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.
Am I A Toy Or Am I A Treasure
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which of the two, am I to you?
Am I a puppet
That you dangle on a string?
Or is your love for me
A rare and precious thing?
Or thrown away, one thoughtless day?
Am I to be,
A herto stay thing
Or just another plaything?
Am I a toy
Or a treasure to you?
Am I a toy, or a treasure?
Which of the two, am I to you?
Am I a puppet
That you dangle on a string?
Or is your love for me
A rare and precious thing?
Oh, will I be yours, to cherish forever
Or thrown away
One thoughtless day?
Am I to be here-to stay thing
Or will I be another plaything?
Am I a toy
Or a treasure to you?
Am I a toy
Or a treasure to you?
Kay Starr's song "Am I a Toy or Am I a Treasure" is a poignant exploration of vulnerability and the desire for meaningful relationships. The lyrics grapple with the idea of being viewed as a mere object or a valuable asset by a lover. The singer wonders whether she is just a toy, easily discarded at any moment, or a treasure to be cherished forever. She is also unsure about whether her partner's love for her is genuine or merely a façade that can be easily manipulated.
In the song, the singer uses the metaphor of a puppet on a string to convey her feelings of powerlessness and insecurity in the relationship. She questions whether her partner's affection for her is based on her intrinsic worth as a person or if she is simply an object of amusement to be played with at will. She begs her lover to be honest with her and to let her know whether she truly holds a special place in their heart.
The lyrics also convey a sense of longing for stability and security in the relationship. The singer wonders whether she will be a "here-to-stay thing" or just another "plaything" to be discarded as soon as the romance fades. She desires a deep and meaningful connection with her partner that goes beyond mere physical attraction.
Overall, "Am I a Toy or Am I a Treasure" is a poignant and introspective exploration of the complex emotions that arise in romantic relationships. It speaks to the universal desire for love and acceptance, and the fear of rejection and abandonment.
Line by Line Meaning
Am I a toy, or am I treasure?
Am I something you play with and discard or am I something valuable to you?
Which of the two, am I to you?
Which one of the two categories do I fall under in your eyes?
Am I a puppet
That you dangle on a string?
Do you control me like a puppet, making me do what you want?
Or is your love for me
A rare and precious thing?
Is your affection for me something special and valuable?
Oh, will I be yours, to cherish forever
Or thrown away, one thoughtless day?
Will you hold onto me and cherish me forever, or will you discard me one day without a second thought?
Am I to be,
A herto stay thing
Or just another plaything?
Will I be someone you keep in your life for the long haul, or just someone you use for a short time?
Am I a toy
Or a treasure to you?
Which one of these two terms properly describes how you view me?
Writer(s): Taylor, Singer, Altman
Contributed by Brooklyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
David Walsh
Kay Starr was an amazing performer.She had such class and style.
Mark Ciale
I heard this on the soundtrack of Starz series ‘Little Birds’…Kay Starr is beyond fabulous!🎈👍
Andymanpr
You're a treasure, Kay!
Win Keys
My Mum loved her voice xx
kristin KHD
Thank heavens for Ytube! I thought I had imagined this one!! I love it, thanks.
Snipestream
I heard this in a bathroom at a great restaurant called Ralph and Rich's and stayed in there to dance to it. I really like this. Even though I am not even an adult.
manwhatupduck
Hey, you peps, check this out, it's a 'lost treasure'!!!
Alan Fox
I can't answer the question?
Julie Benstock
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