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)
It Had to Be You
Kate Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why must I just give you your way?
Why do I sigh?
Why do I try to forget?
It must have been that something lovers call "Fate"
Kept on saying I had to wait
I saw them all
It had to be you, it had to be you
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me be blue
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss, but they wouldn't do
For nobody else gave me a thrill
With all your faults, I love you still
It had to be you, wonderful you, it had to be you
Kate Smith’s song “It Had To Be You” is a classic love song that expresses the shift in emotions people go through when they fall in love. The lyrics of the song reveal a common dilemma faced by those who are truly in love, which is the question of why they feel so compelled to do whatever their significant other requests. The opening lines of the song – “Why do I do just as you say? Why must I just give you your way? Why do I sigh? Why do I try to forget?” – reveal the hesitations and confusion faced by someone who wants to please the person they love. The song suggests that fate has brought the lovers together and it was only a matter of time until they found each other. The allusion of fate in the song gives the listeners the idea that fate is sometimes responsible for the unexpected events in life.
The chorus of “It Had To Be You” summarizes the entire story of the song. It highlights the individual search undertaken by the singer (“wandered around”) to find someone who would “make me be true, could make me be blue.” However, it is only when the singer meets their love interest that they are overjoyed to be sad thinking of them. The lyrics suggest that despite the flaws and shortcomings of this person, the singer’s love for this individual is genuine.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do I do just as you say?
I obey your wishes, even when I don't want to
Why must I just give you your way?
I always let you have what you want, without question
Why do I sigh?
I heave sighs of longing and desire for you, constantly
Why do I try to forget?
Despite my best efforts, I can't forget about you
It must have been that something lovers call "Fate"
There's a force beyond our control that brought us together
Kept on saying I had to wait
I had to be patient, because the timing wasn't right yet
I saw them all
I met many potential lovers, but none of them captured my heart
Just couldn't fall till we met
It took meeting you to finally fall in love
It had to be you, it had to be you
You are the only one for me, there's no other choice
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
I searched far and wide until I found the one who completes me
Could make me be true, could make me be blue
You have the power to make me honest and emotional
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you
Even when I'm sad and missing you, I feel glad to have known you
Some others I've seen might never be mean
I've met other potential lovers who are kind and gentle
Might never be cross or try to be boss, but they wouldn't do
But those others could never replace you, no matter how nice they are
For nobody else gave me a thrill
No other lover excites me and gives me thrills like you do
With all your faults, I love you still
Despite your imperfections, I still love you deeply
It had to be you, wonderful you, it had to be you
You are absolutely perfect for me, it had to be you
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Isham Jones, Gus Kahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
William Cooper
How wonderful is Kate's rendition of this lovely song! How much emotion and feeling She exhibits! How could Kate not have had a love life? She sure seems to live the lyrics!
John J Devlin
Oh my! I'm still shaking. What an incredible performance of a lovely tune. Kate nailed it. Thrilling beyond belief.
Cats01
Anyone know why the drummer disappeared near the end of the song?
Donna Cooper
Ditto, Mr. Cooper! Lovely! Lovely! Lovely!