In addition to her many album releases, Vikki Carr has played concerts for fans around the world, as well as appeared on stage, and television. She has starred in productions of South Pacific, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road. In 2002 she starred in the Reprise production of Steven Sondheim's beloved musical Follies in Los Angeles, garnering glowing reviews from the LA Times, Hollywood Reporter, and Variety. Two years later, Los Angeles PBS affiliate, KCET, filmed a special Vikki Carr: Memories, Memorias: a salute to the English-language hits of the 1940s and 1950s originally composed by Latinos, and featuring guest appearances by Jack Jones, Pepe Aguilar and Arturo Sandoval. PBS again tapped Vikki to host and star in a production celebrating the music of Mexico, Fiesta Mexicana, which was featured on all PBS stations for their June 2008 pledge drive.
Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in the San Gabriel Valley of California, Vikki Carr, the eldest of seven children, began performing at the tender age of four singing "Adeste Fidelis" in Latin at a Christmas program. She was signed to a contract with Liberty Records in 1961. She recorded "He's a Rebel", which first became a hit in Australia. That title was soon followed by the unforgettable release, It Must Be Him, which charged up the charts in England. A year later, the single was released in the United States and earned Carr three Grammy Award nominations. The international hit emerged again when she and the song were featured in the storyline of the Academy Award winning movie Moonstruck. After "It Must Be Him" came a string of hits, including With Pen in Hand, for which she received her fourth Grammy Award nomination, The Lesson, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, and For Once in My Life.
Her international appeal was so great that she was invited to perform at a Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II, followed by sold-out shows throughout Europe. In the States, Carr became a darling of the White House, performing regularly at State Dinners and at President Richard Nixon's 1973 Inaugural celebration. President Gerald Ford called her his "favorite Mexican dish". She also performed for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and at the 1992 Presidential Summit hosted by President Bill Clinton.
A frequent musical guest on major network variety shows of celebrities like Dean Martin, Ed Sullivan, Perry Como, and Carol Burnett, Carr also taped six specials for London Weekend TV. As an actor, she appeared on the Bing Crosby Show, Mod Squad, Fantasy Island, and co-hosted the Mrs. America and Mrs. World of the World pageants. She was the first woman to regularly guest host for Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. She was also a visitor and guest host on Michael Jackson's ABC radio show.
The diversity of her rich voice is impressive. She can belt out the blues or touch the heart with a soft romantic ballad. Frank Sinatra once said, "She possesses my kind of voice", Dean Martin called her "the best girl singer in the business", and Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald named her among their three favorite female singers of all time. Elvis Presley was also very fond of her and even remarked on stage in Las Vegas many times that Vikki Carr was one of his favorite singers and that he liked her because "she sang from the gut" and introduced her at many of his personal appearances in which she attended.
Vikki Carr has received numerous prestigious awards, including:
- Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2008)
- National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Lifetime Achievement Award (2005)
- Latino Spirit Award (2003)
- Tito Guizar Award (2003)
- Trefoil Award (2002)
- Inductee of the Latino Legends Hall of Fame (2000)
- Imagen Foundation "Humanitarian Award (1998)
- Hispanic Heritage Award (1996)
- Nosotros Golden Eagle Award (1988)
- Hispanic Woman of the Year (1984)
- Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1981)
- Doctorate in Law from San Diego University (1974)
- Doctorate in Fine Arts from St. Edwards University (1974)
- American Guild of Variety Artists' "Entertainer of the Year" (1972), and
- The Los Angeles Times' highly respected "Woman of the Year" (1970)
She has also earned the career achievement award of the Association of Hispanic Critics, Chicago's Ovation Award, the YWCA Silver Achievement Award, and was honored in 1990 by the City of Hope with the Founder of Hope Award. In 1991, she was presented the Girl Scouts of America Award.
Respected both as an artist and a humanitarian, Carr devotes time to many charities including The United Way, The American Lung Association, Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The Muscular Dystrophy Association, and St Jude's Hospital. For 22 years she held benefit concerts to support Holy Cross High School in San Antonio. In 1971 she established the Vikki Carr Scholarship Foundation, dedicated to offering college scholarships to Latino students in California and Texas. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than 280 scholarships totaling over a quarter of a million dollars.
"My voice is a gift and a gift is nothing unless you can share it. The Foundation is one of the ways that I am able to share my gift", said Carr. "The Foundation seeks to help young Mexican-American students achieve their goals through a college education, something I myself was never able to do."
Official website: http://www.vikkicarr.com/
Aint No Mountain High Enough
Vikki Carr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough;
Baby if you need me call me no matter where you are,
No matter how far;
Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry;
You don't have to worry,
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
Remember the day I set you free
I told you you could always count on me
From that day on, I made a vow,
I'll be there when you want me,
Some way, some how.
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no valley low enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
My love is alive
Way down in my heart
Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand,
I'll be there on the double
As fast as I can.
Don't you know that there
Ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no valley low enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
No wind no rain or winters cold can stop me baby,
'Cause you are my goal.
If you're ever in trouble;
I'll be there on the double.
Just send for me, oh baby.
If you need me call me no matter where you are,
No matter how far;
Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry;
You don't have to worry,
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no valley low enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
The lyrics of Vikki Carr's song Ain't No Mountain High Enough are about a person assuring their loved one that they will always be there for them, no matter the distance or obstacles. The phrase "ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough" functions as a pledge of unwavering commitment. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the singer telling their loved one to call them if they need them, no matter where they are, and promising to be there "in a hurry." The second verse is a reminder of the vow that the singer made to be there for their loved one, adding that they will find a way to be there "some way, some how." The bridge of the song expresses the intensity of the singer's love, saying that nothing can keep them from their loved one, not even the elements. Finally, the song concludes with a repetition of the chorus, reinforcing the idea that the singer will always be there for their loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen baby, ain't no mountain high,
Hey, my love, there's no challenge too great that will prevent me from reaching you.
Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough;
I'll cross any terrain, no matter how dangerous or difficult to find you beside me.
Baby if you need me call me no matter where you are,
No matter where you are, at any time of day or night, if you need me, reach out and call me.
No matter how far;
No matter how far apart we may be, I will still find you.
Just call my name; Ill be there in a hurry;
Just say the word, and I will rush to you immediately.
You don't have to worry,
You don't need to worry that you would ever be alone or lost without me by your side.
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
There is nothing that will keep me from finding you and being with you through thick and thin.
Ain't no valley low enough,
No matter how low life gets, your love will lift me up.
Ain't no river wide enough
No river, no matter how broad or tumultuous, will stop me from finding you.
To keep me from getting to you babe.
I will always find my way back to you, no matter the obstacles or the distance between us.
Remember the day I set you free
I remember the day I let you go, but I vowed to always be there for you, no matter what.
I told you you could always count on me
I promised you that you could always rely on me, and I meant it.
From that day on, I made a vow,
Ever since then, I have been dedicated to keeping my promise and standing by you.
I'll be there when you want me,
I will always be there whenever you need me - day or night, rain or shine.
Some way, some how.
I promise to find a way to be there for you, no matter how difficult the circumstances may be.
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
There's no challenge too great that will keep me from being there for you when you need me.
Ain't no valley low enough,
My love will lift you out of the lowest depths and help you find the strength to carry on.
Ain't no river wide enough
No body of water is too wide that I cannot cross it to be at your side.
To keep me from getting to you babe.
I will always find my way to you, no matter how difficult the path may be.
My love is alive
My love for you is strong and so very real.
Way down in my heart
My love for you is in the depths of my core and cannot be shaken.
Although we are miles apart
Even though we may not be physically close to each other, my love for you never fades.
If you ever need a helping hand,
If you are ever in need of assistance or support, I will be there for you without hesitation.
I'll be there on the double
I promise to be there for you as quickly as possible, so you never have to face anything alone.
As fast as I can.
I will hurry to you, so you never have to face any challenges alone.
Don't you know that there
Have you not realized that there is nothing that can stop me from being there for you when you need me?
Ain't no mountain high enough,
No mountain, no matter how steep or treacherous, will keep me from being there for you.
Ain't no valley low enough,
My love for you will lift you up out of the lowest valley and carry you through any hardships.
Ain't no river wide enough
No river, no matter how wide or deep, will become a barrier between us.
To keep me from getting to you babe.
I will always find my way to you, no matter how difficult the journey may be.
No wind no rain or winters cold can stop me baby,
I will never let any conditions dictate whether or not I can be at your side when you need me.
'Cause you are my goal.
My only objective is to be with you, to support you and stand by you through life's ups and downs.
If you're ever in trouble;
If you find yourself in difficulty or distress, you can rely on me to be there for you.
I'll be there on the double.
I will hurry to you as soon as possible to offer my help and support.
Just send for me, oh baby.
All you need to do is ask, and I will be by your side as quickly as I can.
If you need me call me no matter where you are,
If you ever need me, don't hesitate to reach out, no matter where you are or what you need.
No matter how far;
No matter how great the distance between us may be, I will find a way to be there for you.
Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry;
Just say the word, and I will rush to be by your side as soon as I can.
You don't have to worry,
You can rely on me to support you and care for you, no matter what life may have in store.
'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
No matter the challenges or obstacles we may face, I will always be there for you, no matter what.
Ain't no valley low enough,
No matter how low life may seem, my love for you will lift you up out of despair and help you persevere.
Ain't no river wide enough
No body of water is too wide that I cannot cross it to be with you.
To keep me from getting to you babe.
I will always find my way back to you, no matter how hard the journey may be.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind