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.
Just Like A Butterfly
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tired and lonely,
Crying for home in vain,
Just like a butterfly that's caught in the rain!
Longing for flowers,
Dreaming of hours
Back in the sun-kissed lane,
I know that all of the world is cheery
By that old cottage door,
Why are my wings so weary?
I can't fly any more!
Here I am praying,
Brokenly saying,
"Give me the sun again!",
Just like a butterfly that's caught in the rain!
When it's raining from the sky,
And I see a butterfly,
I can almost hear him sighing
'Cause he has to stop his flying.
I can easily sympathise
With those helpless butterflies!
Here I am, lonely,
Tired and lonely,
Crying for home in vain,
Just like a butterfly that's caught in the rain!
Longing for flowers,
Dreaming of hours
Back in the sun-kissed lane,
Just like a butterfly that's caught in the rain!
I know that all of the world is cheery
By that old cottage door,
Why are my wings so weary?
I can't fly any more!
Here I am praying,
Brokenly saying,
"Give me the sun again!",
Just like a butterfly that's caught in the rain!
The lyrics of Kay Starr's "Just Like A Butterfly" portray the feelings of loneliness and desperation that one can feel when away from home or in a difficult situation. The use of the metaphor of a butterfly caught in the rain highlights the vulnerability of the singer, who longs for the warmth and comfort of home but is unable to reach it. The first verse introduces the singer's sense of isolation, as they cry out for home "in vain." The second verse expands on this theme, as they dream of the beauty and simplicity of a sun-kissed lane, and the third verse features a plea for help and a desire to return to happier times.
Throughout the song, the singer envies the joy and freedom of others, symbolized by the "old cottage door" that is cheery and welcoming. At the same time, they are burdened by a weariness that prevents them from enjoying life as they once did. The final verse sums up the song's emotional core, with the singer praying for relief and restoration, longing to be a butterfly in flight once again.
Overall, "Just Like A Butterfly" is a poignant portrayal of the human experience, capturing the pain and struggle that can arise when we feel lost and alone. Through its use of vivid imagery and emotive language, the song speaks to the universal longing for love, connection, and the comfort of home.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I am, lonely,
Feeling isolated and alone.
Tired and lonely,
Exhausted from being alone.
Crying for home in vain,
Weeping for a sense of belonging that seems unattainable.
Just like a butterfly that's caught in the rain!
Comparing oneself to a delicate but helpless creature trapped in an uncomfortable situation.
Longing for flowers,
Desiring beauty and vibrancy.
Dreaming of hours
Fantasizing about carefree moments.
Back in the sun-kissed lane,
Thinking of a happy, personally meaningful place.
I know that all of the world is cheery
Recognizing that other people are content or excited about their lives.
By that old cottage door,
Referencing a specific, nostalgic location evoking positive emotions.
Why are my wings so weary?
Wondering why one feels powerless or at a loss of energy.
I can't fly any more!
Feeling constrained or unable to pursue one's passions.
Here I am praying,
Turning to a higher power or source for hope and relief.
Brokenly saying,
Expressing oneself through tears and heartache.
"Give me the sun again!",
Requesting the return of happiness and positivity in one's life.
Just like a butterfly that's caught in the rain!
Reiterating the metaphor of feeling stuck in an unpleasant situation.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: HARRY WOODS, MORT DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind