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.
Between A Kiss And A Sigh
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's "hello" or "goodbye"
Yet I'm between a kiss and a sigh
You keep hesitating
Can I get a reply?
'Cause I'm between a kiss and a sigh
What will I have to face?
Would I be out of place in your arms?
I don't mind the waiting if I only knew why
But I'm between a kiss and a sigh
Love needs no debating
It's "hello" or "goodbye"
Yet I'm between a kiss and a sigh
You keep hesitating
Can I get a reply?
'Cause I'm between a kiss and a sigh
Won't you explain the case?
What will I have to face?
Would I be out of place in your arms?
I don't mind the waiting if I only knew why
But I'm between a kiss and a sigh
The song "Between a Kiss and a Sigh" by Kay Starr describes the complexity of love and relationships, encapsulating the uncertainty and hesitation of romantic situations. The lyrics convey the idea that love does not require any discussion or debate, and yet the singer finds herself in a state of confusion, unsure of whether she should be saying hello or goodbye.
The first verse sets the tone for the song, with the singer being torn between a kiss and a sigh. She questions her partner, asking for clarification on their emotions and intentions. The repeated refrain, "Can I get a reply?" reinforces the sense of frustration and impatience that the singer is feeling.
The second verse continues in the same vein, with the singer asking her partner to explain the situation further. She wonders whether she would be out of place in their arms, indicating that she is unsure of how her partner feels about her. The final line, "But I'm between a kiss and a sigh", encapsulates the conflict and tension that the singer is experiencing. She is caught between the thrill of a kiss and the disappointment of a sigh, unsure of which direction their relationship will take.
Overall, "Between a Kiss and a Sigh" captures the complexity and confusion of romantic relationships, with the lyrics conveying a sense of uncertainty and hesitation that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Love needs no debating
There is no need for discussion when it comes to love since it is something that flows naturally.
It's "hello" or "goodbye"
Love is simple, it's either a greeting indicating the continuation of the relationship or a farewell indicating its end.
Yet I'm between a kiss and a sigh
However, I find myself in an uncertain position between expressing affection and releasing a sigh of disappointment or frustration.
You keep hesitating
Your indecision and lack of clarity make it difficult for me to move forward in this relationship.
Can I get a reply?
I need a clear answer to know where we stand and what the future holds for us.
'Cause I'm between a kiss and a sigh
My emotional state is unsettled as I stand on the brink of expressing my feelings or experiencing disappointment or sadness.
Won't you explain the case?
Please shed light on the situation and clarify how you truly feel.
What will I have to face?
I want to know what the consequences of my actions will be, and what I can expect from this relationship.
Would I be out of place in your arms?
I question whether my affections are not welcomed or misplaced, and whether you are truly committed to me.
I don't mind the waiting if I only knew why
I am willing to wait patiently, but I need to understand the reasons behind the lack of clarity.
But I'm between a kiss and a sigh
I find myself in a vulnerable and uncertain position, yearning for clarity and direction in this relationship.
Writer(s): Johnny Burke, Arthur Johnson
Contributed by Jason O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.