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.
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Wa
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(do do-do do do do-do)
The snow is snowing and the wind is blowing
But I can weather the storm!
What do I care how much it may storm?
For I've got my love to keep me warm
I can't remember a worse December
Oh, what do I care if icicles form?
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
Off with my overcoat, off with my glove
I need no overcoat, I'm burning with love!
My heart's on fire, the flame grows higher
So I will weather the storm!
What do I care how much it may storm?
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing
But I can weather the storm!
What do I care how much it may storm?
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
I can't remember a worse December
Just watch those icicles form!
What do I care if icicles form?
Oh-ho-ho, I've got my love to keep me warm
Off with my overcoat, off with my glove
I need no overcoat, I'm burning with love!
My heart's on fire, the flame grows higher
So I will weather the storm!
What do I care how much it may storm?
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
This song, "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," is a romantic song that speaks about the struggles of the winter season, but conveys that the power of love can keep a person warm through any storm or struggle. The lyrics imply that the warmth of love within one's heart is more important than any material possession or warm clothing that could be worn during winter's cold. The singer expresses that they are able to weather any difficulties that come their way during the winter months because of the love they possess for another. They don't care about the cold weather, icicles or the storm, as they have this love to keep them warm. The lyrics also emphasize how the singer is willing to shed layers of clothing because of the warmth in their heart. Love, in this song, seems to be a powerful force that can keep a person going and make it through any difficult situation.
The song, “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” was first recorded on October 18, 1937, by Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra. Later, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and many others also covered this song. Kay Starr's version, in particular, was released in 1950 and features Orchestra Direction from Buzz Adlam.
Line by Line Meaning
The snow is snowing and the wind is blowing
It's snowing and windy outside.
But I can weather the storm!
But I can brave the cold weather.
What do I care how much it may storm?
I don't care how bad the weather gets.
For I've got my love to keep me warm
I have my love to keep me happy and warm.
I can't remember a worse December
This December has been extra terrible.
Just watch those icicles form!
The cold is so powerful that icicles are forming.
Off with my overcoat, off with my glove
I'm taking off my coat and gloves.
I need no overcoat, I'm burning with love!
I don't need an overcoat because my love is warming me up.
My heart's on fire, the flame grows higher
My love is passionate and growing more intense.
So I will weather the storm!
So I will endure the rough weather.
Oh-ho-ho, I've got my love to keep me warm
I have my love to keep me happy and warm.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC , Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nemo8262
lol retail workers unite
@bellequeen4070
lol that's exactly what brought me here
@ChefBoyRCyrano
When I worked at Macy’s this was one of the songs in rotation during the holidays.
@TheBMSpro
I work at VS lol it’s my favourite song on the playlist lol
@rlwells6475
🤣Lmaooo facts that how I know this Ish ... it's 🔥🔥
@hiteqmanga839
Jos a bank lol
@howtobloved
it's funny to see I'm not the only retail worker who looks up songs from their job
@kimayers6700
Yep! Dicks Sporting Goods!
@nkyoung2002
Macy's represent too!
@InMyJelloLife
Nikki Young yes I was gonna day Macy’s! 🤣