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
Last Date
Skeeter Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too late now I find I care
His sweet love no more I'll share
Now he's gone I'm alone
I was wrong should have known
Took me home on our last date
I search for a single way
I kissed him watched him walk away
Set him free foolishly destiny misery
Tragedy on our last date
Took the ring from my trembling fingers
Brushed a tear from my baby's eye
Walked away didn't know that
I'd soon miss him so
Guess I was too young to realize
So blind I couldn't see
How much he really meant to me
And that soon he would always be
On my mind in my heart I was blind from the start
Lost his love on our last date
In Skeeter Davis's song Last Date, the singer reflects on a past love affair that has come to an end. The lyrics suggest that the singer now realizes the depth of her feelings for her former partner, but it is too late to repair the damage that has been done. The lyrics describe the final moments of the couple's relationship, including the realization that it is over, the regret that the singer feels for not realizing the importance of her partner sooner, and the overwhelming sense of loss that she now experiences.
The first stanza reveals that the love affair has ended and that the singer now sees that she cared too much for her partner to let him go. She regrets the decision to end things and now finds herself alone. The second stanza focuses on a specific moment in the relationship when the singer had to say goodbye to her partner. She struggled to find the right words but ultimately let him go, even though it was a difficult decision. The third stanza describes the aftermath of the breakup, with the singer removing her ring and watching her partner walk away. She realizes too late how much he meant to her and the depth of her feelings for him.
Line by Line Meaning
It's over our love affair
Our romantic relationship has come to an end.
Too late now I find I care
I now realize my true feelings for my former partner, but it's too late to act on them.
His sweet love no more I'll share
I will no longer experience his affection and companionship.
Now he's gone I'm alone
Since he left, I am left to feel isolated and lonely.
I was wrong should have known
I admit my wrongdoing in not realizing the value of our relationship earlier and taking it for granted.
Took me home on our last date
Our most recent date involved him taking me home, but I was unaware it would be our final one together.
I search for a single way
I exhaust all possible options to find the best approach in conveying an important message to him.
To tell him what I had to say
What I need to communicate to him is of utmost importance.
I kissed him watched him walk away
After our last encounter, I express my love and farewell through a kiss as I watch him depart from my life.
Set him free foolishly destiny misery
In retrospect, my decision to end our relationship was misguided and has led to the unhappy fate of our separation.
Tragedy on our last date
By the end of our final encounter, a tragic event occurred that has had lasting detrimental effects on our relationship.
Took the ring from my trembling fingers
I retrieve the engagement ring from my shaking hand, symbolizing our abrupt breakup.
Brushed a tear from my baby's eye
In my efforts to remain strong and composed, I wipe away a tear from my partner's face, who I still deeply care for.
Walked away didn't know that
As I departed, I was unaware of the emotional upheaval and profound longing I would soon experience.
I'd soon miss him so
I would soon feel intense regret and missing him terribly.
Guess I was too young to realize
My lack of maturity and life experience prevented me from understanding how important our love was.
So blind I couldn't see
My ignorance and shortsightedness lead me to make ill-advised decisions regarding our relationship.
How much he really meant to me
I belatedly realize how much his presence and love impacted my life.
And that soon he would always be
My former partner will forever be present in my thoughts and heart.
On my mind in my heart I was blind from the start
Despite always having my partner in my thoughts and affections, my blindness to his significance was present from the beginning.
Lost his love on our last date
Our final encounter marked the end of our romance and resulted in my losing his affection.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Floyd Cramer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sareesh1256
One hour and I'll be meeting you
I know you're gonna make me blue
My heart is trembling
Through and through
'Cause I know very well
I can tell
I can tell
This will be my last date with you
Just can't believe that this could end
I know I'll never love again
You'll ask me to be just a friend
This is plain as can be
I can see
I can see
This will be my last date with you
I know we had a quarrel
But all sweethearts do
I gave my love to prove to you
That I will always love you and be true
I know you've met someone new
You'll tell me you and I are through
My plans and dreams cannot come true
And when you say goodbye
I know I will cry cause
I'll know it's my last date with you
@zuzannawisniewska4464
Who's still listening in 2023 ? Love this song. She has such an angelic voice .
@user-hu4vp7tw2u
Skeeter Davis is my mum's favourite music since 1984 when.l heard you're music it reminds me of mum lβ€ it to.
@earlytv-seriesmore5046
She's one of the GREATEST! Love her. Glad you enjoyed it. Never gets old.
@boxcarbobby5581
My grandmother was from Kentucky not far from where Skeeter was from. I wish I was born and alive back during her time. I heard her music on Willies Roadhouse. She has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. And she's also one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. If I had been lucky enough to be alive back then and ever met her in person I would have worshipped her like a god. I hope the music industry never lets her memory fade.
@martiegunko6029
As a little girl I loved this song.... Today, May 18, I am 68 and still listen to it.
@johnathanvizzidy223
Martie, because that little girl is still there, right inside you.
@sharonerdman6598
I am 76 n listening to it
@user-rh7uk9uv2h
Happy Birthday to both of you. I'm 58 so so little younger than you all. But I don't know this Skeeter, Davis lady.
I know Sandy Davis who sings preacher man son of a preacher man question.
@latriciabailey8359
Happy Birthday,,,
Chipper Bailey.
@MrWayneWhite
She was ahead of her time and it is a damn shame that the Country Music Association hasn't induct her into the Hall of fame