The story behind Bing Crosby's Oscar winning hit 'Swinging On A Star'

Here is the story of how the song Swinging On A Star was created:
In 1945, the Oscar winning Best Song  was Swinging on a Star. It was written for the Bing Crosby starring film Going My Way by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. It was recorded in 1944 by Crosby. Legendary crooner Andy Williams and his brothers backed up Bing.
The song writer, Jimmy Van Heusen, was at Crosby’s house one evening for dinner and to discuss a song for the movie Going My Way. During the meal, one of the children began complaining about how he didn’t want to go to school the next day. The singer turned to his son and said to him, “If you don’t go to school, you might grow up to be a mule. Do you wanna do that?” Van Heusen thought that this clever rebuke would make a good song for the movie. He pictured Bing, playing a priest, talking to a group of children acting much the same way that his own child acted that night. When he took his idea to his partner, Johnny Burke, Johnny was quick to approve, and they wrote the song.

On the surface it may be the most ridiculous song ever written, but it is also one with an important message: of going to school, and getting an education or else who knows what will happen to you.

Here are the lyrics;

Would you like to swing on a star
Carry moonbeams home in a jar
And be better off than you are
Or would you rather be a mule?

A mule is an animal with long funny ears
Kicks up at anything he hears
His back is brawny but his brain is weak
He's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak
And by the way, if you hate to go to school

You may grow up to be a mule
Oh would you like to swing on a star
Carry moonbeams home in a jar
And be better off than you are
Would you rather be a pig?

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
His shoes are a terrible disgrace
He has no manners when he eats his food
He's fat and lazy and extremely rude

But if you don't care a feather or a fig
You may grow up to be a pig

Oh would you like to swing on a star
Carry moonbeams home in a jar
And be better off than you are
Would you rather be a fish?
A fish won't do anything, but swim in a brook
He can't write his name or read a book
To fool the people is his only thought
And though he's slippery, he still gets caught

But then if that sort of life is what you wish
You may grow up to be a fish
A new kind of jumped-up slippery fish

And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo
Every day you meet quite a few
So you see it's all up to you
You can be better than you are
You could be swingin' on a star

Here is Bing Crosby... Swinging On A Star;