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.
If You Love
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
if the sea should suddenly run dry
If you love me, really love me,
Let it happen I won't care
If a dream I fear should fall apart
I can still be smiling with my heart
If you love me, really love me,
Shall I catch a shooting star,
Shall I bring it where you are
If you only say you care
I can make a mountain fall
I'll do anything at all
As long as you are there
When at last my life on earth is through,
I will share eternity with you
If you love me, really love me,
Let it happen darling I won't care
When at last my life on earth is through,
I will share eternity with you
If you love me, really love me,
Let it happen darling I won't care
Let it happen darling I won't care
The lyrics of Kay Starr's song "If You Love Me" speak of an unconditional and selfless love that is not shaken by the uncertainties of the world. The opening two lines, "If the sun should tumble from the sky, if the sea should suddenly run dry" present two hypothetical apocalyptic scenarios. However, the singer professes that even if such catastrophic events were to take place, it would not affect her love for her significant other. The repetition of the line "Let it happen darling I won't care" highlights the singer's conviction in the strength of her love.
The subsequent stanza talks about dreaming and the possibility of it falling apart. The singer asserts that even if her dreams are shattered, she would still be happy as long as her beloved loves her back. The line, "If you only say you care, I can make a mountain fall," emphasizes the power of love and how it can empower and inspire us to achieve the impossible. The song's final lines, "When at last my life on earth is through, I will share eternity with you. If you love me, really love me, Let it happen darling I won't care," present a promise that their love will not be limited to this life but will continue into the afterlife. The song's message is clear: true love is unbreakable, eternal, and perseveres through life's trials and tribulations.
Line by Line Meaning
If the sun should tumble from the sky,
Even if something as drastic as the sun falling from the sky were to happen...
if the sea should suddenly run dry
...or the sea were to dry out instantly...
If you love me, really love me,
...if you truly love me...
Let it happen I won't care
...I won't mind any of these things happening as long as you love me.
If a dream I fear should fall apart
Even if my greatest dream were to crumble to pieces...
I can still be smiling with my heart
...I can still find joy in my heart.
Shall I catch a shooting star,
Should I attempt to catch a shooting star in the sky...
Shall I bring it where you are
...and bring it to you?
If you only say you care
If you just tell me you care...
I can make a mountain fall
...I am willing to do anything for you, even something as impossible as making a mountain fall.
I'll do anything at all
...I am prepared to do absolutely anything for you.
As long as you are there
...as long as you are with me.
When at last my life on earth is through,
When my time on earth comes to an end...
I will share eternity with you
...I will spend an eternity with you in the afterlife if you truly love me.
Let it happen darling I won't care
No matter what happens, I won't mind, as long as you love me.
When at last my life on earth is through,
When my time on earth comes to an end...
I will share eternity with you
...I will be with you for all of eternity if you really love me.
If you love me, really love me,
...if you truly, genuinely love me...
Let it happen darling I won't care
...I won't mind what happens, as long as you truly love me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hamitaf9793
If the sun should tumble from the sky
If the sea should suddenly run dry
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, I won't care
If a dream I build should fall apart
I can still be smiling with my heart
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, darling, I won't care
Shall I catch a shooting star
I can bring it where you are
If you'd only say you care
I can make a mountain fall
I'll do anything at all
As long as you are there
When at last our life on earth is through
I will share eternity with you
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, darling, I won't care
When at last our life on earth is through
I will share eternity with you
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, darling, I won't care
Let it happen, darling, I won't care
@lavoxii
If the sun should tumble from the sky
If the sea should suddenly run dry
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, I won't care
If it seems that everything is lost
I should smile and never count the cost
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, darling, I won't care
Shall I catch a shooting star?
Shall I bring it where you are?
If you want me to, I will
You can set me any task
I'll do anything you ask
If you'll only love me still
When at last our life on earth is through
I shall share eternity with you
If you love me, really love me
Then whatever happens, I won't care
Then whatever happens, I won't care
@pattigee1
One of my mom's favourite songs from the 50's. I remember.
@jeanmarierock4603
My Dad's favorite ❤Missing you Dad❤ Ms.Kay Starr, what a voice! What a truly amazing beautiful woman ❤
@lajosjuhasz4523
after 28 years not passed. this pass never ever. my Queen and Godess.
@TheDiannel
Love Kay Starr and this song. Born in 47 and grew up with her thanks to my Mom.
@tropicalpancake56
My father played this over and over again, when I was a little boy...miss you, Dad.....
@aureissimus
Her voice was perfect for this song, especially if you've heard Edith Piaf sing the original French version.
@GeorgeSwift-qj1ik
A powerful voice.
@geoffm9944
Kay Starr was such a dynamic and talented singer! She sang with emotion, conviction and her soul! This record displays Kay’s unique singing gifts!
@paulfrancis8836
She was Fantastic.
@johnbrowneyes7534
I wish Kay sang with Judy on Judy's TV show.