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.
A Hundred Years from Today
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Learn to live it as you go
No one in the world can censure
What we do here below
Don't save your kisses, just pass them around
You'll find my reason is logic'lly sound
Who's going to know that you passed them around
Why crave a penthouse that's fit for a queen
You're nearer Heaven on Mother Earth's green
If you had millions what would they all mean
A hundred years from today
So laugh and sing, make love the thing
Be happy while you may
There's always one, beneath the sun
Who's bound to make you feel that way
The moon is shining, and that's a good sign
Cling to me closer and say you'll be mine
Remember, darling, we won't see it shine
A hundred years from today
A hundred years from today
Don't save your kisses, just pass them around
You'll find my reason is logic'lly sound
Who's going to know that you passed them around
A hundred years from today!
Why crave a penthouse that's fit for a queen
You're nearer heaven on Mother Earth's green
If you had millions what would they all mean
A hundred years from today
So laugh and sing, make love the thing
Be happy while you may
There's always one, beneath the sun
Who's bound to make you feel that way
The moon is shining, and that's a good sign
Cling to me closer and say you'll be mine
Remember, darling, we won't see it shine
A hundred years from today
The lyrics of Kay Starr's song A Hundred Years from Today offer a poetic reflection on the transience of life and the importance of enjoying it while we can. The song opens with the lines "Life is such a great adventure, learn to live it as you go," setting the tone for an optimistic and life-affirming message. The singer encourages the listener not to hold back their kisses and to enjoy the moment, as in a hundred years' time, who will remember?
The lyrics then move on to question the value of material possessions, asking "Why crave a penthouse that's fit for a queen? You're nearer Heaven on Mother Earth's green. If you had millions, what would they all mean, a hundred years from today?" This is a powerful reminder to focus on the things that truly matter in life - love, happiness, and connection with others.
The chorus of the song repeats the message of the verses, urging the listener to laugh, sing, and make love the thing, to be happy while they may. The verse about the moon serves as a poignant reminder that our time on this earth is fleeting, and that we should take the opportunities we have to love and be loved.
Overall, A Hundred Years from Today is a song that encourages the listener to embrace life and enjoy the present moment. It's a poignant reminder that life is short, and that we should make the most of the time we have.
Line by Line Meaning
Life is such a great adventure
Life is an exciting journey.
Learn to live it as you go
You should learn to live your life spontaneously.
No one in the world can censure
No one can judge or criticize you for your actions.
What we do here below
The choices we make in our lives.
Don't save your kisses, just pass them around
Share your love freely without reservation.
You'll find my reason is logic'lly sound
My reasoning is rational and sensible.
Who's going to know that you passed them around
No one will care or remember who you gave your kisses to.
A hundred years from today!
A hundred years from now, what we do today won't matter.
Why crave a penthouse that's fit for a queen
Why desire a luxurious home when nature offers the beauty of the earth?
You're nearer Heaven on Mother Earth's green
The natural world is closer to heaven than the material world.
If you had millions what would they all mean
Material wealth is insignificant compared to the experiences and memories we create.
So laugh and sing, make love the thing
Enjoy life's simple pleasures and prioritize love and joy.
Be happy while you may
Embrace happiness in each moment while you can.
There's always one, beneath the sun
There's always someone in the world who will make you feel loved and supported.
Who's bound to make you feel that way
Someone who will naturally show affection and love towards you.
The moon is shining, and that's a good sign
The world is full of beauty and things to be grateful for.
Cling to me closer and say you'll be mine
Hold me close and promise to love me.
Remember, darling, we won't see it shine
Don't take the present moment for granted because time is fleeting.
A hundred years from today
What we do today won't matter a hundred years from now.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOE YOUNG, NED WASHINGTON, VICTOR POPULAR YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jill Friendship
Thanks robert , what a great version this is .