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
Daddy Sang Bass
Skeeter Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But there's a silver lining behind every cloud
Just poor people that's all we were tryin' to make a livin' out of black land dirt
We'd get together in a family circle and sing out loud
(Daddy sang bass mama sang tenor)
Me and little brother would join right in there
Singin' seems to help us troubled soul
One of these days and it won't be long I'll rejoin them in a song
No the circle won't be broken by and by Lord by and by
(Daddy sang bass mama sang tenor)
Me and little brother would join right in there in the sky Lord in the sky
Now I remember after work mama would call in all of us
You could hear us singin' for a country mile
Now little brother has done gone on but I'll rejoin him in a song
We'll be together again up yonder in a while
(Daddy sang bass)
In the sky Lord in the sky
The lyrics of Skeeter Davis's song Daddy Sang Bass detail the struggles of a family living in difficult circumstances. The singer reminisces about her childhood when times were hard, and her family worked hard to make a living out of the black land dirt. Despite their difficulties, the family would gather together in a circle and sing out loud. The singer relates how her daddy would sing bass and her mama would sing tenor while she and her little brother would join right in with them. Singing seems to help them all deal with the troubles they were experiencing.
The song is a touching tribute to the power of music to lift the spirit and bring people together. It speaks about how music is not just entertainment, but is also a way to connect with those you love and transcend the difficulties of life. The lyrics also capture the hope and faith of the singer that she will one day join her family again in a heavenly chorus. Despite the challenges they faced in life, the family's love for each other and the music they shared created a bond that could not be broken.
Line by Line Meaning
As when I was a little girl times were hard in this whole world
When I was young, the world was difficult to live in.
But there's a silver lining behind every cloud
Despite the hardships, there is always something positive to be found.
Just poor people that's all we were tryin' to make a livin' out of black land dirt
We were poor and relying on the land for survival.
We'd get together in a family circle and sing out loud
We found solace in gathering together and singing as a family.
(Daddy sang bass mama sang tenor)
During these times, my father sang bass and my mother sang tenor.
Me and little brother would join right in there
My sibling and I would join in and sing as well.
Singin' seems to help us troubled soul
Singing helped ease our troubled souls during difficult times.
One of these days and it won't be long I'll rejoin them in a song
Soon, I will reunite with my family and sing with them once again.
I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne
In heaven, I will finally be able to join my family in a sacred circle.
No the circle won't be broken by and by Lord by and by
Our family circle will remain unbroken forever in heaven.
(Daddy sang bass mama sang tenor)
As we sing together in heaven, my father will sing bass and my mother will sing tenor.
Me and little brother would join right in there in the sky Lord in the sky
My sibling and I will harmonize with our parents in the heavens above.
Now I remember after work mama would call in all of us
I recall my mother calling us inside after a long day of work.
You could hear us singin' for a country mile
Our singing could be heard from miles away and brought comfort to those who could hear it.
Now little brother has done gone on but I'll rejoin him in a song
Although my brother has passed away, I will join him once again in song in heaven.
We'll be together again up yonder in a while
Soon, my family and I will be reunited in heaven.
(Daddy sang bass)
In heaven, my father will continue to sing bass.
In the sky Lord in the sky
Our voices will ring out in harmony in the heavens above.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CARL PERKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind