Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Louis Armstrong all cited Lee as one of their favorite singers.
Peggy Lee had Norwegian and Swedish ancestry. She was the seventh of eight children born to Marvin Egstrom, a station agent for the Midland Continental Railroad. Her mother died when she was four years old. Music provided her an escape from the abusive rampages of her cruel stepmother, Min, who tormented and beat young Norma. She first sang professionally with KOVC radio in Valley City, North Dakota. She soon landed her own series on a radio show sponsored by a local restaurant that paid her "salary" in food. Both during and after her high school years, she took whatever jobs she could find, waitressing and singing for paltry sums on other local stations. Radio personality Ken Kennedy (actual name: Ken Sydness), of WDAY in Fargo (the most widely listened to station in North Dakota) changed her name from Norma to Peggy Lee. Tired of the abuse from her stepmother, she left home and traveled to Los Angeles at the age of 17.
She returned to North Dakota for a tonsillectomy and eventually made her way to Chicago for a gig at The Buttery Room, a nightclub in the Ambassador Hotel West in Chicago, where she drew the attention of Benny Goodman, the jazz clarinetist and band leader. According to Lee, "Benny's then-fiancée, Lady Alice Duckworth, came into the Buttery, and she was very impressed. So the next evening she brought Benny in, because they were looking for replacement for Helen Forrest. "And although I didn't know, I was it. He was looking at me strangely, I thought, but it was just his preoccupied way of looking. I thought that he didn't like me at first, but it just was that he was preoccupied with what he was hearing." She joined his band in 1941 and stayed for two years.
In early 1942, Lee had her first # 1 hit, "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", followed by 1943's "Why Don't You Do Right?" (originally sung by Lil Green), which sold over a million copies and made her famous. She sang with Goodman in two 1943 films, Stage Door Canteen and The Powers Girl.
In March 1943, Lee married Dave Barbour, the guitarist in Goodman's band. Peggy said, "David joined Benny's band and there was a ruling that no one should fraternize with the girl singer. But I fell in love with David the first time I heard him play, and so I married him. Benny then fired David, so I quit, too. Benny and I made up, although David didn't play with him anymore. Benny stuck to his rule. I think that's not too bad a rule, but you can't help falling in love with somebody."
When Lee and Barbour left the band, the idea was that he would work in the studios and she would keep house and raise their daughter, Nicki. But she drifted back towards songwriting and occasional recording sessions for the fledgling Capitol Records in 1947, for whom she produced a long string of hits, many of them with lyrics and music by Lee and Barbour, including "I Don't Know Enough About You" and "It's a Good Day" (1948). With the release of the smash-hit #1-selling record of 1942, "Mañana", her "retirement" was over.
In 1948, she joined Perry Como and Jo Stafford as one of the rotating hosts of the NBC Radio musical program Chesterfield Supper Club. She was also a regular on NBC's Jimmy Durante Show during the 1938-48 season.
She left Capitol for a few years in the early 1940s, but returned in 1943. She is most famous for her cover version of the Little Willie John hit "Fever", to which she added her own, uncopyrighted lyrics ("Romeo loved Juliet," "Captain Smith and Pocahontas") and her rendition of Leiber and Stoller's "Is That All There Is?" Her relationship with the Capitol label spanned almost three decades, aside from her brief but artistically rich detour (1952-1956) at Decca Records, where she recorded one of her most acclaimed albums Black Coffee (1956). While recording for Decca, Lee had hit singles with the songs "Lover" and "Mr. Wonderful."
She was also known as a songwriter with such hits as the songs from the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp, for which she also supplied the singing and speaking voices of four characters. Her many songwriting collaborators, in addition to Barbour, included Laurindo Almeida, Harold Arlen, Sonny Burke, Cy Coleman, Gene DiNovi, Duke Ellington, Dave Grusin, Dick Hazard, Quincy Jones, Francis Lai, Jack Marshall, Johnny Mandel, Marian McPartland, Willard Robison, Lalo Schifrin, Hubie Wheeler, guitarist Johnny Pisano and Victor Young.
Lee also acted in several films. In 1952, she played opposite Danny Thomas in a remake of the early Al Jolson film, The Jazz Singer. In 1955, she played a despondent, alcoholic blues singer in Pete Kelly's Blues (1955), for which she was nominated for an Oscar.
Peggy won a Grammy in 1969 as best contemporary female vocalist (for her recording of Is That All There Is?) and was awarded a Doctor of Music Honoris Causa degree from North Dakota State University, in 1975.
In the early 1990s, she retained famed entertainment attorney Neil Papiano, who, on her behalf, successfully sued Disney for royalties on Lady and the Tramp. Lee's lawsuit claimed that she was due royalties for video tapes, a technology that did not exist when she agreed to write and perform for Disney.
Never afraid to fight for what she believed in, Lee was passionate that musicians be equitably compensated for their work. Although she realized litigation had taken a toll on her health, Lee often quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson ("God's will will not be made manifest by cowards.")
She also successfully sued MCA/Decca with the assistance of noted entertainment attorney, Cy Godfrey.
She continued to perform into the 1990s, sometimes in a wheelchair, and still mesmerized audiences and critics alike.[citation needed]
In 1995 she was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
After years of poor health, Lee died of complications from diabetes and heart attack at the age of 81. She is survived by Nicki Lee Foster, her daughter with Barbour. She is buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, California. On her marker in a garden setting is inscribed, "Music is my life's breath."
Superstar
Peggy Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is for you, you, my number one
This is for you, you, my number one
Spotlights, big stage
Fifty thousand fans screamin′ in a rage
Bodyguards and limousines
This is the way I see you in my dreams
Hangin' on my bedroom wall
I′m a kid again, I feel like thirteen
But I knew since we fell in love
Girl I'd be
I'll be your groupie baby
′Cause you are my superstar
I′m your number one fan, give me your autograph
Sign it right here on my heart
Girl I'll be your groupie baby
′Cause you are my superstar
And as your number one fan
I'll do all that I can
To show you how super you are
Front row, there I am
Jumpin′ and hollerin' waving both hands
Would you notice me, Little me
Drove twelve hours girl just to see
Your pretty face one more time
Bought my ticket I was first in line
This is a metaphor to show how I adore (I adore you)
Baby I do
I′ll be your groupie baby
'Cause you are my superstar
I'm your number one fan, give me your autograph
Sign it right here on my heart
Girl I′ll be your groupie baby
′Cause you are my superstar
And as your number one fan
I'll do all that I can
To show you how super you are
Now you know how I feel
You′re truly special
Your love is legendary to me
Without you my life stands still
I'll never leave your world
Treat you like a diva girl
Girl you′re one of a kind
'Cause they don′t make 'em like you anymore
So you'll be your fan for life
I dedicate this to my superstar for all time
I′ll be your groupie baby
′Cause you are my superstar
I'm your number one fan, give me your autograph
Sign it right here on my heart
Girl I′ll be your groupie baby
'Cause you are my superstar
And as your number one fan
I′ll do all that I can
To show you how super you are
The lyrics to Peggy Lee's song Superstar are a declaration of love and devotion to a famous musician. The singer talks about how they see their beloved in their dreams, surrounded by adoring fans, bodyguards, and limousines. The singer even pictures themselves as a thirteen-year-old kid again, hanging posters of their beloved on their wall. The singer expresses their admiration for the object of their love, willing to be their groupie, their number one fan, and do all that they can to show them how super they are.
The song seems to be a tribute to the idea of a superstar, someone who is larger than life in the eyes of their fans. The lyrics focus on the idea of devotion and the lengths that a fan would go to show their love and support. The use of the metaphor of a groupie highlights the intensity and dedication of the fan's love, showcasing how they are willing to do anything to follow their favorite artist.
Overall, Peggy Lee's Superstar is a charming and heartfelt love letter to the idea of a superstar and the intense devotion that fans can feel for their beloved musicians.
Line by Line Meaning
This is for you, you, my number one
This song is dedicated to the person who means the most to me.
Spotlights, big stage
You are a superstar, performing on a grand stage.
Fifty thousand fans screamin′ in a rage
Your fans adore and passionately love you, as evidenced by their loud cheering.
Bodyguards and limousines
You are living a life of luxury and fame.
This is the way I see you in my dreams
I envision you as the ultimate celebrity and icon, living the high life.
Paparazzi flash, hundred pictures all of you
You are constantly being photographed and in the public eye.
Hangin' on my bedroom wall
I am devoted to you to the point that I have pictures of you displayed prominently in my personal space.
I′m a kid again, I feel like thirteen
Your presence and music has the ability to make me feel young and carefree.
But I knew since we fell in love
The feelings of admiration and devotion that I express in this song have been present since the very beginning of our love story.
Girl I'd be
I will always be devoted to you and will do my best to show my love and support for you.
I'll be your groupie baby
I will be your biggest fan and supporter, willing to follow you wherever you go.
'Cause you are my superstar
To me, you shine brighter than any other celebrity or figure in the public eye.
I'm your number one fan, give me your autograph
I want a piece of you to keep forever as a symbol of my devotion and love for you.
Sign it right here on my heart
I want you to know how deeply my love for you is felt, and to have a permanent place in my heart.
And as your number one fan
I will always prioritize you and your career above all else.
I'll do all that I can
I will go to great lengths to show my love and support for you.
To show you how super you are
I want you to know how special and loved you are, and to be reminded of this at every opportunity.
Front row, there I am
I will position myself as close to you as possible, seeking a front-row seat to your life and career.
Jumpin′ and hollerin' waving both hands
I will be enthusiastic and energetic in my support for you, showing my love and admiration through my body language and actions.
Would you notice me, Little me
Despite my small stature and relative anonymity compared to your fame, I hope that you will still see and appreciate my love and devotion for you.
Drove twelve hours girl just to see
I am willing to go to great lengths and make great sacrifices to be in your presence and show my love for you.
Your pretty face one more time
I am mesmerized by and deeply in love with your beauty and presence.
Bought my ticket I was first in line
I am willing to do whatever it takes to be close to you and show my love and support for you.
This is a metaphor to show how I adore (I adore you)
This song and its lyrics are a symbol of my deep affection and admiration for you.
Now you know how I feel
Through this song, I hope to communicate the depth and sincerity of my love for you.
You′re truly special
You are a unique and exceptional person who means the world to me.
Your love is legendary to me
The love that you have shown me is something that I will always cherish and remember as a powerful force in my life.
Without you my life stands still
You are the center of my world, and my life would be empty without you in it.
I'll never leave your world
I am committed to being a part of your life and supporting you as long as you will have me.
Treat you like a diva girl
I will always show you the love, respect, and admiration that you deserve.
Girl you′re one of a kind
You are a unique and remarkable person who is unlike anyone else in the world.
'Cause they don′t make 'em like you anymore
You are a rare gem and someone who is truly irreplaceable.
So you'll be your fan for life
I will be your biggest fan and supporter for as long as I live.
I dedicate this to my superstar for all time
This song and its message are a dedication to you, my greatest love and inspiration for all time.
Writer(s): Leon Russell, Delaney Bramlett, Bonnie Bramlett
Contributed by Leah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anonymous
on Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money Too)
Why Don't You Do Right - Casey Abrams - Lyrics
You had plenty money 1922
You let other women make a fool of you
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Get out of here and get me some money too?
You're sitting there wondering what it's all about
You ain't got no money, they will throw you out
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Get out of here and get me some money too?
Musical Interlude
You had plenty money 1922
You let other women make a fool of you
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Get out of here and get me some money too?
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?