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.
When You're A Long Long Way From Home
Kay Starr Lyrics
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pining just a simple pal a country gal I know she's true
What's the use of tears and sighing after many years of
trying guess I'm going home no more to roam I'm feeling blue.
When I leave this town I'll hurry where they never frown or
worry when I say goodbye no one will sigh when I am gone
give me back the brooks and clover with those shady nooks
When you're a long long way from home it makes you feel
like you're alone its hard to find a pal that's true that you can
tell your troubles to and when you send a letter home your
mother's voice rings in your ears and then you cross the T's
with kisses what a strange world this is, then you dot the I's
with tears and all the sunshine turns to gloom when you're a long
way from home.
These lyrics from Kay Starr's song "When You're A Long Long Way From Home" convey deep feelings of homesickness and longing for the comfort and familiarity of one's homeland. The singer reminisces about a simpler time, where they knew where the sun was shining and someone was pining for their return. The mention of a "simple pal," most likely referring to a close friend or loved one from their hometown, highlights the importance of genuine relationships in overcoming feelings of sadness and loneliness.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has been trying for many years, but to no avail, to find a sense of belonging and contentment far away from home. The repeated phrase "guess I'm going home no more to roam" signifies the realization that they no longer want to wander or search for happiness elsewhere. Despite this decision, they reflect on the difficulty of leaving behind a place where nobody frowns or worries, indicating that their longing for home stems from the comforting and carefree environment they associate with it.
The second paragraph emphasizes the singer's attachment to the natural beauty of their homeland, longing for the brooks, clover, and shady nooks that provide a sense of peace and satisfaction. They express a desire to return to their birthplace, where they could find contentment even without material wealth.
Overall, these lyrics capture the emotional strain of being far away from home, evoking a sense of melancholy, longing, and a yearning for the familiar.
Line by Line Meaning
I know where the sun is shining
I am aware of a place where the sun is shining brightly.
I know where someone is pining
I am aware of someone who is feeling sad and wishing for something.
Just a simple pal, a country gal I know she's true
There is a friend of mine who is straightforward and honest and comes from a rural area.
What's the use of tears and sighing after many years of trying
There is no point in crying and being sad after attempting something numerous times.
Guess I'm going home no more to roam I'm feeling blue.
I am returning to my home and will not wander anymore, but I am feeling sad about it.
When I leave this town I'll hurry where they never frown or worry
As soon as I depart from this place, I will quickly move to a location where people don't frown or have concerns.
When I say goodbye no one will sigh when I am gone
Nobody will feel relieved when I say farewell and leave.
Give me back the brooks and clover with those shady nooks all over
I want to return to a place with streams, plants, and areas of shade everywhere.
I could be content without a cent where I was born.
I would be happy without any money if I were in my place of birth.
When you're a long long way from home it makes you feel like you're alone
When you are far away from where you grew up, it can feel as if you are on your own.
It's hard to find a pal that's true that you can tell your troubles to
It can be challenging to find a friend who is trustworthy and to whom you can share your problems.
And when you send a letter home your mother's voice rings in your ears
When you send a message to your family, you can hear your mother's voice in your head.
And then you cross the T's with kisses what a strange world this is
You add kiss marks next to the T's when writing a letter, and it strikes you as an odd world we live in.
Then you dot the I's with tears and all the sunshine turns to gloom
When shedding tears while writing and dotting the I's, all the happiness fades away.
When you're a long way from home
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: LEWIS, MEYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind