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.
Crazy
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll go my way, you'll go your way
Crazy rhythm, from now on, we're through
Here is where we have a showdown
I'm too high hat, you're too low down
Crazy rhythm, here's goodbye to you
Walking along Broadway
Soon the highbrow, he has no brow
Ain't it a shame? And you're to blame
What's the use of prohibition?
You produce the same condition
Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy too
They say that when a highbrow meets a lowbrow
Walking along Broadway
Soon the highbrow, he has no brow
Ain't it a shame? And you're to blame
What's the use of prohibition
You produce the same condition
Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy too
Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy too
Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy too
In Kay Starr's song "Crazy," she sings about a relationship that has come to an end. She uses the metaphor of a "crazy rhythm" to describe the tumultuous nature of the couple's dynamic. The chorus of the song goes, "Crazy rhythm, here's the doorway, I'll go my way, you'll go your way, Crazy rhythm, from now on, we're through." The singer of the song has come to a point where she realizes that the relationship is not working and that it's time for them to part ways.
The song's verses delve into the reason behind the breakup. The singer acknowledges that they are not well-suited for each other. She says, "I'm too high hat, you're too low down." She believes that their differences are too profound to overcome. The song also touches on the idea that when two people from very different backgrounds come together, their relationship can be challenging. The lyrics say, "They say that when a highbrow meets a lowbrow, walking along Broadway, soon the highbrow, he has no brow. Ain't it a shame? And you're to blame." The singer could be accusing her partner of being too low status for her, or she might be acknowledging that they are both to blame for the relationship's failure.
Overall, "Crazy" is a song about the end of a relationship and the pain and confusion that come with it. The song is packed with metaphors and clever wordplay, making it a classic of the jazz and swing era.
Line by Line Meaning
Crazy rhythm, here's the doorway
The music's beat is energetic and chaotic, marking the beginning of my departure through this exit.
I'll go my way, you'll go your way
We're headed in separate directions with no intention of crossing paths again.
Crazy rhythm, from now on, we're through
The fast-paced melody marks the end of our relationship, signaling our separation.
Here is where we have a showdown
This is the moment where we confront and argue and come to a final decision about our future.
I'm too high hat, you're too low down
We come from different social backgrounds and have different attitudes, which clashes and leads to disagreements.
Crazy rhythm, here's goodbye to you
The frenzied rhythm emphasizes our goodbye and signals the end of our relationship.
They say that when a highbrow meets a lowbrow
It is often said when people from different social strata meet, there is a possibility of a clash or misunderstanding.
Walking along Broadway
The location doesn't matter as much as the social dynamic between the two people that are walking together.
Soon the highbrow, he has no brow
The sophisticated or haughty character may lose their composure, and act foolish or behave improperly when confronted with the lowbrow.
Ain't it a shame? And you're to blame
It's unfortunate, and you are responsible for the consequence of that collision of worlds.
What's the use of prohibition?
What's the point of denying or prohibiting something?
You produce the same condition
Denying something doesn't prevent it from occurring, it creates the same problematic environment.
Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy too
The frantic beat has affected me, and I also lost my composure, becoming irrational and senseless.
Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy too
The repetition emphasizes how the frenzied rhythm has affected me and caused me to become irrational and senseless.
Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy too
The final repetition drives home how the vigorous beat has affected my mental state and caused me to behave foolishly.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Caesar, Joseph Meyer, Roger Wolfe Kahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Guy Jasen
I love the fact that Patsy Cline was a HUGE Kay Starr fan, and Kay cuts one of Patsy’s most iconic songs.
Kimberlee Peters
Yes!
Swampzoid
I saw Kay Starr in concert and she referred to Patsy Cline as "the queen".
whispperson
Incredible singer.
Kimberlee Peters
Fantastic best rendition! Respect!
murp h
She remains at the top of the list when listing the best female singers ever. I consider her the start of soul sounding females.
Mervyn Gilbert
Kay Starr and Patsy Cline were two great singers. If only we had their like today.
murp h
We do ! Listen to Liz Wright sing I'll Never Tire Of Lovin;g you.
Jackie Hyland
I love ❤️ her voice
Jackie Hyland
I love this song she has a lovely voice