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)
IMAGINATION
Kate Smith Lyrics
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It makes the cloudy day sunny
Makes the bee think of honey
Just as I think of you
Imagination is crazy
Your whole perspective gets hazy
Starts you asking a daisy
Have you ever felt the gentle touch
And then a kiss, and then, and then
Find it's only your imagination again
Oh, well
Imagination is silly
You go around willy-nilly
For example, I go around wanting you
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
Imagination is silly
You go around willy-nilly
For example, I go around wanting you
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
The lyrics of Kate Smith's song "Imagination" speak about the power of imagination and its ability to transform one's everyday experiences into something more magical and wonderful. It highlights how imagination can make a cloudy day feel sunny and create thoughts of honey in a bee's mind. The use of these imagery-filled lines illustrates how imagination can create a more positive perception of reality.
However, the song's lyrics also address the craziness and silliness of imagination. It takes the listener through the experience of having their whole perspective become hazy, leading them to even seek guidance from a daisy in their search for direction. Additionally, the lyrics touch upon the feeling of imagining a gentle touch or a kiss, only to find out it was one's own imagination playing tricks. Despite this, the song ends on a hopeful note, as the singer acknowledges the foolishness of their imagination, yet can't help but want that special someone, even though they can't imagine that person wanting them back.
Overall, the lyrics convey the idea that imagination can be both wonderful and absurd, but ultimately it is a reflection of our deepest desires and hopes.
Line by Line Meaning
Imagination is funny
The power of imagination is amusing and brings a smile to one's face.
It makes the cloudy day sunny
Imagination can lighten up a dull or gloomy situation.
Makes the bee think of honey
Imagination can create fantasies and desires in one's mind, just like honey does for bees.
Just as I think of you
The artist's imagination is focused on the person they are thinking of.
Imagination is crazy
Imagination can sometimes distort one's perception and make them feel disoriented or confused.
Your whole perspective gets hazy
Imagination can cloud one's judgment and create confusion, making it difficult to think clearly.
Starts you asking a daisy
Imagination can lead to a person seeking guidance or answers from unlikely sources or objects.
What to do, what to do
Imagination can create uncertainty and confusion, making it challenging to make decisions.
Have you ever felt the gentle touch
The artist is asking if the listener has ever imagined a tactile sensation.
And then a kiss, and then, and then
The artist is describing a sequence of imagined events that build on each other.
Find it's only your imagination again
The singer realizes that the experiences were all products of their imagination and not reality.
Oh, well
The artist accepts the fact that their fantasies were not real and that it's okay.
Imagination is silly
Imagination can sometimes be foolish and lead to unrealistic expectations or perceptions.
You go around willy-nilly
Imagination can cause people to act impulsively and spontaneously without clear intention or purpose.
For example, I go around wanting you
The singer's imagination is focused on their desire for the person they are thinking of.
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
The artist has trouble believing their imagination is mutual and that the other person feels the same way they do.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JES BRIEDEN, D. DRESDEN, J. GABRIEL, David Dresden, Josh Gabriel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind