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.
Maybe You'll Be There
Kay Starr Lyrics
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(You said your lips were mine alone to kiss)
(Now after all those things you told me)
(How can it end like this)
(Don't let it end like this)
Each time I see a crowd of people
Just like a fool I stop and stare
But maybe you'll be there
(Maybe you'll be there)
I go out walking after midnight
Along the lonely thoroughfare
It's not the time or place to look for you
But maybe you'll be there
You said your arms would always hold me
You said your lips were mine alone to kiss
Now after all those things you told me
How can it end like this
(And then your arms will always hold me)
(Your lips will be mine alone to kiss)
I'll never have to hurry to the door
'Cause, baby, you'll be there
(Baby, you'll be there)
(Maybe, you'll be there)
The song "Maybe You'll Be There" by Kay Starr describes the feeling of longing and hope for love that still exists even after a heartbreak. The lyrics describe a situation in which the singer is still hoping to see her former lover again, despite the fact that the relationship has ended. The song opens with a series of lines in which the singer recalls the promises her former lover made to her. She is confused by the fact that, despite these promises, the relationship has still ended. The lyrics express a sense of disbelief that the relationship has ended and a deep longing to make things right.
In the second verse, the singer describes how she goes out walking after midnight in hopes of running into her former lover again. She knows that this is not the best way to go about finding someone, but she still clings to the possibility. The lyrics are filled with a sense of vulnerability and longing, as the singer is searching for a connection that is no longer there. However, despite her sadness, there is still a sense of hope that she might run into her former lover again.
The last verse ends on a hopeful note. It imagines a future in which the singer and her former lover are reunited. The lyrics describe a moment in which they will be together again and all of the pain and heartbreak of their past will be forgotten. The song ultimately expresses the fact that even though love can sometimes bring heartbreak, it is still worth hoping for and fighting for.
Line by Line Meaning
You said your arms would always hold me
You promised to always hold me tight and never let go
You said your lips were mine alone to kiss
You made me believe that your love was true and that you were mine and mine alone
Now after all those things you told me
Despite everything you promised and said to me, things have ended in a way I never imagined
How can it end like this
I am asking myself how our love story could end so painfully and abruptly
Don't let it end like this
I am pleading with you not to let our love story end in such a heartbreaking manner
Each time I see a crowd of people
Whenever I'm in a crowd, I'm reminded of the special times we spent together
Just like a fool I stop and stare
Even though it's not proper, I can't help but stop and stare, hoping to see you
It's really not the proper thing to do
I know that it's not right or appropriate to act this way, but my love for you is so strong
But maybe you'll be there (Maybe you'll be there)
But maybe, just maybe, fate will bring us together and I will be lucky enough to see you again
I go out walking after midnight
I go for long walks alone in the dark, hoping to clear my head and find some peace
Along the lonely thoroughfare
I walk on quiet and deserted streets, choosing to be alone with my thoughts
It's not the time or place to look for you
I know that it's not the right time or place to search for you, but I can't help it
(And then your arms will always hold me)
(If we ever get back together,) I'll be in your arms, and you'll never let go
(Your lips will be mine alone to kiss)
(If we ever get back together,) your love will be mine and I won't share it with anyone else
I'll never have to hurry to the door
I won't be anxious or worried anymore about running to the door to see if you're there because you'll always be there for me
'Cause, baby, you'll be there (Baby, you'll be there)
Because, my love, you promised to always be there for me, and I believe in you
(Maybe, you'll be there)
(Maybe, just maybe,) we'll be together again, and I can finally be happy
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rube Bloom, Sammy Gallop
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind