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)
We
Kate Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when,
But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day.
Keep smiling through, just like you always do,
'Til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away.
So will you please say hello to the folks that I know,
Tell them I won't be long.
I was singing this song.
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when,
But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day.
So will you please say hello to the folks that I know,
Tell them I won't be long.
They'll be happy to know that as you saw me go,
I was singing this song.
Keep smiling through, just like you always do,
'Til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away.
Kate Smith's iconic song "We'll Meet Again," released in 1939, is one of the most famous tunes associated with the Second World War. The song serves as an emblem for the war's emotional toll on the millions of people throughout the world that were directly and indirectly influenced by it.
The song portrays a sense of irreconcilable sadness about loved ones being separated and the finality that appears as a natural outcome in life. However, this melancholy melody has a silver lining – hope.
The lyrics of the song refer to a time in the future when the people that are currently separated will reunite. Smith's iconic "We'll Meet Again", charged with these sentiments of separation, reunion, resilience, and hope, quickly became an anthem for soldiers at the front lines, their families back home, and is often remembered as a symbol of courage and solidarity.
As legend goes, the song was a gift to the soldiers fighting the Second World War. The song's melody was constructed by Ross Parker, and its lyrics were written by Hughie Charles as a moral boost in wartime. The song became instantly loved by the troops serving during World War II.
Line by Line Meaning
We'll meet again
We may be apart now, but we will reunite at some point in the future.
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when
I am uncertain about the specifics of our reunion, but I have faith that it will happen.
But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day.
Regardless of our circumstances, I have a feeling that we will see each other again on a bright and cheerful day.
Keep smiling through, just like you always do,
No matter what challenges you face in the future, please don't lose your positive attitude and continue to grin like you always do.
'Til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away.
Keep smiling until your troubles disappear and your life is filled with happiness and contentment.
So will you please say hello to the folks that I know,
When you see my acquaintances, please extend greetings on my behalf.
Tell them I won't be long.
Inform them that I won't be away for an extended period of time.
They'll be happy to know that as you saw me go,
When you last saw me, I was joyful and at peace.
I was singing this song.
This melody was playing from my lips when we parted ways.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hughie Charles, Ross Parker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Donna Cooper
I was to young to know Kate during the war years. A really good book about Kate's life and career is by Richard K. Hayes which is a bio
and discography, also.
Dean S.
The song was written by my grandfather, James T. Mangan.
Joan Hasemann
WHERE WORTH FIGHTING FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.GOD BLESS AMERICA.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Liz Doyle
EXCELLENT🌟 FABOULOUS 🌟AWESOME 🌟
RMPsumma
You mean that "racist" sang "We're All Americans?" Gee! How did that happen? This is just another indication of the lunacy of the liberal mindset -- to label this great singer and woman a racist is incredible!
ROY PEASLEE
@RMPsumma I listened to Kate Smith when I was a little boy in the early 1940s. I didn't know that the word "racist" existed at that time. She was America's sweetheart and loved by everyone that I knew.