Just radio. That was long time ago. Now I see she was Czechoslovakian.
marktarmannpiano
Musicians all worked accompanying singers, playing gigs for squares. Keep it inside, recognizable, danceable. Restraint, simply and effectively supporting the singer, the song , never playing it so everybody but your JC jazz 1a instructor is totally lost listening. ME in Small's 2019 NYC "what tune was that?"...19 yr old.jazz major from julliard. "that was a blues.." ME "oh.....it was? ...thanks"......