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.
Help Me
Kay Starr Lyrics
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Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Kay Starr's song So Help Me is a soulful plea for companionship that draws on themes of loneliness and comfort in the present moment. The opening line, "Take the ribbon from your hair," suggests a willingness to be vulnerable and let down one's guard. By shaking loose the ribbon and letting it fall, the singer is encouraging her partner to do the same, to expose their true selves and be open to connection. The "soft" ribbon "layin' upon [her] skin" and the "shadows on the wall" create a sensual atmosphere, emphasizing the physical comfort and intimacy that can accompany emotional support.
The chorus reinforces the song's central theme: "Help me make it through the night." This line repeats three times, emphasizing the singer's desperation. The plea for help is not for a long-term solution, but simply to get through the present moment. There is a sense of resignation to the fact that "yesterday is dead and gone" and "tomorrow's out of sight." The lines "I don't care who's right or wrong / I don't try to understand" suggest a willingness to let go of grudges or disagreements that stand in the way of connection. Finally, the line "And let the devil take tomorrow / Lord tonight I need a friend" is a powerful metaphor. The singer is saying that they don't care about the consequences of their actions in the future. In this moment, what matters is companionship and comfort.
Overall, So Help Me is a moving song that speaks to the power of companionship in easing loneliness and desperation. The lyrics convey a deep sense of vulnerability and a willingness to let go of the past in order to connect with someone in the present.
Line by Line Meaning
Take the ribbon from your hair
Remove your symbol of innocence and purity.
Shake it loose and let it fall
Let go of your vulnerability and let it fade away.
Layin' soft upon my skin
Your act of letting go gives me comfort and solace.
Like the shadows on the wall
Bringing a sense of mystique and hiddenness to our encounter.
Come and lay down by my side
Join me in the safety of the night.
Till the early mornin' light
Stay with me until the sun's first rays arrive.
All I'm takin' is your time
I just want you to spend moments with me.
Help me make it through the night
Your company is all I need to face the darkness of the night.
I don't care who's right or wrong
I'm not concerned about our differences.
I don't try to understand
I'm not attempting to comprehend the complexities of life.
Let the devil take tomorrow
I'll let fate decide what happens next.
Lord tonight I need a friend
I need someone to be with me right now.
Yesterday is dead and gone
The past is irrelevant and over.
And tomorrow's out of sight
The future is uncertain and unreachable.
And it's sad to be alone
Being alone is difficult and unfortunate.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kjun03
Padre! Great outrageous voice and beauty!!!
Thanks!!!
Andrew j wheeler jr
beautiful she's beautiful too love her and this classic gem of a tune all together beauuuuutiful God bless you miss Kay Starr sweetness peace everyoneπππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππ.