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.
More Than You Know
Kay Starr Lyrics
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Whether you are false or true
Whether you remain or wander,
I'm growing fonder of you
Even though your friends forsake you,
Even though you don't succeed
Wouldn't I be glad to take you,
Give you the break you need
More than you know, more than you know
Girl of my heart, I love you so
Lately I find you're on my mind
More than you know
Whether you're right, whether you're wrong
Girl of my heart, I'll string along
You need me so
Much more than you'll ever know (ever know)
Loving you the way that I do
There's nothing I can do about it
Loving may be all you can give
But baby I can't live without it
Oh, how I'd cry, oh, how I'd cry
If you got tired and said "Good-bye"
More than I'd show
More than you'd ever know
The lyrics of Kay Starr's song "More Than You Know" express deep and unconditional love for someone. The singer's affection for their lover is unshakeable, as they declare their love for them no matter what may happen, whether they remain or wander, whether they are false or true. The singer admits to growing fonder of the person, even if their friends forsake them and they don't succeed. The singer would be willing to take the person and give them the break they need.
The chorus of the song speaks to the intensity of the singer's love, as they claim to love the person more than they know. The person is always on the singer's mind, and the singer will follow them regardless of whether they are right or wrong. The person needs the singer more than they will ever know, and the singer cannot live without loving them. The final line of the song reveals that the singer loves the person more than they show, and the person will never fully realize the extent of the singer's love.
Overall, the lyrics of "More Than You Know" express a deep and committed love that will persist even through difficulties and challenges. The singer's devotion to their lover is absolute, and they are willing to support them through thick and thin.
Line by Line Meaning
Whether you are here or yonder,
No matter where you are, near or far,
Whether you are false or true
Regardless if you are deceitful or truthful
Whether you remain or wander,
Even if you stay or go,
I'm growing fonder of you
My affection for you is growing every day
Even though your friends forsake you,
Even if your friends abandon you,
Even though you don't succeed
Even if you fail or do not prosper
Wouldn't I be glad to take you,
I would be happy to support you
Give you the break you need
To provide you with the opportunity that you require
More than you know, more than you know
I care for you more than you can comprehend
Girl of my heart, I love you so
I adore you greatly, my love
Lately I find you're on my mind
I have been thinking about you frequently
Whether you're right, whether you're wrong
Regardless if you are correct or incorrect
Girl of my heart, I'll string along
My sweet love, I will follow you
You need me so
You require me greatly
Much more than you'll ever know (ever know)
Your dependency on me is more than you realize
Loving you the way that I do
I love you with a great intensity
There's nothing I can do about it
I am powerless to control my adoration for you
Loving may be all you can give
Your love may be all you have to offer
But baby I can't live without it
However, I cannot endure without your affection
Oh, how I'd cry, oh, how I'd cry
I would be distressed and upset
If you got tired and said "Good-bye"
If you became fatigued and decided to leave
More than I'd show
I am more emotionally invested than I reveal
More than you'd ever know
You cannot fathom the extent of my love for you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Barry James Eastmond, Cynthia De Mari Biggs
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind