PERRY COMO – "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes"

19th February 1953: (Honolulu) Doctor Mod is two years old…..

And it would be Perry Como, now wouldn’t it? The bain of my childhood! Generally speaking, my father HATED crooners–they were wimps, as far as he was concerned, and he let it be known every time he heard one. But Perry Como was the exception. He was wholesome–and boring. For most of my childhood (or so it seems), he had an insipid weekly television series that, if I remember correctly, was so boring that even Como would fall asleep during it. Somewhere in each show, he’d sing a very Catholic hymn, often in Latin. This was Mein Papa’s favorite moment every week. He saw it as a means of defeating Communism, a concept that he saw everywhere and my siblings and I saw nowhere except he told us it was going to get us–when he didn’t think we were Communists ourselves.

And so we were forced to watch Perry Como. Not a bad singer really, just really, really boring. But then I suppose he got by all those years by not offending anyone.

I heard this song so often in my early years that it’s just like some endless loop–I basically remember two lines: “Don’t let the stars get in your eyes / Don’t let the moon break your heart.” In my brain, these lines always have sort of a hillbilly shriek at the end. I know that can’t be there in the original, but the song’s too boring for me to want to psychoanalyze my recollection, but as my mother, a chronic if less than artistic singer, always sang popular 50s songs while she cooked and cleaned, I wonder if this wasn’t her own unique contribution to the song that sticks in my head.

It was only in recent years that Como passed on. Strange, I thought he died a long, long time ago.

Yep.

I associate Perry Como with dodgy jumpers and warm, cosy Xmas specials. Which doesn’t really tarry with this jaunty sing a long number which sounds like someone has dumped an unwanted brass section on board his sled and taken the brake off.

duh that’ll teach me to read/remember my own previous comments!

I note with some surprise that Perry is the first entrant in Popular to have passed away – Al Martino, Jo Stafford, Kay Starr and Eddie Fisher are all still with us!

Tom, I’m guessing Goldie Hill’s song was a response to this. It had already been a country hit, before Perry Como covered it, for Skeets McDonald* in 1950. Whoever sings it, the mangled-heart answer song is on a totally different emotional level; Don’t Let… sounds like a gentle admonishment for a situation that will never arise. Little does the smug, gallivanting fella know.

*his Birthday Cake Boogie got regular plays from my sis in the 80s along with Big Ten Inch and other super-smutty country/rockabilly songs.

One of the few old-timers my mum and I could really bond over, I loved that velvety voice and it was an instant nostalgia rush for a time before I was born, if that makes sense! Found myself admiring the breath control on the long lines – and wishing there were more Christmas specials to enjoy. Even as a kid I found my inner middle-aged bloke watching them.

Re 12: Bah, link isn’t working, but it’s a splendid idea.

#14 I’m getting a message on Youtube that (in the UK) these are being blocked on copyright grounds. Is that right? If so that’s a pity.

On closer examination, yes, it’s “unavailable in the UK and Germany” due to copyright claims. Damn, they’re quick. Any suggestions of alternative locations where I can upload 30 minute + clips?

Ok, up on Vimeo too now – https://vimeo.com/67887969
Will they give me any more space later or do I just get 500mb?

The flip-side to the pre-rock coin. ‘Outside of Heaven’ was a turgid slog, but this is kind of fun. Dated, yes, and corny; but fun. I’d give it a 6. Como sounds like he’s having a laugh, well aware that he’s singing complete fluff. Compare and contrast with Fisher’s overwrought vocals.