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/
Yesterday When I Was Young
Vikki Carr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Hier Encore)
(Written by: Herbert Kretzmer)
Charles Aznavour (France)
Dusty Springfield
Roy Clark - 1969
the taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue.
I teased at life as if it were a foolish game,
the way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame.
The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned
I always built alas on weak and shifting sand.
I lived by night and shunned the naked light of the day
and only now I see how the years ran away.
Yesterday when I was young
so many drinking songs were waiting to be sung,
so many wayward pleasures lay in store for me
and so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see.
I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out,
I never stopped to think what life was all about
and every conversation I can now recall
concerned itself with me and nothing else at all.
Yesterday the moon was blue
and every crazy day brought something new to do.
I used my magic age as if it were a wand
and never saw the waste and emptiness beyond.
The game of love I played with arrogance and pride
and every flame I lit too quickly quickly died.
The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away
and only I am left on stage to end the play.
There are so many songs in me that won't be sung;
I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue.
The time has come for me to pay for yesterday when I was young.
"Yesterday When I Was Young" is a beautiful song about the regrets someone feels when they realize they wasted their youth on meaningless things. The lyrics are in first person perspective, speaking directly to the listener. The song begins with a reminiscence of the singer's youth which they describe as sweet as rain upon their tongue. They remember how they lived by night and shunned the naked light of the day, teasing at life as if it was a foolish game. The singer then expresses regret for the thousand dreams they dreamed and the splendid things they planned but built upon weak and shifting sand. They now see how the years have run away, and realize that time and youth have run out.
As the second verse starts, the tone shifts to more drunken memories of the singer. They remember how many drinking songs were waiting to be sung, and how much pain their dazzled eyes refused to see. It is clear that the singer lived recklessly and in a hurry, never stopping to think about their actions, or what life might be all about. They played the game of love with arrogance and pride, lighting flames too quickly that quickly died out. In the end, the singer's friends all drifted away, and they are left alone on stage to end the play. The singer is filled with bitterness and regrets for all the songs that won't be sung, feeling the bitter taste of tears upon their tongue. The time has come for the singer to pay for yesterday when they were young.
In summary, "Yesterday When I Was Young" is a bittersweet reflection on the fleeting nature of youth, and the regrets that come from wasting it. The singer expresses regret and bitterness towards their past, blaming their arrogance and recklessness for the loss of dreams and opportunities. The song ends with a melancholic tone, as the singer realizes that they will never be able to recapture their lost youth.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday when I was young
When I was young, life was full of potential and I felt like anything was possible.
the taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue.
Everything in life tasted sweet and felt amazing, like raindrops on my tongue.
I teased at life as if it were a foolish game,
I was playful with life, treating it like a game rather than something to be taken seriously.
the way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame.
Just like the gentle evening breeze can cause a candle flame to flicker, life also had a way of causing me to waver and question myself.
The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned
I had so many dreams and aspirations that I hoped to achieve in my future.
I always built alas on weak and shifting sand.
Unfortunately, my dreams and plans were often fragile and unable to withstand the test of time.
I lived by night and shunned the naked light of the day
I preferred to live life under cover of darkness, avoiding facing my problems head-on.
and only now I see how the years ran away.
In retrospect, I realize that time slipped away from me without me realizing it.
so many drinking songs were waiting to be sung,
There were many celebrations and good times ahead of me, just waiting to be enjoyed.
so many wayward pleasures lay in store for me
I had many opportunities to pursue carefree and reckless pleasures.
and so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see.
I blinded myself to the potential consequences of my actions and refused to recognize the pain that was inevitably coming my way.
I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out,
I was so focused on living in the moment that I didn't realize how quickly time was passing me by.
I never stopped to think what life was all about
I didn't take the time to contemplate and appreciate the bigger picture of what life truly meant.
and every conversation I can now recall
Looking back, I realize that every conversation I had was centered around me and my own interests.
concerned itself with me and nothing else at all.
My conversations were always self-centered and lacked consideration for others.
Yesterday the moon was blue
There were times in my past where things seemed strange and otherworldly, almost like the sky was blue at night.
and every crazy day brought something new to do.
Every day felt like an adventure, full of new experiences and opportunities.
I used my magic age as if it were a wand
I took advantage of my youth and saw it as a tool to get what I wanted in life.
and never saw the waste and emptiness beyond.
I didn't realize how shallow and empty my life was becoming due to my obsessive focus on myself and my own interests.
The game of love I played with arrogance and pride
In my romantic endeavors, I was often conceited and invested more in winning the game of love than in truly caring for others.
and every flame I lit too quickly quickly died.
I had many brief and fleeting romances that quickly fizzled out and didn't last long-term.
The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away
I had many acquaintances, but friendship was elusive and never seemed to stick around for long.
and only I am left on stage to end the play.
I'm the only one left in my life, reflecting on my past actions and mistakes.
There are so many songs in me that won't be sung;
There are many potential accomplishments and adventures I missed out on due to my self-centeredness and reckless behavior.
I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue.
The regret I feel for my past actions is painful and palpable, much like the taste of bitter tears.
The time has come for me to pay for yesterday when I was young.
I'm now facing the consequences of my past behavior and recklessness, and must accept responsibility for my choices.
Contributed by Zachary S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.