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.
Cabin In The Sky
Kay Starr Lyrics
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There's no guiding star I can see
And I would be lost by each wild tempest tossed
Oh, if I didn't know of a place we two can go
There's a little cabin in the sky, Mister
For me and for you
I feel that it's true somehow
Can't you see that cabin in the sky, Mister
An acre or two of heavenly blue to plow
We will be oh so gay
Eat fried chicken every day
As the angels go sailing by
And that is why my heart is flyin' high, Mister
'Cause I know we'll have a cabin in the sky
We will be oh so gay
Eat fried chicken every day
As the angels go sailing by
That is why my heart is flying high, baby
'Cause I know we'll have a cabin in the sky
The song "Cabin in the Sky" is a romantic tune that is about finding a peaceful home in the sky. It talks about finding a place of rest and comfort in a chaotic world. The first verse depicts the singer feeling lost with no guiding star to lead her way. She is tossed by wild tempests, and life seems unbearable. However, she finds hope in the idea of a little cabin in the sky where she and her partner can go to find solace. The chorus repeats the image of the cabin in the sky and describes their plans to eat fried chicken every day and be happy as angels go sailing by. The final verse repeats the joyful feeling of the chorus, emphasizing that the singer's heart is flying high because she knows that they will have a cabin in the sky.
The lyrics of "Cabin in the Sky" convey the idea of escapism and finding happiness in a peaceful place. The cabin in the sky can be seen as a metaphor for finding inner peace and happiness in uncertain times. The song suggests that sometimes all it takes is the hope of a better place to make life bearable. Overall, the song is a beautiful romantic tune that encourages people to find comfort and happiness in each other's company and in the hope of a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
In this cloudy sky overhead now
In this uncertain time, there is no clear path or direction.
There's no guiding star I can see
I have no source of guidance or inspiration to follow.
And I would be lost by each wild tempest tossed
Without direction, I would be easily overwhelmed and lost.
Oh, if I didn't know of a place we two can go
But thankfully, I know of a safe haven we can seek refuge in.
There's a little cabin in the sky, Mister
This place is a small and simple cabin in the sky, inaccessible to the troubles of the world below.
For me and for you
This place is for both of us to share and enjoy together.
I feel that it's true somehow
To me, this place feels real and tangible, despite being only a dream or fantasy.
Can't you see that cabin in the sky, Mister
Can't you also imagine and envision this cabin, too?
An acre or two of heavenly blue to plow
This cabin also comes with its own heavenly land to tend and cultivate.
We will be oh so gay
Together, we will be carefree and joyful in this idyllic place.
Eat fried chicken every day
We will have an abundance of food and simple pleasures to indulge in.
As the angels go sailing by
The beauty and serenity of this place is further accentuated by the peaceful presence of angels.
And that is why my heart is flyin' high, Mister
Thinking about this place fills me with hope and excitement.
'Cause I know we'll have a cabin in the sky
I have faith that one day we will find our way to this magical place and live out our hopes and dreams.
That is why my heart is flying high, baby
The thought of this paradise is so uplifting and inspiring to me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VERNON DUKE, JOHN LATOUCHE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind