# The reason why/ there's no sun up in the sky- Lena Horne, RIP **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 10, 2010, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891 "2010-05-10T08:18:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/1 "2010-05-10T08:18:19Z")
[Lena Horne has died at the age of 92](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/10/arts/music/10horne.html?src=me). She was one of a kind. ---
**Author:** ![MarkF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MarkF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarkF)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/2 "2010-05-10T11:08:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Looking back at the age of 80, Ms. Horne said: “My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman. I’m free. I no longer have to be a ‘credit.’ I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.” She was a great lady. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/3 "2010-05-10T11:21:04Z")
She certainly had a truckload of talent. From TV’s “Sanford And Son.” > [@](#): > > Fred) Ms Horne you’re my favourite performer > Lena) Thank you Mr Sanford > Fred) You know I saw “Stormy Weather” 20 times. > Lena) You mean to tell me you _paid_ to see “Stormy Weather” 20 times? > Fred) No I went in on a Friday and came out on a Tuesday 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/4 "2010-05-10T11:25:41Z")
What an amazing life she had . . . RIP. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/5 "2010-05-10T12:34:01Z")
An amazing singer and actress; it’s too bad her career was constrained by the color line. But no one could sing as song like her. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/6 "2010-05-10T12:56:27Z")
I don’t have much memory of her movies, but I always thought she was a supremely talented, beautiful woman. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/7 "2010-05-10T13:00:10Z")
My first memory of her is from The Muppet Show. Very classy lady. Rest easy, Ms. Horne. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/8 "2010-05-10T13:02:17Z")
Might want to ask the mods for a merge with [this Thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=562608). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/9 "2010-05-10T13:11:21Z")
Merged duplicate threads. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/10 "2010-05-10T13:18:23Z")
She was always a lady. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/11 "2010-05-10T14:30:35Z")
A real pioneer, and certainly a beautiful woman until the very end. RIP Ms. Horne! ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/12 "2010-05-10T14:35:40Z")
And to think she got her real start right in Café Society. A beautiful, a strong, a classy lady all her life. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/13 "2010-05-10T15:05:53Z")
What a voice! ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/14 "2010-05-10T16:17:08Z")
I saw her once, when I was in the Colgate Women’s Games at Madison Square Garden in the 80’s. She turned at waved at all of us and she was so beautiful! She just had that star quality that beamed out at you. RIP, Lena. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/15 "2010-05-10T16:36:09Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Merged duplicate threads. thank you ma’am. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/16 "2010-05-10T16:38:34Z")
I saw her once in the 1980s, and she was fabulous. She must have been in her mid 60s (?), but she was _smokin’ hot!_ ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/17 "2010-05-10T18:36:27Z")
This is one of my favorite Sesame Street clips. [Ms. Horne singing the ABC Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMyIeDzK4eQ). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/18 "2010-05-10T22:22:24Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > An amazing singer and actress; it’s too bad her career was constrained by the color line. Politics, too; [she got blacklisted in the '50s.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Horne#Changes_of_direction) ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/19 "2010-05-11T00:50:48Z")
She was without equal. There will never be another like her. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891/20 "2010-05-12T18:04:29Z")
That Wikipedia article linked to claims, “She was blacklisted during the 1950s for her political views.” Someone ought to take a look at Horne’s résumé. Throughout the 1950s she appeared on some of the most popular television shows in America: _The Colgate Comedy Hour_, _The Ed Sullivan Show_, _Your Show of Shows_, and _The Steve Allen Show_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reason-why-theres-no-sun-up-in-the-sky-lena-horne-rip/538891.md?page=2)