45 RPMs 79: Perry Como ~ Catch A Falling Star

  ~   

Perry Como ~ Catch A Falling Star

45 RPM, side 1 

 photo by Styrous®

     

 

On March 14, 1958, Perry Como had the honor of receiving the every first certified gold single by the Recording Industry Association of American (RIAA) with his recording of Catch A Falling Star. It was featured in the 1993 film A Perfect World, a 1993 American crime drama film directed by Clint Eastwood.    

    

I loved, and still do, this song. It has a languid syncopated tango beat intro that goes into a jazzy, bouncy but gentle beat with a terrific vocal backup featuring mostly men. It alernates back and forth and is really delightful, fun and works into a beautifully constructed round. Catch A Falling Star was originally a mono recording but there is an electronically reprocessed version in stereo on YouTube (link below).       

 

Como was a 50-something holdover in a cozy cardigan sweater and stood for everything that youthful rock and roll did not. A "swooners" club voted Como "Crooner of the Year" in 1943. Where rock and roll promised sex, excitement and social change, Como’s act evoked much more staid pursuits. Yet Catch A Falling Star was not the only hit record for Como in the early years of the rock-and-roll “revolution.” Songs like Hot Diggity and Round And Round more than held their own against more rebellious fare, and while they might not have been “cool,” they didn’t need to be in order to find an audience in late 1950s America.    

 

However, in the mid-sixties, French singer Françoise Hardy managed to rock it up and Mrs. Miller had to destroy it as only she could. In 1986, André van Duin sang it in Dutch. Then Adam & the Ants took it to punk/new wave levels in the 90's (links below).       

Elvis Presley was the third artist to receive such an honor for Hard Headed Woman in August of 1958, his single Gold Record had him tied on the RIAA’s list with Lawrence Welk (whose Calcutta was certified Gold in February 1961).    

 

 

Perry Como ~ Magic Moments 

45 RPM, side 2 

 photo by Styrous®

 

The "B" side has the song, Magic Moments written by Hal David and Bert Bacharach with back up by the Ray Charles Singers. It's bouncy with an interesting bassoon and very happy but I actually hated it as it was dreadfully sappy. 

In his 2003 book Burt Bacharach, Song by Song, Serene Dominic comments:

"Combined with the quizzical bassoon, the whistling and the ghastly white shadings of the Ray Charles Singers, these distant recollections must seem like occurrences on another planet to later generations."     

Both songs were big hits but I thought Falling Star was so much better by miles. 

 

 

  

        

Tracklist: 

Side 1: 

A - Magic Moments, written by Hal David-Bert Bacharach* - 2:41

Side 2: 

B - Catch A Falling Star, written by Lee Pockris*, Paul Vance - 2:25

Companies, etc.

    Recorded At – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis
    Published By – Famous Music Corporation
    Published By – Marvin Music Co.

 Credits: 

 

    Arranged By – Joe Reisman
    Producer – Joe Reisman

 

Barcode and Other Identifiers         

         

    Matrix / Runout (Side A Label): H2PW-8173
    Matrix / Runout (Side B Label): H2PW-7411
    Matrix / Runout (Side A): H2 PW8173--1S I A1
    Matrix / Runout (Side B): H2 PW7411-22S I A1
    Rights Society: ASCAP
    Pressing Plant ID: I

Perry Como With Mitchell Ayres Orch.* And The Ray Charles Singers – Magic Moments / Catch A Falling Star
Label:    RCA Victor – 47-7128
Format:    Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Indianapolis Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1957
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal

         

         

         

         

Viewfinder links:       

         
Bert Bacharach           

Catch a Fallng Star lyrics       

Perry Como             

Hal David         

Clint Eastwood              

Françoise Hardy           

Mrs. Miller           

Lee Pockriss             

Elvis Presley            

Paul Vance            

Lawrence Welk             
      
Net links:       

         

History ~ Catch A Falling Star         

         

Songfacts ~ Catch A Falling Star         
      
YouTube links:           

 

Adam & the Ants - Catch a Falling Star              

Perry Como ~

     Catch a Falling Star         

     Catch a Falling Star (stereo remix)              

     Hot Diggity     

     Moments To Remember       

     Round And Round         
Françoise Hardy ~ Catch a Falling Star         

Mrs. Miller ~ Catch a Falling Star            

André van Duin ~ Tranen in je ogen               

Lawrence Welk ~ Calcutta dance contest         
         

         

         

Styrous® ~ Thursday, March 14, 2024 

~

45 RPMs Archive 
MAIN MENU - Blog Articles
~