She was born Odetta Holmes in Birmingham, Alabama, grew up in Los Angeles, California, and studied music at Los Angeles City College. Having operatic training from the age of 13, her first professional experience was in musical theater, with a touring company of the musical Finian's Rainbow in 1949.
While on tour with Finian's Rainbow, Odetta "fell in with an enthusiastic group of young balladeers", and after 1951 concentrated on folksinging. She made her name by playing around the country: at the Blue Angel nightclub (New York City), the hungry i (San Francisco), and Tin Angel (San Francisco), where she and Larry Mohr recorded Odetta and Larry in 1954, for Fantasy Records.
A solo career followed, with Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956) and a live album recorded at the Gate of Horn in Chicago in 1957. Harry Belafonte included her in a nationwide television special in 1959, and Odetta Sings Folk Songs was one of 1963's best-selling folk albums.
Odetta was active in the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. called her "the queen of American folk music". Bob Dylan and Joan Baez were among many folk musicians who credited Odetta with being a major influence on their work.
Having previous acting experience, Odetta also acted in several films, notably the film of William Faulkner's Sanctuary (1961) and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974).
On December 02, 2008, Odetta died from heart disease in New York City. She was 77 years of age.
Hit or Miss
Odetta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gotta be me
Ain’t nobody
Just like this
I gotta be me
Baby hit or miss
Sitting here
Trying to be
Everybody else
Can’t you see I gotta be me
Ain’t nobody just like this
I gotta be me
Baby hit or miss
Look at you sitting there
All by yourself
Listening to everybody
Everybody saying be everybody else
Can’t you see
You gotta be thee
Ain't nobody
Just like you
You gotta be you
Baby hit or miss
Oh you see
I gotta be me
Ain’t nobody
Just like this
I gotta be me
Baby hit or miss
Sitting here
I’m all by myself
I’m trying to be
Everybody else
But now I see
I gotta be me
Ain’t nobody
Just like this
I gotta be me
Baby hit or miss
The lyrics to Odetta's song "Hit or Miss" are about embracing individuality and being true to oneself. The song speaks to the pressure people face to conform and fit in with society, which can leave one feeling lost, empty and disconnected. The first verse emphasizes the need to be oneself, even if that means being imperfect or making mistakes. The second verse speaks to the struggle of trying to fit in and be like everyone else, while the chorus emphasizes the need to take risks, try new things, and find one's own path in life, even if it means not always succeeding.
The lyrics are delivered with a strong, soulful voice that conveys a sense of conviction and resolve. Odetta's powerful vocals coupled with the guitar-driven melodies give the song a blues-rock feel that is both uplifting and empowering. The song's message of individuality and self-discovery resonates deeply with listeners, making it a timeless classic that still resonates with people today.
Line by Line Meaning
Can’t you see
The singer is imploring the listener to recognize something crucial.
I gotta be me
The singer knows they have a particular identity that they must hold onto.
Ain’t nobody
No single person is exactly like the singer.
Just like this
Refers to the artist's unique identity which cannot be replicated fully by another person.
Baby hit or miss
The artist is willing to take risks in order to stay true to themselves.
Sitting here
The singer is currently in a contemplative state.
All by myself
The singer is emotionally alone in their journey to maintain their identity.
Trying to be
The artist has been subjected to outside pressure to modify their behavior to better fit in with their surroundings.
Everybody else
The rest of society, who doesn't share the artist’s identity.
Can’t you see I gotta be me
The artist reveals their feelings again, hoping for the listener to understand their plight.
Look at you sitting there
The singer turns the rhetorical question back to the listener.
Listening to everybody
The listener is also being swayed by external pressure.
Everybody saying be everybody else
The listener is receiving pressure to conform as well.
You gotta be thee
The singer is saying that the listener must find their unique identify or purpose.
Ain't nobody
No one else can uphold the listener’s unique identity.
Just like you
The listener's identity is just as irreplaceable as the artist's.
You gotta be you
Speaker advises the listener that they must find themselves.
Oh you see
The singer is acknowledging that the listener may now understand their position.
Sitting here
The singer is still in contemplation.
I’m trying to be
The artist admits that they haven't fully achieved their goal yet.
But now I see
The artist is observing subtle nuances of their environment that make them unique.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Odetta Gordon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@royandjacqueline1294
The open university advertisement
brought us here.
Absolutely brilliant fantastic ✝️
@warmlavender5525
One of my favorite songs ever. It always makes me feel so much better. Like I'm cool as hell. Since everyone else is saying what brought me here, one day I just looked up "black folk singers" and Odetta was the top one. Now I just love all her music.
@horserider591
Keeping searching and listening these black folk!! So much great music out there! Some white folk have their moments lol
@plooker39
Take it from a white boy growin' up in Detroit in the 60's and listening to Motown,funk, yankee blues...... Glad you found this music!!!
@ChristianG
Phenomenal fucking jam. Drums and bass up your spine straight to your soul. Life is good with music like this
@MichaelCCretu
This song is so tough as to be cement. What every person needs to hear, “be you” the back beat elevated my soul.
@Jaiyeson
This song makes me want to walk with cool swagger.
@zakelfassi
Somebody came here from the Southern Comfort channel :p
@jan-vidarjansson3843
Charlie from Malta did it
@sunbulls
George Jefferson style...