Her musical career began in earnest when she was discovered in 1930 by Columbia Records vice president Ted Collins, who became her longtime partner and manager and who put her on the radio in 1931. She sang the controversial top twenty song of 1931, "That's Why Darkies Were Born". She starred in the 1932 movie Hello Everybody!, with co-stars Randolph Scott and Sally Blane, and in 1943 she sang "God Bless America" in the wartime picture This is the Army. Irving Berlin had written the song in 1938 for her, and it is considered "the second National Anthem" of the United States. Its popularity and constant airplay led Woody Guthrie to pen the original version of "This Land Is Your Land" in protest at the Berlin tune's unquestioning complacency.
Kate began making records in 1926; among her biggest hits were "River, Stay 'Way From My Door" (1931), "The Woodpecker Song" (1940), "The White Cliffs of Dover" (1941), "Rose O'Day" (1941), "I Don't Want to Walk Without You" (1942), "There Goes That Song Again" (1944), "Seems Like Old Times" (1946), and "Now Is the Hour" (1947). Her theme song was "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain", the lyrics of which she helped write. She greeted audiences with "Hello, everybody!" and signed off with "Thanks for listenin'."
Her oversized figure made her the occasional butt of derision from fellow performers and managers. Despite the occasional ridicule, Smith was a major star of radio, usually backed by Jack Miller's Orchestra. She began in 1931 with her twice-a-week NBC series, Kate Smith Sings (which quickly expanded to six shows a week), followed by a series of shows for CBS: Kate Smith and Her Swanee Music (1931-33), sponsored by La Palina Cigars; The Kate Smith Matinee (1934-35); The Kate Smith New Star Revue (1934-35); Kate Smith's Coffee Time (1935-36), sponsored by A&P; and The Kate Smith A&P Bandwagon (1936-37).
For eight years (1937-45), The Kate Smith Hour was a leading radio variety show, offering comedy, music and drama with appearances by top personalities of films and theater. The nationwide audience was introduced to comedy by the show's resident comics, Abbott and Costello and Henny Youngman, while a series of sketches led to The Aldrich Family as a spin-off in 1940. She continued into the 1950s on the Mutual Broadcasting System, CBS, ABC and NBC, doing both music and talk shows.
An unusual part of her career began on December 11, 1969, when the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team played her rendition of "God Bless America" before the game. Philadelphia beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 6-3. The team would begin to play the song before home games every once in a while, and the perception developed that the team was more successful on these occasions, so the tradition grew.
Kate Smith, who never married, died of diabetes at the age of 79 in Raleigh, North Carolina, several years after converting to Roman Catholicism. (from Wikipedia)
Easter Parade
Kate Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never saw you dressed quite so lovely, what's more.
I could hardly wait to keep our date this lovely
Easter morning,
And my heart beat fast as I came through the door for:
In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
On the Avenue, Fifth Avenue,
The photographers will snap us
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.
In my Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
I'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
You'll be all in clover, and when they look me over
You'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
On the Avenue, Fifth Avenue,
The photographers will snap us
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.
Oh, you may write a sonnet about my Easter bonnet
And of the girl you're taking to the Easter Parade.
Kate Smith’s song “Easter Parade” is a sweet and romantic number that describes the excitement of dressing up and attending the annual Easter Parade. In the first verse, the singer is enamored by her partner's beauty and elegance, noticing that she looks particularly lovely and dressed up for the occasion. The singer's eagerness to share the day with her is palpable, and her heart races as she enters the room.
The chorus describes the two partners' attire and how they will stand out in the parade. The lyrics mention the singer's Easter bonnet, describing it with all the frills upon it. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the pride they will both feel as they partake in the parade together. The song ends on a romantic note as the singer mentions how they could both write a sonnet about each other's Easter bonnet and how it feels to be in each other's company on this special day.
Line by Line Meaning
Never saw you look quite so pretty before.
You look stunning today, more beautiful than I have ever seen you.
Never saw you dressed quite so lovely, what's more.
Your outfit today is particularly stunning, and enhances your natural beauty.
I could hardly wait to keep our date this lovely Easter morning,
I was excited to spend time with you today, on this beautiful Easter holiday morning.
And my heart beat fast as I came through the door for:
I was thrilled to see you, and my heart raced as I walked through the door.
In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
Your decorative Easter hat is impressive, with all the intricate details and adornments.
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
You are the most fabulous and elegant woman in the entire Easter Parade.
I'll be all in clover, and when they look you over,
I'll feel incredibly lucky and proud to be with you, and other people will envy us for how amazing you look.
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
I'll feel extremely happy and proud to be walking alongside you in the Easter Parade.
On the Avenue, Fifth Avenue,
We are walking on the famous Fifth Avenue, surrounded by fashionable boutiques and upscale stores.
The photographers will snap us
We are so stylish and photogenic that photographers will take our picture.
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.
We'll be published in a high-class magazine, showcasing our impeccable style and grace.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet
Your Easter hat is so beautiful and inspiring that I could write a long and poetic tribute to it.
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.
I am so proud to be walking with you, the most amazing and dazzling girl, to the Easter Parade.
In my Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
My own Easter hat is also stunning, with plenty of decorative details and adornments.
You'll be all in clover, and when they look me over,
You are lucky to be walking with me, as I am also quite stylish and impressive, and others will envy us for our elegance.
You'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
You'll be incredibly happy and proud to be with me, the most amazing and dazzling guy, in the Easter Parade.
Oh, you may write a sonnet about my Easter bonnet
My Easter hat is just as impressive and inspiring as yours, and it deserves a long and poetic tribute as well.
And of the girl you're taking to the Easter Parade.
You are incredibly lucky to be walking with me, the most stunning and fabulous girl, to the Easter Parade.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
butchscorner
The best, there will never be another.
Donna Cooper
Charming as always. Another Irving Berlin classic made wonderful with the Great Kate singing!
Hello, Everybody: Kate Smith!
I agree! I'm glad you enjoyed this.