Kitty Kallen (born Katherine Kalinsky; May 25, 1921 – January 7, 2016) was … Read Full Bio ↴Kitty Kallen (born Katherine Kalinsky; May 25, 1921 – January 7, 2016) was an American popular singer whose career spanned from the 1930s to the 1960s—to include the Swing era of the Big Band years, the post-WWII pop scene and the early years of rock 'n roll.
She is best known for her 1954 solo recording '"Little Things Mean a Lot" — a song that stayed at the U.S. number one spot for nine consecutive weeks, charted in the U.S. for almost seven months, hit #1 on the UK singles chart, and sold more than two million copies. AllMusic called the recording a "monster hit", music historian Jonny Whiteside said the song "ably characterizes Kallen’s impressive, and graceful, transition from classic big band swing to modern post-war pop".
Voted "most popular female singer" in 1954 in both Billboard and Variety polls, Kallen lost her voice at the Palladium in 1955 at the top of her career and left singing for four years, suffering paralyzed vocal cords. After testing her voice under a pseudonym in small town venues, she ultimately returned and went on to achieve 13 top-ten career hits.
Kallen performed at numerous prominent live venues including Manhattan's Copacabana, Morris Levy's Versailles, the Capitol Theater, the Maisonette Room at the St. Regis, the Cafe Rouge at the Hotel Pennsylvania and the Plaza Hotel's Persian Room. As well, she starred on Broadway in Finian's Rainbow; in the 1955 film The Second Greatest Sex and on numerous television shows including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Big Beat with singer-host Richard Hayes, American Bandstand, and Fred Allen's Judge for Yourself. In 1951, Kallen appeared with Buster Crabbe as the Queen and King of Winter at the Lake Placid resort.
During the height of her popularity, three imposters billed themselves as "Kitty Kallen". When one of them — Genevieve Agostinello — died in 1978, it was incorrectly reported that Kallen herself had died. On February 8, 1960, Kallen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (located on the north side of Hollywood Boulevard at #7021), and in 2009 she was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Some sources give Kallen's birth name as Katherine Kalinsky, but according to records cited by her son, the name was Katie Kallen. She was born May 25, 1921, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of seven children, to Russian Jewish immigrants Samuel and Rose Kalinsky (later Kallen). As a child, she won an amateur contest by imitating popular singers. When she returned home with her prize, a camera, her father did not believe her, and punished her for stealing the camera. Only when neighbors subsequently visited to congratulate her, did Kallen's father realize she had actually won it.
While performing with Jack Teagarden's band, she married Clint Garvin, the band's clarinet player. When Teagarden fired Garvin, Kallen left as well, later annulling the marriage. In 1948, Kallen married Bernard "Budd" Granoff, a publicist, agent, and television producer. He later became a pioneering television syndicator. The couple, married for over forty-five years until Granoff's death in 1996, had a son, Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute and Adjunct Professor of International Law at Widener University School of Law.
In 1977, Kallen sued her dermatologist, Norman Orentreich, after he prescribed an estrogen drug, Premarin, for her small facial wrinkles. She subsequently suffered blood clots in her lungs, caused directly by the drug, and won $300,000 by the court's decision.
In 2008, Kallen joined artists Patti Page, Tony Martin, Dick Hyman, Richard Hayman and the estates of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Sarah Vaughan, Woody Herman, Les Brown, the Mills Brothers, Jerry Murad, Frankie Laine, and the gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in a suit against the world's then largest music label, Universal Music Group, alleging the company had cheated them on royalties.
Kallen died on January 7, 2016 at her home in Cuernavaca, Mexico at the age of 94.
As a young girl Kallen sang on The Children's Hour, a radio program sponsored by Horn & Hardart, an automat chain. As a pre-teen, Kallen had a radio program on Philadelphia's WCAU, and sang with the big bands of Jan Savitt in 1936, Artie Shaw in 1938, and Jack Teagarden in 1940.
Shortly before her 21st birthday, on May 5, 1942, she sang the vocals for "Moonlight Becomes You" with Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra at the second every session for what was then still called Liberty Records but would soon be renamed Capitol Records. It was her only session for the label.
Just 21, she joined the Jimmy Dorsey band, replacing Helen O'Connell. In every theater of World War II, a favorite of American servicemen, "They're Either Too Young or Too Old". In 1944, Kallen performed the vocals for Dorsey's number-one hit "Besame Mucho". Most of her singing assignments were in duets with Bob Eberly, and when Eberly left to go into the service toward the end of 1943, she joined Harry James' band.
Between January and November 1945, Kitty Kallen had two songs recorded with the Harry James Orchestra in the top twenty, six in the top ten, and two at the #1 spot—"I'm Beginning to See the Light" and "It's Been a Long, Long Time", which remains deeply associated with the end of World War II and the returning troops.
With the 1954 hit "Little Things Mean a Lot", Kallen was voted most popular female singer in Billboard and Variety polls. She followed up this song with "Chapel in the Moonlight", another million selling record, and a version of "True Love" for Decca. In 1959, she recorded "If I Give My Heart to You" for Columbia Records, and in 1963, she recorded a top-selling version of "My Coloring Book" for RCA. Her final album was Quiet Nights, a bossa nova–flavored release for 20th Century Fox Records. Subsequently, Kallen retired due to a lung ailment.
A compilation of her hits on various labels remains available on the Sony CD set The Kitty Kallen Story.
She is best known for her 1954 solo recording '"Little Things Mean a Lot" — a song that stayed at the U.S. number one spot for nine consecutive weeks, charted in the U.S. for almost seven months, hit #1 on the UK singles chart, and sold more than two million copies. AllMusic called the recording a "monster hit", music historian Jonny Whiteside said the song "ably characterizes Kallen’s impressive, and graceful, transition from classic big band swing to modern post-war pop".
Voted "most popular female singer" in 1954 in both Billboard and Variety polls, Kallen lost her voice at the Palladium in 1955 at the top of her career and left singing for four years, suffering paralyzed vocal cords. After testing her voice under a pseudonym in small town venues, she ultimately returned and went on to achieve 13 top-ten career hits.
Kallen performed at numerous prominent live venues including Manhattan's Copacabana, Morris Levy's Versailles, the Capitol Theater, the Maisonette Room at the St. Regis, the Cafe Rouge at the Hotel Pennsylvania and the Plaza Hotel's Persian Room. As well, she starred on Broadway in Finian's Rainbow; in the 1955 film The Second Greatest Sex and on numerous television shows including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Big Beat with singer-host Richard Hayes, American Bandstand, and Fred Allen's Judge for Yourself. In 1951, Kallen appeared with Buster Crabbe as the Queen and King of Winter at the Lake Placid resort.
During the height of her popularity, three imposters billed themselves as "Kitty Kallen". When one of them — Genevieve Agostinello — died in 1978, it was incorrectly reported that Kallen herself had died. On February 8, 1960, Kallen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (located on the north side of Hollywood Boulevard at #7021), and in 2009 she was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Some sources give Kallen's birth name as Katherine Kalinsky, but according to records cited by her son, the name was Katie Kallen. She was born May 25, 1921, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of seven children, to Russian Jewish immigrants Samuel and Rose Kalinsky (later Kallen). As a child, she won an amateur contest by imitating popular singers. When she returned home with her prize, a camera, her father did not believe her, and punished her for stealing the camera. Only when neighbors subsequently visited to congratulate her, did Kallen's father realize she had actually won it.
While performing with Jack Teagarden's band, she married Clint Garvin, the band's clarinet player. When Teagarden fired Garvin, Kallen left as well, later annulling the marriage. In 1948, Kallen married Bernard "Budd" Granoff, a publicist, agent, and television producer. He later became a pioneering television syndicator. The couple, married for over forty-five years until Granoff's death in 1996, had a son, Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute and Adjunct Professor of International Law at Widener University School of Law.
In 1977, Kallen sued her dermatologist, Norman Orentreich, after he prescribed an estrogen drug, Premarin, for her small facial wrinkles. She subsequently suffered blood clots in her lungs, caused directly by the drug, and won $300,000 by the court's decision.
In 2008, Kallen joined artists Patti Page, Tony Martin, Dick Hyman, Richard Hayman and the estates of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Sarah Vaughan, Woody Herman, Les Brown, the Mills Brothers, Jerry Murad, Frankie Laine, and the gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in a suit against the world's then largest music label, Universal Music Group, alleging the company had cheated them on royalties.
Kallen died on January 7, 2016 at her home in Cuernavaca, Mexico at the age of 94.
As a young girl Kallen sang on The Children's Hour, a radio program sponsored by Horn & Hardart, an automat chain. As a pre-teen, Kallen had a radio program on Philadelphia's WCAU, and sang with the big bands of Jan Savitt in 1936, Artie Shaw in 1938, and Jack Teagarden in 1940.
Shortly before her 21st birthday, on May 5, 1942, she sang the vocals for "Moonlight Becomes You" with Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra at the second every session for what was then still called Liberty Records but would soon be renamed Capitol Records. It was her only session for the label.
Just 21, she joined the Jimmy Dorsey band, replacing Helen O'Connell. In every theater of World War II, a favorite of American servicemen, "They're Either Too Young or Too Old". In 1944, Kallen performed the vocals for Dorsey's number-one hit "Besame Mucho". Most of her singing assignments were in duets with Bob Eberly, and when Eberly left to go into the service toward the end of 1943, she joined Harry James' band.
Between January and November 1945, Kitty Kallen had two songs recorded with the Harry James Orchestra in the top twenty, six in the top ten, and two at the #1 spot—"I'm Beginning to See the Light" and "It's Been a Long, Long Time", which remains deeply associated with the end of World War II and the returning troops.
With the 1954 hit "Little Things Mean a Lot", Kallen was voted most popular female singer in Billboard and Variety polls. She followed up this song with "Chapel in the Moonlight", another million selling record, and a version of "True Love" for Decca. In 1959, she recorded "If I Give My Heart to You" for Columbia Records, and in 1963, she recorded a top-selling version of "My Coloring Book" for RCA. Her final album was Quiet Nights, a bossa nova–flavored release for 20th Century Fox Records. Subsequently, Kallen retired due to a lung ailment.
A compilation of her hits on various labels remains available on the Sony CD set The Kitty Kallen Story.
I'm Old Fashioned
Kitty Kallen Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'I'm Old Fashioned' by these artists:
Adele Nicols I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Ahmad Jamal I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Airmen of Note I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Alan Pasqua Dave Carpenter Peter Erskine I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Andy Williams I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Becki Biggins I'm old-fashioned I love the moonlight I love the old-fashio…
Beegie Adair I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Blossom Dearie I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Bruce Barth I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Carol Robbins I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Charlie Mariano I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Chet Baker I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Chet Baker / Stan Getz Quartet I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Chris McDonald I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Coltrane John I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Connie Lansberg I'm old fashioned I love the moonlight I love the old fashio…
Dave Brubeck I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
David Allyn I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
David Hazeltine I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Diana Panton I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Diane Hubka I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Dinah Shore I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Ed Polcer & his Swingtet I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Ella Fitzgerald I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Ella Fitzgerald & Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Fred Astaire I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette/Keith Jarrett I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Geraldo and His Orchestra I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Glenn Miller I'm old fashioned, I love the moonlight I love the…
Glenn Miller & His Orchestra & Skip Nelson I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Harry Roy & His Band I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande But my legs…
Helen Merrill I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Ilene Woods I'm old fashioned But I don't mind it I love the old…
Ingram Washington I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
J.B.'s Allstars We live in the modern age Where love is fast like…
JaLaLa I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Janice Friedman I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Jazz & More Collective I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande But my legs…
Jennifer Lee I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Jo Skaansar I'm old fashioned I love the moonlight I love the old fashio…
Joe Magnarelli I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
John T. Williams I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
John Williams And His Orchestra I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Julia Dollison I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Julie Andrews I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Julie Capili I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Kenny Burrell I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Lorna Dallas I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Ludmila Fernández I'm old fashioned I love the moonlight I love the old fashio…
Lyle Ritz I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Margareta Bengtson I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Maria Anadon I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Noel Coward I’m old fashioned, I love the moonlight I love the old…
Oleg Akkuratov I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Paul Desmond I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Paul Grabowsky I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Pete Christlieb & Warne Marsh Quintet I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Rita Hayworth I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Rosemary Clooney I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Royce Campbell I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Sadao Watanabe I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Sadao Watanabe & The Great Jazz Trio I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Sara Gazarek I love the moonlight I love the old fashioned things The so…
Sarah McKenzie I'm old fashioned I love the moonlights I love the old fashi…
Sarah Moule I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Stan Getz & Chet Baker I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Stan Getz - Chet Baker I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Stan Getz Quartet and Chet Baker I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Steve Davis I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Steve Lawrence I am not such a clever one about the latest…
Taylor Martin I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Ted Lewis & His Band I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande But my legs…
The Bob Florence Limited Edition I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
The Marian McPartland Trio I am not such a clever one about the latest…
The Stan Getz Quartet I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Tom Grant I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Various Artists Give me a little old fashioned love the kind that…
Wayne Escoffery I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Kitty Kallen:
Aba Daba Honeymoon "Aba, daba, daba, daba, daba, daba, dab" Said the Chimpie to…
Are You Looking for a Sweetheart Are you looking for a sweetheart For the chance to Give…
Because You re Mine Because you're mine the brightest star I see looks down My…
Bésame Mucho Bésame, bésame mucho Each time I cling to your kiss, I…
But Beautiful Love is funny or it's sad, Or it's quiet or…
East Of The Sun East of the sun and west of the moon We'll build…
Go On With The Wedding With Georgie Shaw [Chorus:] Go on with the wedding Don't bo…
Honestly I Love You Darling I adore you! Honestly I love you, I love you with…
How Are Things in Glocca Mora I hear a bird, Londonderry bird, It well may be he's…
I Don't Care Who Knows It I don′t care who knows it, I'm in love with you! I…
I Ll Buy That Dream Imagine me with my head on your shoulder And you with…
I m Beginning To See The Light I never cared much for moonlit skies I never wink back…
I Wish I Knew I wish I knew someone like you could love me I…
I''ll Buy That Dream Imagine me with my head on your shoulder And you with…
I'm Beginning To See The Light I never cared much for moonlit skies I never wink back…
If I Give My Heart To You If I give my heart to you, will you handle…
In the Chapel In the Moonlight How I'd love to hear the organ In the chapel in…
It s Been A Long Long Time Kiss me once, then kiss me twice Then kiss me once…
It's Been a Long Long Time Never thought that you would be Standing here so close…
It's Been a Long, Long Time Kiss me once, then kiss me twice Then kiss me once…
It's Been So Long 'Cause it's been so long Since I held you tight When we…
it’s been a long long time Kiss me once, then kiss me twice Then kiss me once…
It’s Been A Long Long Time Never thought that you would be standing here so close…
Little Thigns Mean A Lot Blow me a kiss from across the room Say I look…
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunda…
Moonlight Becomes You Moonlight becomes you, it goes with your hair You certainly …
My Coloring Book For those who fancy coloring book As certain people do He's …
Never in a Million Years This is the only life for me - yeah Surround myself…
Raining In My Heart You are always in my heart Even though you′re far away I…
Star Eyes Star Eyes, That to me is what your eyes are, Soft…
Sweet Kentucky Rose Sweet Kentucky Rose You're always in his heart He dreams abo…
That Old Feeling [Verse]: Last night I started out happy, Last night my heart…
The Aba Daba Honeymoon "Aba, daba, daba, daba, daba, daba, dab" Said the Chimpie to…
They're Either Too Young Or To Old You marched away and left this town As empty as can…
They're Either Too Young or Too Old You marched away and left this town As empty as can…
They're Either Too Young Or Too Old {with Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra} You marched away and left this town As empty as can…
When Did You Leave Heaven I used to dream about angels But then I never…
When They Ask About You When I go for a walk And meet old friends…
When They Ask About You When I go for a walk And meet old friends…
Where or When It seems we stood and talked like this before We looked…
Wishing Wishing will make it so Just keep on wishing and care…
You Are My Sunshine You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy…
You You Darlin' Because you're mine the brightest star I see looks down My…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Linda Rutherford
I love these songs from the 40's and 50's! They don't make them like this anymore. I'm just thankful that we can still enjoy them. Kitty Kallen had a beautiful voice!
nipstertunes
A beautiful voice, for sure. Thank you so much for listening and commenting!
Jim
LoveTheOConnor
LOVE it, Jim!!! I'm old-fashioned, too, and second azw's thanks for posting so many wonderful videos!! I'm not technically one of the "younger" people anymore, but I agree that they're precious, priceless and have a beauty that nothing from today can touch. Thanks again so much!! :))
LoveTheOConnor
What a nice thing to say, Jim!! I'm proud to have made your acquaintance and honored to be your friend, too. Your kind comments have truly made my day. Thank you so much!
nipstertunes
@azw596 It is my absolute pleasure to put these videos together and to post them. I am just thankful and grateful that there are folks out there, like you, that watch them and enjoy them. To me, the songs are precious and priceless and hopefully some of the younger people will find them and find the timeless beauty that we have. Hopefully the test of time will be many generations to come. Thank You for your encouragement! It is Much appreciated! Jim
David Chernofsky
old fashioned my eye,this real music with a melody and lyrics you can sing along with.Just wonderful.
ClassicDamsel
I love this song and Ms. Kallen gives it the beautiful touch she does with each song she sings. I love all the pictures you paired with it also. :) Another wonderful upload!
dsanw
If it is old fashioned to wear such lovely clothes and to listen to this wonderful romantic music ... then I love to be a very old fashioned woman :-) Thank you for this great video Jim, Uli
nipstertunes
Very well put, my Young Friend! You are a Special young Lady who has the values and insights that draw you to such music and film, that Is so timeless and precious. I am Proud to have made your acquaintance and Honored to be you Friend! Thank You, Heather! Jim
nipstertunes
Thank You So Much, Classic Damsel! You said it so well! Thank You so much for the very nice comments! Jim