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
Country Girl
Skeeter Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My world is made of blue skies and sunshine green fields and butterflies
I'm so glad I'm a country girl
Birds sing good morning country girl I sleep to the sounds of a whippoorwill
My day is made with puppies and kittens meadows and daisies
I'm so glad I'm a country girl
Running over hills playing in the woods free breezes blowing
Picking stick-me-tights off my gain and dress darkness is falling
Fire wood to carry eggs to gathering supper's ready mother's calling
I was born a country girl I will die a country girl
My world is made of blue skies and sunshine green fields and butterflies
I'm so glad I'm a country girl I'm so happy I'm a country girl
The above lyrics to Skeeter Davis's song Country Girl paint a vivid picture of the artist's rural upbringing and love for the simple pleasures of life. She identifies herself as a "country girl" who cherishes the natural beauty of the countryside, the chirping birds, the fresh air, and the freedom to run around the hills and woods. She finds delight in the company of animals, playing with puppies and kittens, and picking flowers in the meadow.
The song captures the essence of a carefree life, devoid of the stress and hustle of urban living. Instead, the artist finds peace in the tranquil surroundings of nature, where she can watch honeybees warming and blackbirds soaring. The song's second verse evokes the end of a productive day, as the artist gathers firewood, collects eggs for supper and responds to her mother's call.
Overall, the lyrics to "Country Girl" celebrate the joys of country living, the beauty of nature, and the simplicity of a life free from modern-day distractions. It is an ode to nostalgia and a yearning for a return to the innocence of childhood.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born a country girl I will die a country girl
I have lived my entire life in the countryside and I want to continue to do so until my last breath.
My world is made of blue skies and sunshine green fields and butterflies
My surroundings are full of natural beauty that I appreciate and love - the clear skies, bright sun, green fields, and fluttering butterflies.
I'm so glad I'm a country girl
Living in the countryside brings me an incomparable joy and contentment.
Birds sing good morning country girl I sleep to the sounds of a whippoorwill
In the morning, I wake up to the cheerful tunes of the birds, and at night I find peace in listening to the serene sound of a whippoorwill.
My day is made with puppies and kittens meadows and daisies
Every simple thing in the countryside fills my day with happiness, be it playing with cute puppies and kittens, relaxing in the meadow, or smelling the lovely daisies.
Running over hills playing in the woods free breezes blowing
I enjoy living an active lifestyle in nature, running over hills, playing in the woods, embracing the fresh breeze.
Honeybees warming blackbirds a flying wonder where they're going
I watch and admire the beauty of nature's creatures, observing honeybees buzzing and blackbirds flying, wondering where they are destined.
Picking stick-me-tights off my gain and dress darkness is falling
As the day comes to a close, I pick off the burrs and twigs stuck on my dress from frolicking in the fields.
Fire wood to carry eggs to gathering supper's ready mother's calling
As night falls, I gather firewood to cook supper, collecting eggs and hearing my mother's call that dinner is served.
I'm so happy I'm a country girl
Being a country girl brings me immense happiness and a sense of belonging in nature.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ALAN HAWKSHAW, PETER GOSLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind