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)
If I Had My Life to Life Over
Kate Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since the days of old
I wouldn't think of changing things
For all the World and its gold
If I had my life to live over
I'd do the same things again
I'd still want to roam
Where my happiness never would end
I'd meet you when school days were over
And we'd walk through the lanes we once knew
If I had my life to live over
I'd still fall in love with you
If I had my life to live over
I'd do the same things again
I'd still want to roam
Near that place we called home
Where my happiness never would end
I'd meet you when school days were over
And we'd walk through the lanes we once knew
If I had my life to live over
I'd still fall in love with you
Yes, if I had my life to live over
I'd still fall in love with you
The song "If I Had My Life To Live Over" by Kate Smith has a very simple message: the singer wishes that she could relive her life, but wouldn't change anything. She recounts her journey through life with her partner, stating that even though they went through their ups and downs, she wouldn't want to change a single thing. She talks about wanting to return to the place they called home, and walks through the lanes that they once knew. The refrain repeats that if she had her life to live over again, she would still fall in love with her partner.
The song is a beautiful reflection on the power of love and the joys of nostalgia. It speaks to the deep connections that people forge throughout their lives and how those connections persist, even as we age and time moves ever forward. The singer is content with the choices she has made and the life she has lived, and sees the value in the memories she's made with her loved one.
Overall, "If I Had My Life To Live Over" is a poignant song that celebrates the beauty and richness of life, highlighting the importance of treasuring the moments we have with those we love.
Line by Line Meaning
As I review my life with you
Looking back on my life while sharing my memories with you
Since the days of old
For as long as I can remember
I wouldn't think of changing things
There's nothing I regret or would want to alter
For all the World and its gold
No amount of riches or treasures could make me want to change anything
If I had my life to live over
If I had another chance to live my life from the beginning
I'd do the same things again
There's nothing I would change about the choices I made in life
I'd still want to roam
I would still want to travel and explore the world
Near the place we called home
In the vicinity of the area we consider our home
Where my happiness never would end
The place where I feel the most content and fulfilled
I'd meet you when school days were over
We would first meet after finishing our education
And we'd walk through the lanes we once knew
We would stroll down the streets we used to frequent
I'd still fall in love with you
I would still develop romantic feelings for you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MOE JAFFE, HENRY H. TOBIAS, LARRY VINCENT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@donnacooper274
Kate is just great! She can treat a lyric with such tenderness that I get goosebumps!
@lizdoyle7158
🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊LOVELY