Swinging on a Star
"Swinging on a Star" is an American pop standard with music composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke.[1] It was sung by Bing Crosby in the 1944 film Going My Way, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song that year,[1] and has been recorded by numerous artists since then.
Origins
Song writer Jimmy Van Heusen was at Crosby’s house one evening for dinner, and to discuss a song for the movie Going My Way. During the meal one of the children began complaining about how he didn’t want to go to school the next day. The singer turned to his son and said to him, “If you don’t go to school, you might grow up to be a mule. Do you wanna do that?”
Van Heusen thought this clever rebuke would make a good song for the movie. He pictured Crosby, who played a priest, talking to a group of children acting much the same way as his own child had acted that night. Van Heusen took the idea to his partner lyricist Johnny Burke, who approved. They wrote the song.[2]
Recordings
The first recording of "Swinging on a Star" took place in Los Angeles on February 7, 1944, released by Decca Records. The Williams Brothers quartet, including Andy Williams, sang backup vocals to Crosby.[3]
It was featured in the Little Lulu cartoon, Bout with a Trout.
Some additional recordings:
- 1956: covered by Oscar Peterson on his album At the Stratford Shakespearean Festival
- 1959: Shari Lewis and her puppets sang this song on her album Hi Kids
- 1960: covered by Mark Murphy on his album Hip Parade
- 1963: covered by Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva[1]
- 1964: covered by Burl Ives on his album Chim Chim Cheree and Other Children's Choices
- 1964: covered by Frank Sinatra on his album Sinatra Sings Days of Wine and Roses, Moon River, and Other Academy Award Winners.
- 1968: covered by Dave van Ronk on his album Dave Van Ronk and the Hudson Dusters
- 1974: covered by Spooky & Sue
- 1975: covered by Maureen McGovern on her album Academy Award Performance: And the Envelope, Please
- 1978: covered by Rosemary Clooney on her Bing Crosby tribute album Rosie Sings Bing.
- 1980: covered by Joanie Bartels on her album Sillytime Magic.
- 1981: covered by Franciscus Henri on his children's album Sunshine Rainbows and Violins
- 1992: covered by Michael Feinstein on his album Pure Imagination.
- 1993: covered by Dave McKenna on his album Handful of Stars.
- 1996: covered by Maria Muldaur on the album A Child's Celebration Of Folk Music.
- 1998: covered by Tony Bennett on his album Tony Bennett: The Playground.
- 1999: covered by Ruby Braff on his album In The Wee, Small Hours.
- 2002: covered by Susan Johnson on her album Previously Unreleased Live Performances.
- 2008: covered by Clare Teal as a B-side on the Children in Need album BandAGEd: Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth.
In TV and film
- 1963: sung by the Muppet Rowlf the Dog (voiced by Jim Henson) and Jimmy Dean on the Jimmy Dean Show
- 1967: Pinky and Perky did a version of the song on their Summer Holiday EP
- 1969: Jane Norman sang the song on her children's TV show Pixanne while sitting on a "swinging" star[4]
- 1969: Susan (Loretta Long) and some Muppets sang the song on Sesame Street, episode 10
- 1975: sung by Julie Andrews on her TV special Julie Andrews: My Favorite Things
- 1987: a new adaptation was used as the theme song to the American television series Out of this World
- 1991: Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello sing it in the film Hudson Hawk
Parodies
The song was parodied in a The Far Side cartoon, which depicted a man-turned-pig saying to his wife, "Hey, so I made the wrong decision! [referring to the part of the song which says "Or would you rather be a pig"] But I wasn't sure I wanted to swing on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar!"
In 1969, Ray Stevens sang "Gitarzan", which featured the wrong notes from "Swinging on a Star". ("Carrying Moonbeams Home in a Jar").
During his 2009 Tour of Refusal, Morrissey occasionally sang the chorus over the chorus of his 2004 hit "First of the Gang to Die".
A Prairie Home Companion guitarist Pat Donohue wrote "Would You Like to Play Guitar," which wittingly advises aspiring musicians against the practical perils of a full-time music career.
Awards
See also
References
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- Complete list
- (1934–1940)
- (1941–1950)
- (1951–1960)
- (1961–1970)
- (1971–1980)
- (1981–1990)
- (1991–2000)
- (2001–2010)
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