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.
Waiting At The End Of The Road
Kay Starr Lyrics
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Yearning to see the dawn,
Counting the hours till I can lay down my load.
Weary, but I don't mind,
Knowing that I'll soon find
Peace and contentment at the end of the road.
The way is long, the night is dark,
Will be singing at the end of the road.
I can't go wrong, I must go right,
I'll find my way 'cause a guiding light
Will be shining at the end of the road.
There may be thorns in my path, but I'll wear a smile,
For in a little while my path will be roses!
The rain may fall from up above,
But I won't stop 'cause the one I love
Will be waiting at the end of the road.
Say, the way may be long and the night is dark,
But I don't mind 'cause a happy lark
Will be singing at the end of the road;
And I can't go wrong, I must go right,
I'll find my way 'cause a guiding light
Will be shining at the end of the road.
There may be thorns in my path, but I'll wear a smile,
For in a little while my path will be roses!
And the rain may fall from up above,
But I won't stop 'cause the one I love
Will be waiting at the end of the road.
The lyrics of Kay Starr's song Waiting at the End of the Road are about a person who is tired of traveling and is eagerly waiting for the end of their journey. The song conveys a positive and optimistic outlook regarding the future in the face of obstacles and challenges. The person in the song is "weary" and eager to see "the dawn" but keeps on traveling, counting the hours till they can "lay down [their] load." Despite the challenges, the person remains hopeful and focused on the positive.
The song speaks about the difficulties of the journey, including the long road and dark night, as well as the possibility of thorns and rain. However, the person remains optimistic, knowing that they will find "peace and contentment" at the end of the road. They believe that there will be a "guiding light" and a "happy lark" waiting for them at the end of their journey. The song suggests that even though the journey may be difficult, the destination will be worth it.
Overall, Waiting at the End of the Road is a song about perseverance and hope. The lyrics encourage listeners to keep going and stay focused on the positive, even in the face of challenges and obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
Weary of roamin' on,
Tired of wandering around aimlessly,
Yearning to see the dawn,
Longing to see the light of a new day,
Counting the hours till I can lay down my load.
Eagerly waiting for a moment of relief from burdens,
Weary, but I don't mind,
Despite being tired, it is acceptable because there's a reward ahead,
Knowing that I'll soon find
Being confident of discovering something soon,
Peace and contentment at the end of the road.
Finding solace and satisfaction finally after a long journey,
The way is long, the night is dark,
The road ahead is uncertain and trying,
But I don't mind 'cause a happy lark
An undeterred, joyous disposition inspite of this,
Will be singing at the end of the road.
A sense of celebration and accomplishment at the end of it all,
I can't go wrong, I must go right,
Being sure of the path that needs to be taken,
I'll find my way 'cause a guiding light
A presence that'll give direction and steer one to their desired endpoint,
Will be shining at the end of the road.
It will lead one to where peace and happiness await them,
There may be thorns in my path, but I'll wear a smile,
Acknowledging the presence of obstacles, yet maintaining a positive outlook,
For in a little while my path will be roses!
Believing that the hard work put in will ultimately bring about the best outcomes,
The rain may fall from up above,
Challenges will come, despite the persistence towards a goal, and frustrate the process,
But I won't stop 'cause the one I love
But one will continue to strive because of what they hold dear,
Will be waiting at the end of the road.
Knowing that loved ones are waiting to share in the rewards of the journey,
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind