Kay Starr (Katherine Laverne Starks, July 21, 1922 – November 3, 2016) was … Read Full Bio ↴Kay Starr (Katherine Laverne Starks, July 21, 1922 – November 3, 2016) was an American pop and jazz singer who enjoyed considerable success in the 1940s and 1950s.

Kay Starr was successful in every field of music she tried, jazz, country and pop. But her roots were in jazz, Billie Holiday, considered by many the greatest jazz singer of all time, called Starr "the only white woman who could sing the blues."
She is best remembered for introducing two songs that became #1 hits in the 1950s, "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Rock And Roll Waltz".

Kay Starr was born on a reservation in Dougherty, Oklahoma. Her father, Harry, was a full-blooded Iroquois Indian; her mother, Annie, was of mixed Irish and American Indian heritage. When her father got a job installing water sprinkler systems, the family moved to Dallas, Texas.

While her father worked for the Automatic Sprinkler Company, her mother raised chickens, and Kay used to sing to the chickens in the coop. As a result of the fact that her aunt, Nora, was impressed by her singing, she began to sing at the age of seven on a Dallas radio station, WRR, first in a talent competition where she finished third one week and won every week thereafter, then with her own weekly fifteen minute show. She sang pop and "hillbilly" songs with a piano accompaniment. By the age of ten, she was making $3 a night, a lot of money in the Depression days.

As a result of her father's changing jobs, her family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and she continued performing on the radio, singing "Western swing music," still mostly a mix of country and pop. It was while she was on the Memphis radio station WMPS that, as a result of misspellings in her fan mail, she and her parents decided to give her the name "Kay Starr". At the age of fifteen, she was chosen to sing with the Joe Venuti orchestra. Venuti had a contract to play in the Peabody Hotel in Memphis which called for his band to feature a girl singer, which he did not have; Venuti's road manager heard her on the radio, and suggested her to Venuti. Because she was still in junior high school, her parents insisted that Venuti take her home no later than midnight.

Although she had brief stints in 1939 with Bob Crosby and Glenn Miller (who hired her in July of that year when his regular singer, Marion Hutton, was sick), she spent most of her next few years with Venuti, until he dissolved his band in 1942. It was, however, with Miller that she cut her first record: "Baby Me"/"Love with a Capital You." It was not a great success, in part because the band played in a key more appropriate for Marion Hutton, which was less suited for Kay's vocal range.

"It’s A Good Day"
Kay Starr Lyrics

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Yes, it's a good day for singing a song,
and it's a good day for moving alone;
Yes, it's a good day, how could anything go wrong,
A good day from morning' till night

Yes, it's a good day for shining your shoes,
and it's a good day for losing the blues;
Everything go gain and nothing' to lose,

'Cause it's a good day from morning' till night

I said to the Sun, "Good morning sun
Rise and shine today"
You know you've gotta get going
If you're gonna make a showin'
And you know you've got the right of way.

'Cause it's a good day for paying your bills;
And it's a good day for curing your ills,

So take a deep breath and throw away your pills;
'Cause it's a good day from morning' till night.

Overall Meaning

Kay Starr's song "It’s A Good Day" is an upbeat and cheerful tune that celebrates the joy and positivity that can be found in everyday life. The lyrics encourage listeners to seize the day and make the most of every moment, regardless of what challenges they may encounter along the way. The song begins with the lines, "Yes, it's a good day for singing a song, and it's a good day for moving alone." The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, emphasizing the importance of embracing life's simple pleasures and finding joy in even the most mundane activities.

As the song continues, the lyrics become more specific in their recommendations for how to make the most of a good day. The lines, "Yes, it's a good day for shining your shoes, and it's a good day for losing the blues" suggest that taking care of oneself and focusing on positivity can be powerful tools for overcoming setbacks and obstacles. The chorus repeats the refrain that it's a good day "from morning till night" and encourages listeners to look for opportunities to make each moment count.

Overall, "It’s A Good Day" is a charming and catchy tune that celebrates the power of a positive attitude and a joyful spirit. Its upbeat tempo and optimistic lyrics have made it a timeless classic that continues to resonate with listeners today.

Line by Line Meaning

Yes, it's a good day for singing a song,
Today is a great day to share our innermost feelings and emotions through singing.

and it's a good day for moving alone;
Today is a great day to be independent and carve our own path.

Yes, it's a good day, how could anything go wrong,
Today is a day filled with positivity and opportunities, making it difficult for any negativity to affect us.

A good day from morning' till night
From the moment we wake up until we go to bed, today is guaranteed to be a good day.

Yes, it's a good day for shining your shoes,
Today is a day to polish ourselves inside and out, starting with our shoes.

and it's a good day for losing the blues;
Today is a day to let go of any sorrows or worries and embrace happiness.

Everything go gain and nothing' to lose,
Today is full of opportunities for success, and there's no need to fear failure.

'Cause it's a good day from morning' till night
Once again, from sunrise to sunset, today will continue to be a good day.

I said to the Sun, "Good morning sun Rise and shine today"
As we greet the day, we acknowledge the sun's presence and encourage it to light up the sky.

You know you've gotta get going If you're gonna make a showin' And you know you've got the right of way.
To reach our goals, we must take action and be in control of our own paths.

'Cause it's a good day for paying your bills;
Even mundane tasks like paying bills can be fulfilling today.

And it's a good day for curing your ills,
Today is a day to focus on healing and self-improvement.

So take a deep breath and throw away your pills;
We can embrace holistic healing today and let go of any reliance on medication.

'Cause it's a good day from morning' till night.
Once again, we can expect a full day of positivity and success.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID M. BARBOUR, PEGGY LEE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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