Today’s song of the day is “When You Wish Upon a Star,” which had originally been sung by Cliff Edwards as Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney’s “Pinocchio” and later became a Big Band-era classic.
Fun Facts
- It’s considered the standard representative song for the Disney Corporation. The beginning notes can be heard at the start of all Disney movies in the 1950s and 1960s. The song was also used in advertising campaigns promoting Disneyland.
- It was the first Disney song to win an Oscar. This occurred in 1940.
- It was recorded as part of a set of Disney songs on a 4-record, 78 RPM set, including songs from “The Wizard of Oz.”
- Popular versions of the song were recorded by Glenn Miller, Rosemary Clooney, Guy Lombardo, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, The Manhattan Transfer, Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, Leon Redbone, Wynton Marsalis, and Beyonce.
- John Williams’ score for Close Encounters of the Third Kind quotes some of the most recognizable song phrases from “When You Wish Upon a Star.”
- Brian Wilson, leader of the Beach Boys, noted that the song’s melody structure served as inspiration for the group’s hit song, “Surfer Girl.”
- In Japan and Scandinavian countries, the song is considered a Christmas carol and is played during the holidays.
- The American Film Institute named the song seventh in their list of all-time songs in the film.
- The Library of Congress named the song culturally important and included it in its National Recording Registry in 2009.
Lyrics
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
0 Comments