Johnny Burke
songwriter of such legendary songs as
“Pennies From Heaven”, “One, Two,
Button Your Shoe”, “Swinging on a Star”
and “I’ve Got a Pocketful of Dreams”,
born on October 3, 1908 in California. In
1926, he moved to Chicago and worked in
the New York City office of the Irving
Berlin Publishing Company.
In 1936, he moved to Hollywood with
Paramount Pictures. There he
collaborated with new composers
including Arthur Johnston, and most
notably Jimmy Van Heusen. Films and
songs included Pennies from Heaven,
East Side of Heaven, The Star Maker,
Road to Singapore, If I Had My Way,
Rhythm on the River, Love Thy
Neighbour, Road to Zanzibar, Road to
Morocco, Dixie, Going My Way,
Welcome Stranger, “Riding High, Mister
Music, and many others.In total, Burke
worked on over 50 films, including 25
starring Bing Crosby.
Other catalogue highlights are “So Do I”,
“On the Sentimental Side”, “Don’t Let
the Moon Get Away”, “Go Fly A Kite”,
“An Apple For the Teacher”, “East Side
of Heaven”, “Only Forever”, “Meet the
Sun Half Way”, “I Don’t Want to Cry
Anymore”, “Ain’t Got a Dime to My
Name”, “Moonlight Becomes You”,
“Sleigh Ride in July”, “Aren’t You Glad
You’re You?”, “But Beautiful”, “Sunshine
Cake”, “What’s New?” and “Misty”.
The 1956 film, The Vagabond King, was
Johnny Burke’s last Hollywood work. He
moved back to New York and eight years
later, on February 25, 1964, he died
at age 55.
Jimmy Van Heusen
Composer Jimmy Van Heusen was born Edward Chester Babcock, in Syracuse, New York on January 26, 1913. Growing up in
Syracuse, he began writing songs while still in high school. At the age of 16, he had a regular program on a small
Syracuse radio station and as an announcer and adopted the last name of Van Heusen (inspired by the men’s Collar
manufacture of the same name). After graduating from high school, Van Heusen attended Cazenovia College and Syracuse
University.
Moving to New York in 1933, Van Heusen took a job as a staff pianist with Remick Music Publishing.
By 1939, Van Heusen had started working with another lyricist, Johnny Burke.
The Van Heusen-Burke team was one of the most successful in Tin Pan Alley. Under contract with Paramount Studios, Van
Heusen and Burke moved to Hollywood in 1940. Together they wrote the hit songs “Polka Dots and Moonbeams”, “Imagination”,
“It’s Always You”, “Moonlight Become You”, “Ain’t Got a Dime to My Name”, “Constantly”, “Sunday, Monday or Always”,
“Sleighride in July”, “If You Please”, “Day After Forever”, “Swinging on a Star” (1945 Academy Award for Best Song),
“Personality”, “Put It There, Pal”, “Would You?”, “Aren’t You Glad You’re You?”, “Country Style”, “But Beautiful”,
“You Don’t Have to Know the Language”, “Once and For Always”, “When is Sometime”, “Busy Doing Nothing”, “Top O’ the
Morning”, “Sunshine Cake”, “Sure Thing”, “Got the Moon in My Pocket”, “Suddenly It’s Spring”, “It Could Happen to You”,
“Like Someone in Love”, “So Would I”, “My Heart Goes Crazy”, “You May Not Love Me” and “Just My Luck”.
SWINGIN' ON A STAR
Words & music by:-
Johnny Burke & Jimmy Van Heusen
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
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