Mary Frances Penick was born on December 30, 1931 in the small Appalachian town of Dry Ridge, Kentucky. As a child, her grandfather nicknamed her "Skeeter" because she was always active and buzzing around like a mosquito. She got her start in music as part of the duo, The Davis Sisters, along with childhood friend, Betty Jack Davis. Thus, Skeeter Davis was born to the rest of the world.
The Davis Sisters sang in the local Lexington, Kentucky area and appeared on local radio WLAX in 1949. From there, they earned radio and television appearances in Detroit, Cincinnati and Wheeling, WV, where they were part of the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree.
In 1952, Skeeter and Betty Jack recorded for Fortune, but won a recording contract with RCA the following year and achieved their first chart success. "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" went to number one on the U.S. country chart and number eighteen on the U.S. pop chart.
Sadly, on August 23, 1953, Skeeter and Betty Jack were involved in a serious car accident in which Betty Jack died and Skeeter was critically injured. It took Skeeter more than a year to recover both physically and mentally. With great difficulty and a lot of persuasion, Skeeter returned to singing with Betty Jack's sister, Georgia Davis, to briefly resume the Davis Sisters' act. But, within a year, the duo broke up and Skeeter pursued a solo career.
She continued to record on the RCA label where she worked with Eddy Arnold and Elvis Presley. In 1955, she toured for RCA on the Caravan of the Stars. Davis teamed up with producer, Chet Atkins and scored her first solo country chart hit in 1958 with "Lost To A Geisha Girl." This was during a time when the female acts were surging forward with "response" songs to some of the biggest hits by male artists. As Kitty Wells had answered Hank Thompson's "Honky Tonk Angels," with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" in 1952, Skeeter Davis put out this answer to Hank Locklin's "Geisha Girl."
A few years later, Davis recorded another answer to a Hank Locklin song and gained another huge hit. Locklin sang "Please Help Me I'm Falling" and Davis' response was, "I Can't Help You, I'm Falling Too."
In 1959, Davis achieved one of her greatest ambitions when she moved to Nashville and became a regular member of the Grand Ole Opry. In 1960, she married WSM personality, Ralph Emery, but the tumultuous marriage ended in 1964.
During the 1960's, Davis was one of RCA's most successful country artists. She harvested 26 U.S. country hits, 12 of which crossed over to the U.S. pop charts. Among these was what was to become her trademark song, the million-selling record "The End Of The World" which peaked at number two in both the U.S. country and pop charts in 1963. She also earned her only UK chart presence with "The End Of The World" which topped out at number eighteen in only thirteen weeks on the chart.
Davis has also acheived songwriting success. Her co-written song "Set Him Free" became her first country Top 10 hit in 1959. She also co-wrote "My Last Date" with Boudleaux Bryant and Floyd Cramer. Cramer, famed pianist and member of the original A-team, recorded it as an instrumental solo and had a million-selling record on it in 1960.
During the 60's and 70's, Davis toured extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Far East. Her solo career started to wane in the 70's, but she still had several more hits such as "Bus Fare To Kentucky," "I'm A Lover, Not A Fighter," and "One Tin Soldier." Her duets with Bobby Bare, George Hamilton IV, and The Bee Gees gave her a few more hits, but by the mid-70's, Davis was reaching the end of her illustrious career. She ended her twenty-two year relationship with RCA in 1974 and charted her last hit for Mercury in 1976 with "I Love Us."
In 1967, Davis recorded a tribute album to Buddy Holly, which featured Waylon Jennings on the guitar. Later in 1972, she also did a tribute album to her friend, Dolly Parton. In 1985, she re-recorded an old Davis Sisters' hit, "May You Never Be Alone," with the group NRBQ. She married Joey Spampanito of NRBQ, but this marriage ultimately ended in divorce as well.
In 1973, Davis was dropped from the Grand Ole Opry's roster due to her strong criticisms of the Nashville Police Department during one of her performances. Her membership was later reinstated.
Davis has also taken to writing about her real life experiences. Her autobiography, "Bus Fare To Kentucky," was published in 1993. Davis pulls no punches in this brutally honest account of her life. She tells how she endured a family history of alcoholism, incest and murder. She also tells her side of the story regarding her four year marriage to Ralph Emery, following the heavy criticism which she received in Emery's autobiography. In 1997, she co-wrote a children's Christmas book, entitled "The Christmas Note," based on her own childhood.
Skeeter Davis passed away September 19th 2004 after a long battle with cancer.
Written by Sherry Anderson. June 2001
* Article appears courtesy of www.countrypolitan.com
Angel Of The Morning
Skeeter Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not if my love can't bind your heart
And there's no need to take a stand
For it was I who chose to start
I see no need to take me home
I'm old enough to face the dawn
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Then slowly turn away
Maybe the sun's light will be dim
And it won't matter anyhow
If morning's echo says we've sinned
Well, it was what I wanted now
And if we're victims of the night
I won't be blinded by the light
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Then slowly turn away
I won't beg you to stay with me
Through the tears of the day, of the years
Baby, baby, baby
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
The song "Angel of the Morning" by Skeeter Davis is a beautiful and poignant ballad with a haunting melody that speaks to the fleeting nature of love and the pain that comes along with it. The lyrics are about a woman who has fallen in love with a man who she knows is not ready for a commitment, and she is offering herself to him without any expectations or strings attached. She wants him to know that she understands him and that she will be there for him whenever he needs her.
The opening lines of the song, "There'll be no strings to bind your hands, not if my love can't bind your heart," suggest that the woman is aware of the man's need for independence and that she is willing to let him go if he feels he needs to. She goes on to say, "And there's no need to take a stand, for it was I who chose to start. I see no need to take me home, I'm old enough to face the dawn," which emphasizes her willingness to accept the consequences of her actions and to take responsibility for her own decisions.
The chorus, "Just call me angel of the morning, (angel) just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby, just call me angel of the morning, (angel), then slowly turn away," reinforces the idea that the woman is offering herself to the man without any expectations, and that she knows that he will not stay with her. The final lines of the song, "I won't beg you to stay with me, through the tears of the day, of the years, baby, baby, baby, just call me angel of the morning, (angel)," suggest that the woman is resigned to the fact that the man will leave her and that she will always be there for him.
Overall, the song "Angel of the Morning" is a beautiful tribute to the power of love and the pain that comes along with it. It speaks to the human need for connection and understanding, and the willingness to sacrifice oneself for the sake of another.
Line by Line Meaning
There'll be no strings to bind your hands
I won't control you or try to limit you
Not if my love can't bind your heart
My love alone won't be able to keep you with me
And there's no need to take a stand
You don't have to choose between us, just follow your heart
For it was I who chose to start
I initiated this relationship, so I won't force you to stay
I see no need to take me home
I don't want to be a burden or cause of trouble, I can take care of myself
I'm old enough to face the dawn
I'm mature enough to deal with the possible aftermath of this relationship
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Think of me as a comforting influence in your life
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby
Please show me some affection before you go, I need it
Maybe the sun's light will be dim
Maybe things won't turn out as expected
And it won't matter anyhow
But in the grand scheme of things, it's not that important
If morning's echo says we've sinned
If society judges us for our relationship and considers it shameful
Well, it was what I wanted now
But at least it made me happy at the time
And if we're victims of the night
If our love is seen as sinful or bad by some
I won't be blinded by the light
I won't let myself be influenced by others' opinions
I won't beg you to stay with me
I won't act needy or clingy
Through the tears of the day, of the years
Even though this may be painful
Baby, baby, baby
I still care for you and want the best for you
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
I'll always be here for you, guiding you like an angel
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Chip Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gazzable
No one can do this better than Skeeter.
Patrick Muchiri
I love skeeter's version more than the rest. there's something special about it
Naomi McClarrinon
Skeeter change the tempo and Merilee Rush brought this to the top of the charts. I remember hearing her on the radio as I was playing on one of those hot summer nights. Kick the can, or Hide and Seek, Red Light, Green Light. Sure do miss those carefree days. Both made this song their own!
Mak
Yes .... the words are beautiful. Skeeter's voice sounds like an angel!
Russell Loyd
She has such an innocent sound to her voice, it awesome, sad I was too young to enjoy her talent when she was with us. RIP Skeeter.
Francisco Oliveira Filho
Voz igual essa da Skeeter nunca mais. Voz magistral e fenomenal. Magnífica interpretação. Cantava muito. RIP Skeeter Davies
Morrigan Ravenchild
RIP Skeeter....thanks for your wonderful music...
David Walsh
Beautiful song choice for the very talented miss Davis. She was a tremendously talented singer
frank curry
She had a Fabulous Voice.
渡邊浩
She songs in a sweet voice & lyrics are so fantastic !