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.
The Man Upstairs
Kay Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause He wants to hear from you
Have you talked to the Man upstairs
He will always see you through
And if troubles ever trouble you
Don't you run and hide
Cause if you ever need a friend
Just turn your eyes to heaven
And just say a simple prayer
Through the clouds, you'll wait to see His face
No matter when or where
Have you talked to the Man upstairs
He wants to hear from you
Have you talked to the Man upstairs
He'll always see you through
And if troubles ever trouble you
Don't you run and hide
Cause if you ever need a friend
He'll be right there by your side
Just turn your eyes to heaven
And say a simple prayer
Through the clouds, you'll wait to see His face
No matter when or where
Have you talked to the Man upstairs
He wants to hear from you
Have you talked to the Man upstairs
He will always see you through
The lyrics to Kay Starr's song "The Man Upstairs" are a powerful reminder to anyone who feels alone or troubled that they are never truly alone. The song encourages listeners to talk to God, referred to as "the Man upstairs," and trust in His unconditional love and support. The repetition of the question "Have you talked to the Man upstairs?" emphasizes the importance of reaching out to God, and reassures listeners that He is always available to listen and help them through difficult times.
The verse "And if troubles ever trouble you, don't you run and hide, cause if you ever need a friend, He'll be right there by your side" highlights the idea that God is the ultimate friend and source of support. The lyrics suggest that no problem is too big or too small to bring to God, and that He will always be there to provide comfort and guidance.
Overall, "The Man Upstairs" is a timeless reminder of the power of faith and the importance of turning to God in times of need.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you talked to the Man upstairs
Have you communicated with God lately?
Cause He wants to hear from you
Because God is always listening and eager to hear from you.
He will always see you through
God will always support you and help you overcome any difficulty or obstacle.
And if troubles ever trouble you
And if you are ever facing hardship or difficulties,
Don't you run and hide
Don't try to avoid or ignore the problem.
Cause if you ever need a friend
Because if you ever need someone to rely on or confide in,
He'll be right there by your side
God will always be there to offer you guidance, comfort, and support.
Just turn your eyes to heaven
Simply look up to the sky,
And just say a simple prayer
And utter a sincere prayer of faith and hope.
Through the clouds, you'll wait to see His face
Even though you can't physically see God, you will feel His presence and be assured of His care.
No matter when or where
Regardless of the time, place or situation, God will always be there for you.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DORINDA MORGAN, GERRY MANNERS, HAL STANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaelstaebell1390
Love ❤️ all Kay Starr's recordings 👏
@malcolmnicoll1165
One of the most spiritual songs I’ve ever experienced. Thanks for sharing.
@almanook3005
The flip side, "If You Love Me" made the top 5, while this went up to The lower half of Top 10 bestselling records on Billboard's bestselling charts, July 1954.
@thewzz30
Supernatural
@albertlaura4716
I don't remember this one. Wonderful though.
@SW2799
I don’t know if it was on other albums, but it was on an album my parents had for years called “the hits of Kay Starr.” I think that album came out in about 1954, so this song was a few years before that.
@dariawells7438
This is cringey and I'm glad we've progressed enough to not have this as a top hit.