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 Should Care
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should I confess I love you?
Should I recite beneath the pale moonlight?
And swear by the stars above you?
Could I repeat the sweetest story told?
Could I entreat, would it be too bold?
Should I confess I love you?
Could I repeat that sweetest story told?
Could I entreat, would it be too bold?
Should I reveal 'xactly how I feel?
Should I confess I love you?
And swear by stars above you?
Should I confess I love you?
The lyrics of Kay Starr's "I Should Care" speak to the romantic dilemma of whether or not to reveal one's true feelings to a loved one. The song reflects the inner turmoil of wanting to express oneself openly, but also potentially facing rejection or embarrassment. The lyrics contain a series of questions that the singer is asking herself, which emphasizes her uncertainty and hesitation.
The first verse asks if she should reveal how she feels, if she should confess her love, and if she should swear by the stars above her. The second verse repeats this same structure, but also adds the question of whether or not she should repeat the sweetest story told and if it would be too bold to entreat. The repetition of these questions emphasizes how important this decision is to the singer, as she is constantly weighing the risks and rewards of revealing her true feelings.
The chorus then becomes more declarative, stating "Should I confess I love you?" twice and "And swear by the stars above you?" once. This repetition further emphasizes the intensity of the singer's emotions and the importance of the decision she is facing.
Line by Line Meaning
Should I reveal exactly how I feel?
Am I willing to be vulnerable and express my true feelings?
Should I confess I love you?
Am I ready to admit that I am in love with you?
Should I recite beneath the pale moonlight?
Is it appropriate to declare my love under the romantic moonlight?
And swear by the stars above you?
Should I make a solemn promise and dedication to you, by invoking the stars above us?
Could I repeat the sweetest story told?
May I narrate the most romantic fable I have heard?
Could I entreat, would it be too bold?
May I humbly request, without being perceived as excessively daring or presumptuous?
Should I reveal 'xactly how I feel?
Is it appropriate to bring all my feelings to the surface without any reserve?
Should I confess I love you?
Am I ready to be honest and express my love for you?
And swear by stars above you?
Should I make a promise and commitment to you, by invoking the celestial bodies above us?
Should I confess I love you?
Is it time to declare my love for you?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Nacio Brown, Arthur Freed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jymster46
Hi Bill, yes, I have "I Thought About You" by Patti Page and she does a lovely rendition of the song. I love that song and have it posted by a few other artists over my 3 channels. I will be glad to post Patti's version. Thank you for listening to this one! Kay Starr is one of my (many) favorites. Jim
Jymster46
Oh, Thank You Very Much! I love her songs and yes, she does have a very distinctive voice and style. Thank you so much for watching it and for letting me know that you liked it! Jim
LoveTheOConnor
Gorgeous video, Jim! She's just wonderful! Great song and beautiful pictures! Thanks so much--you always brighten my day :))
Jymster46
Hi, Heather! Oh, your comments always brighten my day, Thank You So Much For Them! I love her version of this great song and I am so glad that you enjoyed it! Have a Wonderful day, my Friend! Jim
John Hall
Simply beautiful!
William charles Cook
Hi jim, well you have done it again, a beautiful song by a beautiful songstress, I havent heard this version before but the phrasing and timing are excellent. Did patti record "I thought about you" and if so have you got same I really would love to hear her version? best wishes, bill cook.