SWINGING ON A STAR

To serious Bing Crosby fans, I think "Swinging on A Star" is the most widely issued Bing recording - next to "White Christmas". In the old days of collecting Crosby CDs, it would appear on almost every issue. For a few rare Bing recordings, the collector would have to endure "Swinging On A Star" again. However, listening to this song again, I find it is a pretty good song. It was definitely a song that captured music lover's attention in 1944. Here is a little history on this song: "Swinging on a Star" was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. It was sung by Bing Crosby in the 1944 film Going My Way, winning an Academy Award for best song. 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 Bing, 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. 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 legendary crooner Andy Williams, sang backup vocals to Crosby. The song was recorded by countless other singers such as Frank Sinatra, Burl Ives, and Tony Bennett - but Bing's version is the best...