"Catch a Falling Star" is a song written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss. It was made famous by Perry Como who recorded and released his version in late 1957.
| "Catch a Falling Star" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Perry Como | ||||
| B-side | "Magic Moments" | |||
| Released | December 3, 1957 | |||
| Recorded | October 9, 1957 | |||
| Genre | Pop[1] | |||
| Length | 2:23 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss | |||
| Producer(s) | Joe Reisman | |||
| Perry Como singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background and chart performance
editThe song's melody is similar to a theme heard in Brahms' Academic Festival Overture. Perry Como's recording features the Ray Charles Singers, who sing the refrain as a repeated round.
It was Como's last number one hit in the United States,[2] reaching number 1 on the Billboard "Most Played by Jockeys" chart, but not in the overall top 100, where it reached number 3.[3] It was the first single to receive a Recording Industry Association of America gold record certification, on March 14, 1958.[4] In Canada, the song reached number 12 on the CHUM Charts, February 3, 1958, co-charting with Magic Moments.[5]
Internationally, in 1958, the song also topped the Australian charts. In the UK Singles Chart, "Catch a Falling Star" peaked at number nine, whereas its B-side "Magic Moments" topped the charts.[6]
Accolades
editThe single won Como the 1959 Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male.
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[7] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Pitzonka, Bill (2001). "The Cuff Links and Street People". In Cooper, Kim; Smay, David (eds.). Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth. Los Angeles: Feral House. pp. 61–62.
- ^ "Perry Como Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 187.
- ^ "History Of The Awards". RIAA.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - February 3, 1958". Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "Perry Como". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ "American single certifications – Perry Como – Catch a Falling Star". Recording Industry Association of America.
