Smith showed a natural aptitude for singing at a young age. At 14, she sang with a naval air station band led by Saxie Dowell. At 15, she got her first paying job with the Earl Bennett band.
She saw Louis Prima perform in New York City in 1949. When he came through Norfolk, Virginia, she auditioned. She became the calm balance to Prima's wild antics, as he made his way through a repertoire of jump blues, jazz, and Italian pop songs. They recorded together in 1949 and married in 1953.
Their songs included Johnny Mercer's and Harold Arlen's "That Ol' Black Magic", which was a Top 20 hit in the US in 1958. At the 1st Annual Grammy Awards in 1959, Smith and Prima won the first Grammy for Best Performance by a Vocal Group for "That Ol' Black Magic". Her deadpan act was popular with fans. The duo followed up with the minor successes "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen", a revival of the 1937 Andrews Sisters hit. Smith and Prima's act was a mainstay of the Las Vegas lounge scene for much of the 1950s. Though her actual voice was not used, she was caricatured as "Squealy Smith" in Bob Clampett's 1960 Beany and Cecil episode "So What and the Seven Whatnots," a Snow White spoof in a Vegas setting.
Smith appeared with Prima in the 1959 film, Hey Boy! Hey Girl!, singing "Fever", and also appeared in and sang on the soundtrack of the previous year's Thunder Road. Her song in Thunder Road was "Whippoorwill". Her first big solo hit was "I Wish You Love" in 1957. In 1961, Smith divorced Prima. She then signed with Reprise Records, where her musical director was Nelson Riddle. In 1965, she had Top 20 hits in the United Kingdom with an album of Beatles compositions, and a single, "You're Breaking My Heart" which reached No. 14 in April.
She returned to singing in 1985, recording the album I'm in Love Again with Bud Shank and Bill Perkins. Her albums, Swing, Swing, Swing (2002), Keely Sings Sinatra (2001) for which she received a Grammy nomination, and Keely Swings Count Basie Style with Strings (2002) won critical and popular acclaim.
In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to her.
Smith was of Irish and Native American ancestry.
Married Louis Leo Prima July 13, 1953, in Virginia Beach; the couple divorced in 1961. They had two children: Toni Elizabeth and Luanne Francis.
Married Jimmy Bowen in 1965. The couple divorced in 1969.
Married singer Bobby Milano (real name Charles Caci) in 1975 in Palm Springs. Frank Sinatra gave the bride away.
Smith died of apparent heart failure in Palm Springs California on December 16t, 2017 at the age of 89.
Discography
1957 I Wish You Love (Capitol)
1958 Politely! (Capitol)
1959 Swingin' Pretty (Capitol)
1959 Be My Love (Dot)
1960 Swing, You Lovers (Dot)
1960 A Keely Christmas (Dot)
1961 Twist With Keely Smith (Dot)
1961 Dearly Beloved (Dot)
1962 Because You're Mine (Dot)
1962 What Kind of Fool Am I? (Dot)
1962 Cherokeely Swings (Dot)
1963 Little Girl Blue/Little Girl New (Reprise)
1964 The Intimate Keely Smith (Reprise)
1965 Keely Smith Sings the John Lennon—Paul McCartney Songbook (Reprise)
1965 That Old Black Magic (Reprise)
1985 I'm In Love Again (Fantasy)
2000 Swing, Swing, Swing (Concord Jazz)
2001 Keely Sings Sinatra (Concord Jazz)
2002 Keely Swings Basie-Style With Strings (Concord Jazz)
2005 Vegas '58 – Today (Concord)
With Louis Prima
1958 Breaking It Up! (Columbia)
1958 Louis Prima & Keely Smith on Broadway (Coronet)
1959 Louis and Keely! (Dot)
1958 Together (Dot)
1961 Return of the Wildest! (Dot)
With Louis Prima and Sam Butera and the Witnesses
1957 The Call of the Wildest (Capitol)
1957 The Wildest Show at Tahoe (Capitol)
1958 Las Vegas Prima Style (Capitol)
1959 Hey Boy! Hey Girl! (Capitol)
1960 On Stage (Dot)
When The Saints Go Marching In
Keely Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, when the saints go marching in
I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
I still, want to be in that number
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
I'm going to sing aloud and thunder
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Yes, I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
I still want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
The song "When The Saints Go Marching In" is a classic gospel hymn that has been sung in churches all over the world. The song is a celebration of the idea of being reunited with loved ones in heaven, and the hope that one day we will all be together again.
In the first verse, the singer expresses their desire to be among the saints when they go marching in. The idea of marching in is likely a reference to the traditional processionals of many churches, where the congregation would process down the aisle. The singer wants to be a part of this procession.
The second verse speaks to the idea of the end of the world, when the sun refuses to shine. The singer still wants to be among the saints during this apocalyptic time, even though it may be a scary and uncertain time.
The third verse is a joyful declaration of the singer's anticipation of being with the saints. They want to sing aloud and thunder when the day comes that the saints go marching in.
The final two verses repeat the sentiment of the first verse, expressing the singer's desire to be among the saints when they go marching in.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, when the saints go marching in
When the righteous people arise and adorn heaven,
Oh, when the saints go marching in
When the blessed and the wise ones ascend to heaven,
I want to be in that number
I am eager to be counted among them,
When the saints go marching in
When the good and blessed souls arrive in heaven.
Oh, when the saints go marching in
When the triumphant saints reach the pearly gates of heaven,
Oh, when the saints go marching in
When the deserving, holy ones arrive in heaven,
I still, want to be in that number
I still aspire to be among the Lord's chosen people,
When the sun refuses to shine
Even when the world is covered in darkness and light is scarce,
Oh, when the saints go marching in
When the triumphant saints return to heaven,
I'm going to sing aloud and thunder
I will celebrate and make joyful noises,
Oh, when the saints go marching in
When the legitimate followers walk into heaven,
Yes, I want to be in that number
Indeed, I strive to be counted among the blessed,
When the saints go marching in
When the devout souls make their way to heaven.
Oh, when the saints go marching in
When the holy people arrive at the gates of heaven,
I still want to be in that number
I am still aiming to be among the Lord's esteemed people,
When the saints go marching in
When the elevated souls finally reach heaven,
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind