Lyr Req: Swinging on a Star (Burke, Van Heusen)

Subject: RE:
From:
Date: 16 Aug 97 - 03:02 PM

There's a song with the same title on the Bing Crosby lyrics page:
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/pennvalley/biology/lewis/crosby/Index.html
The chorus goes, "Would you like to swing on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar..."
It's not by Hoagy Carmichael, but I think it may be the one you want.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE:
From: Rodney Rawlings
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 09:06 PM

SWINGING ON A STAR - Music by Jimmy Van Heusen, Words by Johnny Burke.

This is an old standard and can probably be found, as was mentioned, on the Bing Crosby page. He sang it in "Going My Way." It is copyrighted 1944.

Subject: RE: Swinging on a Star
From: Daddy Longlegs
Date: 06 Sep 97 - 06:13 PM

Did you ever get the words to "Swingin' on a Star"? If not, contact me at [e-mail] and I'll send you the words. I have Crosby's recording of that. As a matter of fact I have nearly everything by him, Frank, and Dean if anyone ever needs lyrics that antedated the end of melliflous virile baritones.

Subject: Words for song
From: kapper1111
Date: 31 Dec 97 - 11:22 PM

I would love words to "Would you like to swing on a star". written by John Burke, remember it was sung by Frank Sinatra. I have searched web under folk songs to no avail.

Can anyone help?

Thanks.

Kapper

Subject: Lyr Add: SWINGING ON A STAR (from Bing Crosby)
From: Charles Colyer
Date: 01 Jan 98 - 12:47 AM

Not a folk song, but could this be the one you're seeking?


SWINGING ON A STAR
words by Johnny Burke ; music by Jimmy Van Heusen, ©1944
as sung by Bing Crosby in the Paramount Picture "Going My Way"

Would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a mule?

A mule is an animal with long funny ears,
Kicks up at anything he hears.
His back is brawny but his brain is weak.
He's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak.
And by the way, if you hate to go to school,
You may grow up to be a mule.

Or would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a pig?

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face.
His shoes are a terrible disgrace.
He has no manners when he eats his food.
He's fat and lazy and extremely rude.
But if you don't care a feather or a fig
You may grow up to be a pig

Or would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a fish?

A fish won't do anything but swim in a brook.
He can't write his name or read a book.
To fool the people is his only thought
And though he's slippery, he still gets caught.
But then if that sort of life is what you wish,
You may grow up to be a fish,

A new kind of jumped-up slippery fish.

And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo;
Every day you meet quite a few.
So you see it's all up to you:
You can be better than you are.
You could be swingin' on a star.

Subject: RE: Words for
From: alison
Date: 01 Jan 98 - 06:42 AM

Hi

More info. It was sung, (as Charles pointed out), by Bing Crosby in that wonderful old film "Going my way." Always brings a tear to the eye when they bring the old priest's mother in while the boys choir sings "Toor-a-loor-a-loor-a."

sorry I can't help it. I'm a sucker for the old musicals..

Slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Words for
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 01 Jan 98 - 02:31 PM

The folkie connection of this song for me is that I was introduced to it through the singing of Dave Van Ronk.

Subject: Thanks to Charles Colyer
From: Kapper1111
Date: 02 Jan 98 - 12:00 AM

I have looked for these words for a long time. Thanks so much for the time you took to type them all in.

Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Words for
From: judy
Date: 03 Jan 98 - 01:44 PM

My son's nursery school teacher used to sing this with the kid's and I got the words from her more than once. But they still vanished into the morass of my folk songs collections. Thanx for the words

judy

Subject: RE: Words for
From: Will
Date: 03 Jan 98 - 05:08 PM

A folkie trio in Vancouver called Pied Pumpkin, which was later truncated to Pied Pear when one member went solo, used to do a great version of this. They added a west coast option, as in "Or would you rather be a slug?".

Subject: RE: Words for
From: Will
Date: 03 Jan 98 - 05:10 PM

If I remember correctly, the slug verse started something like,
"A slug is an animal that's slimy and green.
It leaves a trail of ooze whereever it goes."

Subject: RE: Words for
From: Rosencrantz
Date: 03 Jan 98 - 10:00 PM

The slug one doesn't scan properly, or rhyme. :)

A slug is an animal that's slimy and green
He's got a slippery sort of sheen
(Or, as my mom says: He won't grow up to be a dean)
He keeps his eyeballs on a hose
He leaves a trail of ooze wherever he goes
So if you spend your whole life in a jug
You may grow up to be a slug

There. Another verse. The folk process strikes again! Aah!

Rosencrantz
@}--`--,---

Subject: RE: Words for
From: Will
Date: 03 Jan 98 - 11:28 PM

Ah, Guildenstern, who says it has to scan, rhyme, or make any sort of sense to be music? 'Twas a good verse. Of course, so's yer verse for the original slug's kid.

Subject: RE: Words for
From:
Date: 04 Jan 98 - 10:23 AM

it should be noted that after more than a year of operation, there are many questions that have already been asked.This song was requested before look here

it only takes a minute to type the words you need into the 'Forum Search' as well as the database search, and it could save you much time. I know that if you are new to this, some of the tricks are not obvious, but it will pay off in the long run to study the features of this wonderful toy.

I don't mean this as a criticism...only as an aid for the future

Subject: RE: Words for
From: selene
Date: 04 Jan 98 - 02:47 PM

Thanks for typing up that whole text,I only knew the verse with the monkeys, I enjoyed reading the rest. Never heard the one with the slug though!

Selene

Subject: Lyrics for Would You Like to Swing on a Star
From:
Date: 25 May 98 - 09:08 AM

School teacher (6th grade) need lyrics for elementary graduaditon program. Any help would be appreciated.

Subject: Lyr Add: SWINGING ON A STAR (from Bing Crosby)
From: rosebrook
Date: 25 May 98 - 09:48 AM

Hello! Under the title "Would You Like to Swing on a Star", it was a rough search. Found lyrics to "Swinging on a Star", and I believe it's the song you are seeking.

Swinging on a Star
(Bing Crosby)
Would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a mule?

A mule is an animal with long funny ears
Kicks up at anything he hears
His back is brawny but his brain is weak
He's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak
And by the way, if you hate to go to school
You may grow up to be a mule

Would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a pig?

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
His shoes are a terrible disgrace
He has no manners when he eats his food
He's fat and lazy and extremely rude
But if you don't care a feather or a fig
You may grow up to be a pig

Would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a fish?

A fish won't do anything, but swim in a brook
He can't write his name or read a book
To fool the people is his only thought
And though he's slippery, he still gets caught
But then if that sort of life is what you wish
You may grow up to be a fish
A new kind of jumped-up slippery fish

And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo
Every day you meet quite a few
So you see it's all up to you
You can be better than you are
You could be swingin' on a star

Subject: RE: Lyrics for Would You Like to Swing on a Star
From: Will
Date: 25 May 98 - 09:57 AM

Hi, sekies. If you set the filter for 365 days and type in "Swing on a star", you'll find a thread on january 4, 1998 that has some comments about the song.