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Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes

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"Don't Let the Stars (Get in Your Eyes)"
Single by Slim Willet
With The Brush Cutters
B-side"Hadacol Corners"
PublishedOctober 22, 1952
ReleasedSeptember 1952
GenreCountry
Length2:52
Label4 Star
Songwriter(s)Slim Willet

"Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" is a country song about a man away from home who is worried that his paramour may unwittingly stray from their relationship. It was written by Winston L. Moore (whose stage name was Slim Willet) and published in 1952.[1] The song has been recorded in many different styles by many performers, with Perry Como's version hitting number 1 in both the US and UK.[2]

The title comes from the opening refrain:

Don't let the stars get in your eyes,
Don't let the moon break your heart.

Chart performance

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The song was first recorded by Slim Willet and the Brush Cutters (4 Star 11614, reaching No. 1 in the Billboard country charts)[3] and then by Ray Price (Columbia 4-21025, reaching No. 4 in the Country charts).[4] Skeets McDonald followed with a Western swing version, reaching No. 1 and staying on the Country charts for 18 weeks. His version was released by Capitol Records (catalog number 2216, with the flip side "Big Family Trouble").[5] Slim Willet and Tommy Hill also wrote the female answer song "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes", which was performed by Hill's sister, Goldie Hill.

"Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes"
Single by Perry Como
with The Ramblers
B-side"Lies"
PublishedOctober 22, 1952
ReleasedNovember 1952
RecordedNovember 4, 1952
GenreCountry, traditional pop
Length2:44
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Slim Willet
Producer(s)Eli Oberstein

The most popular recording of the song, selling over a million and a half copies, was a pop version recorded by Perry Como with The Ramblers on November 4, 1952. It was released in several countries:[1]

In the UK, "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" first entered the sheet music charts on January 17, 1953. The song peaked at No. 1 on February 7, its fourth week on chart, staying there for a week. In total, it spent 16 weeks on the sheet music charts. The first recording to be issued in the UK was a British recording by Dennis Lotis in December 1952. The following month, versions were released by Gisele MacKenzie, Perry Como with The Ramblers, Jack Gray, Red Foley and veteran performer Gracie Fields. Other versions issued in the UK were by Troise and his Novelty Orchestra with The Four-in-A-Chord, Lola Ameche and Bobby Maxwell (harp) with The Windy City Symphony. Como's version was issued on 45rpm in March 1953 as a separate release to his 78rpm single (HMV 7M 118). That month also saw a parody version by Mickey Katz and his Orchestra released, titled "Don't let the Schmaltz get in your eyes". The versions by Ameche and Maxwell were re-issued by Mercury (who had taken over the original issuing label, Oriole) in June 1954.[11]

The same week that the song entered the British sheet music charts, Como's version also entered the UK's singles chart, based on record sales (week ending January 16). The latter chart had only been launched in November 1952, and "Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes" thus became the first of Como's many UK chart hits. It peaked at the top of the singles chart the same week that the song made No. 1 on the sheet music listing (week ending 6 February, its fourth week on chart). Como's recording – the only one to chart in the UK – spent five weeks at No. 1, and 15 weeks on chart in total.[12]

Other recorded versions

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Perry Como discography entry for "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes"". Kokomo.ca. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  2. ^ "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes (song by Perry Como) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  3. ^ "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes (song by Slim Willet) • Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  4. ^ "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes (song by Ray Price) • Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  5. ^ a b "Capitol Records in the 2000 to 2499 series". 78discography.com. 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  6. ^ a b c "RCA Victor Records in the 20-5000 to 20-5499 series". 78discography.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  7. ^ "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes (song by Perry Como) • Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. 1953-01-17. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  8. ^ "Best Selling Singles For Week Ending In January 31". Billboard. February 7, 1953.
  9. ^ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 8. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  10. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 14–5. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  11. ^ Henson, Brian (1989). First hits, 1946-1959. Colin Morgan. London: Boxtree. ISBN 1-85283-268-1. OCLC 19389211.
  12. ^ British hit singles : Guinness world records (16th ed.). London: Gullane. 2003. ISBN 0-85112-190-X. OCLC 51779766.
  13. ^ "Mainstreet Records listing". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  14. ^ "Decca Records in the 28000 to 28499 series". 78discography.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  15. ^ "MGM Records in the 11000 to 11499 series". 78discography.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  16. ^ "Blue Cat Records in the 101 to 130 series". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  17. ^ "Australian Capitol Records listing". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  18. ^ "Mercury Records in the 70000 to 71696 series". 78discography.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  19. ^ Global Dog Productions. "Challenge Records listing". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  20. ^ "Slim Whitman : I'll See You When". Discogs.com. 1973. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  21. ^ "Jerry Lee Lewis Keeps on Rockin' - Jerry Lee Lewis | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  22. ^ "Come on Back: Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  23. ^ "Coral records in the 60000 series". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  24. ^ "LaVern Baker : See See Rider". Discogs.com. 1963. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
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