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.
Don't Worry 'bout Me
Kay Starr Lyrics
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I'll get along
Forget about me
Just be happy my love
Let's say that our little show is over
And so the story ends
Why not call it a day the sensible way
Look out for yourself
That should be the rule
Give your heart and your love
To whomever you love
Darlin' don't be a fool
Why do we cling to this old faded thing
That used to be
So if you can forget
Then don't worry 'bout me
Why should we cling to some old faded thing
That used to be
So if you can forget
Then you don't worry 'bout me
The first verse of Kay Starr's song Don't Worry 'bout Me is a message from the singer to their former lover. The singer is saying that even though they have gone their separate ways, they will be okay and urges their ex-lover to forget about them and be happy. The second verse suggests that it's time to move on, to put an end to their relationship in a sensible way and still remain friends. The singer encourages their former lover to look out for themselves and not to be a fool by holding onto an old and faded relationship. If they can forget, then there's no need to worry about the singer.
The chorus of "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" reinforces the idea that both parties need to move on and forget about each other. The singer poses the question, "Why should we cling to some old faded thing that used to be?" This line implies that the relationship they had is now dull and unfulfilling, and it's time to let it go. The singer tells their former lover not to worry about them, but to focus on themselves and their own happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't worry 'bout me
Don't concern yourself about me, I will manage despite your absence
I'll get along
I will do just fine without you in my life
Forget about me
Try to erase me from your memory and move on with your life
Just be happy my love
Find happiness with someone else as I want the best for you
Let's say that our little show is over
Let’s consider our relationship or affair has come to an end
And so the story ends
The tale of our romance has reached its final chapter
Why not call it a day the sensible way
Let's end this in a rational and reasonable manner
And still be friends
Let’s continue to be friends despite the end of our romance
Look out for yourself
Put yourself first and prioritize your own well-being
That should be the rule
Making a habit of putting oneself first will help prevent heartache and disappointment
Give your heart and your love
Offer your affection and love to those who deserve it
To whomever you love
Give your heart to whoever earns and deserves your love
Darlin' don't be a fool
My dear, you shouldn't be foolish in love, so make wise choices
Why do we cling to this old faded thing
What's the use of holding on to a relationship that’s faded and dull?
That used to be
Our past relationship or romance that’s now over
So if you can forget
If you're able to let go and move on
Then don't worry 'bout me
Then you don't have to concern yourself about my being without you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind