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.
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Kay Starr Lyrics
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and my dream no more will roam
I will meet you and I'll greet you
when my dreamboat comes home.
Moonlit waters will sing
cause that tender love you'll bring
we will be sweethearts, yes forever
When my dreamboat, comes home
and my dream no more will roam
I will meet you and I'll greet you
when my dreamboat comes home.
Moonlit waters will sing
cause that tender love you'll bring
we will be sweethearts, yes forever
when my dreamboat comes home.
The lyrics of "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" by Kay Starr express sentiments of longing for a loved one to return. The use of the term "dreamboat" refers to the idealized version of the person being missed, someone who may be seen as the perfect romantic partner. The song expresses the singer's hope that once the dreamboat arrives, they will finally have their happily ever after.
Through the vivid imagery of "moonlit waters," the song paints a picture of a scene of great romantic beauty. The lyrics convey a sense of hope and optimism that despite any challenges and distance the couple may have faced, their love will be strong enough to last forever once they are reunited. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the continuous longing for the moment when their loved one will return.
Line by Line Meaning
When my dreamboat, comes home
I anticipate the return of my loved one.
and my dream no more will roam
I will no longer wander aimlessly, for my dream will finally come true.
I will meet you and I'll greet you
I will welcome you with open arms.
when my dreamboat comes home.
Upon your arrival, all my wishes will be fulfilled.
Moonlit waters will sing
The serene setting of the night will be a witness to our reunion.
cause that tender love you'll bring
Your affectionate presence will create an atmosphere of tenderness and warmth.
we will be sweethearts, yes forever
Our affectionate bond will last an eternity.
when my dreamboat comes home.
The wait will finally be over, and our love story will continue on.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CLIFF FRIEND, DAVE FRANKLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sstavsky
She sounds a little like Eartha Kitt here (pre-Eartha Kitt!).
@freemangriffin4953
I prefer this version to Rosemary Clooney's...