STAR DUST
Music: Hoagy Carmichael- Lyrics: Mitchell Parish
Year: 1929
Origin of the song
On 31 October 1927 Hoagy Carmichael & His Pals recorded the instrumental ‘Stardust’ at Gennett Records Studio in Richmond, Indiana. In 1928, Carmichael re-recorded the song, this time with lyrics written by himself, but the company rejected it because the instrumental version had been very poorly sold.
The following year, Mills Music asked Mitchell Parish to put new lyrics to the song. The result was ‘Star Dust’, with the music and lyrics known today. The publishing house changed the title slightly, from 'Stardust' to 'Star Dust'.
There are several versions of how 'Star Dust' was written. According to the composer, inspiration came as he visited his former university campus. Sitting on a wall, remembering the city, his days as a student and the loves of the past, he looked up at the starry sky and whistled 'Star Dust'. According to his biographers, the melody was composed in fragmented form and evolved over months or perhaps years.
There has always been some controversy about the title of the song. Carmichael, in his memoirs The Stardust Road, refers to it as 'Stardust' based on the name of the original composition, while popular music historian Will Friedwald, in his book Stardust Melodies: The Biography of Twelve of America's Most Popular Songs, states that the correct title is with two words, ‘Star Dust’.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
Irving Mills Hotsy Totsy Gang |
1929.09.20 |
1930.01.04 |
1 |
20 |
Instrumental |
|
1930.05.15 |
1930.09.13 |
20 |
1 (one week) |
Instrumental |
|
|
Wayne King Orchestra |
1931.02.20 |
1931.06.06 |
2 |
17 |
Instrumental |
|
Lee Simms |
1931.04.?? |
1931.08.08 |
1 |
20 |
Instrumental |
|
1931.08.19 |
1931.09.12 |
5 |
5 |
Bing Crosby (voc), Victor Young Orchestra |
|
|
Louis Armstrong Orchestra |
1931.11.04 |
1931.12.19 |
2 |
16 |
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc) |
|
Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra |
1934.09.05 |
1935.06.29 |
5 |
10 |
Henry Wells (voc) |
|
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra |
1936.04.15 |
1936.06.06 |
5 |
8 |
Edythe Wright (voc) |
|
Benny Goodman Orchestra |
1936.04.23 |
1936.05.30 |
10 |
2 (two weeks) |
Instrumental |
|
Sammy Kaye Orchestra |
1938.05.27 |
1939.01.28 |
1 |
16 |
Instrumental |
|
Glenn Miller Orchestra |
1940.01.29 |
1940.10.26 |
1 |
20 |
Instrumental |
|
1940.10.07 |
1941.01.18 |
11 |
2 (one week) |
Instrumental |
|
|
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra |
1940.11.11 |
1941.01.04 |
5 |
7 |
Frank Sinatra, The Pied Pipers (voc) |
|
Baron Elliott Stardust Melodies Orchestra |
1943.??.?? |
1943.10.02 |
1 |
18 |
Stardust Trio (voc) |
|
Billy Ward & His Dominos |
1957.??.?? |
1957.06.17 |
24 |
5
|
Billy Ward (p), Jackie Wilson, Charlie White, Joe Lamont, Bill Brown (voc), Vic Schoen Orchestra
Rhythm & Blues charts |
|
Nino Tempo & April Stevens |
1964.??.?? |
1964.02.22 |
6 |
32 |
Nino Tempo, April Stevens (voc) |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1935.03.02 |
Coleman Hawkins (ts), Stéphane Grappelli (p), Django Reinhardt (g), Eugène d'Hellemmes (b), Maurice Chaillou (d) |
|
|
1936.04.23 |
Benny Goodman (cl, dir), Nate Kazebier, Harry Geller, Pee Wee Erwin (tp), Reed Ballard, Joe Harris (tb), Hymie Schertzer, Bill DePew (as), Arthur Rollini, Dick Clark (ts), Jess Stacy (p), Allen Reuss (g), Harry Goodman (b), Gene Krupa (d) |
|
|
1938.11.10 |
Chu Berry (ts), Roy Eldridge (tp), Clyde Hart (p), Danny Barker (g), Artie Shapiro (b), Sid Catlett (d) |
|
|
1939.09.24 |
Jerry Jerome (ts, dir), Charlie Christian (g), Frankie Hines (p), Oscar Pettiford (b) |
|
|
1939.10.02 |
Benny Goodman (cl), Lionel Hampton (vib), Fletcher Henderson (p), Charlie Christian (g), Artie Bernstein (b), Nick Fatool (d) |
|
|
Artie Shaw Orchestra |
1940.10.07 |
Artie Shaw (cl, dir), George
Wendt, Jack Catheart, Billy Butterfield (tp), Jack Jenney, Vernon Brown (tb), Bus Bassey, Neely Plumb (as), Les Robinson, Jerry Jerome (ts), Johnny Guarnieri (p), Al Hendrickson
(cl, g), Jud Denhaut (b), Nick Fatool (d), string section |
|
1940.11.07 |
Duke Ellington (p, dir), Rex Stewart (cnt), Wallace Jones (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vn), Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton (tb), Juan Tizol (vtb), Barney Bigard (cl, ts), Johnny Hodges (as), Otto Hardwick (as, cl), Ben Webster (ts), Harry Carney (bars, cl, as), Fred Guy (g), Jimmy Blanton (b), Sonny Greer (d) |
|
|
1943.11.16 |
Roy Eldridge (tp), Joe Eldridge, Andrew Gardner (as), Ike Quebec (ts), Rozelle Gayle (p), Ted Sturgis (b), Harold 'Doc' West (d) |
|
|
1945.09.06 |
Don Byas (ts), Johnny Guarnieri (p), Slam Stewart (b), J.C. Heard (d) |
|
|
1947.08.06 |
Lionel Hampton (vib), Charlie Shavers (tp), Willie Smith (as), Gene 'Corky' Corcoran (ts), Tommy Tod (p), Barney Kessel (g), Slam Stewart (b), Lee Young (d) |
|
|
1952.09.01 |
Dave Brubeck (p), Paul Desmond (as), Wyatt Reuther (b), Lloyd Davis (d) |
|
|
1953.03.02 |
Dave Brubeck (p), Paul Desmond (as), Ron Crotty (b), Lloyd Davis (d) |
|
|
1954.03.21 |
Oscar Pettiford (b), Kai Winding (tb), Al Cohn (ts), Henri Renaud (p), Tal Farlow (g), Max Roach (d) |
|
|
1955.01.20 |
Clifford Brown (tp), Richie Powell (p), Barry Galbraith (g), George Morrow (b), Max Roach (d), Neal Hefti Orchestra |
|
|
1957.04.27 |
Clark Terry (tp), Johnny Griffin (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d) |
|
|
1958.07.11 |
John Coltrane (ts), Wilbur Harden (fis, tp), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Jimmy Cobb (d) |
|
|
1961.09.25 |
Lou Donaldson (as), Jack McDuff (org), Grant Green (g), Joe Dukes (d) |
|
|
Erroll Garner Trio |
1962.03.13 |
Erroll Garner (p), Eddie Calhoun (b), Kelly Martin (d) |
|
1962.07.03 |
Paul Desmond (as), Gerry Mulligan (bars), Wendell Marshall (b), Connie Kay (d) |
|
|
1963.09.05 |
Sonny Stitt (as), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Hank Jones (p), Milt Hinton (b), Osie Johnson (d) |
|
|
Wynton Marsalis |
1984.05.30 |
Wynton Marsalis (tp), Branford Marsalis (ts, ss), Kent Jordan (fl), Kenny Kirkland (p), Ron Carter (b), Jeff 'Tain' Watts (d) |
|
1992.08.?? |
Joe Pass (g) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1931.11.04 |
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Zilmer Randolph (tp), Preston Jackson (tb), Lester Boone (cl, as), George James (cl, ss, as), Albert Washington (cl, ts), Charlie Alexander (p), Mike McKendrick (bjo, g), John Lindsay (b), Tubby Hall (d) |
|
|
1933.12.06 |
Hoagy Carmichael (voc, p) |
|
|
1934.09.05 |
Jimmie Lunceford (dir), Eddie Tompkins, Sy Oliver, Tommy Stevenson (tp), Henry Wells (tb, voc), Russell Bowles (tb), Laforet Dent, Willie Smith (as, cl), Joe Thomas (ts), Earl Carruthers (bars), Ed Wilcox (p), Al Norris (g), Moses Allen (b), Jimmy Crawford (d) |
|
|
1936.04.15 |
Tommy Dorsey (tb, dir), Max Kaminsky, Sam Skolnick, Joe Bauer (tp), Walter Mercurio, Ben Pickering (tb), Fred Stulce (as), Joe Dixon (cl, as), Sid Black, Bob Bunch (ts), Dick Jones (p), William Schaffer (g), Gene Traxler (b), Dave Tough (d), Edythe Wright (voc) |
|
|
1940.11.11 |
Tommy Dorsey (tb, dir), Ziggy Elman, Ray Linn, Chuck Peterson, Clyde Hudey (tp), Les Jenkins, George Arus, Lowell Martin (tb), Johnny Mince (cl, as), Fred Stulce, Heinie Beau (as), Don Lodice, Paul Mason (ts), Joe Bushkin (p), Clark Yacam (g), Sid Weiss (b), Buddy Rich (d), Frank Sinatra, The Pied Pipers (voc) |
|
|
1942.05.11 |
Hoagy Carmichael (voc, p), Artie Bernstein (b), Spike Jones (d) |
|
|
1950.01.06 |
Stan Getz (ts), Al Haig (p), Tommy Potter (b), Roy Haynes (d), Junior Parker (voc) |
|
|
1954.03.30 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Ellis Larkins (p) |
|
|
1956.12.19 |
Nat Cole (voc), Charles LaVere (p), Allan Reuss (g), Jack Ryan (b), Lee Young (d), string section, Gordon Jenkins (dir) |
|
|
Ernestine Anderson |
1958.??.?? |
Ernestine Anderson (voc), Pete Rugolo Orchestra |
|
1959.??.?? |
Keely Smith (voc), Nelson Riddle Orchestra |
On cinemas
The song 'Star Dust' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IS SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODCUTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
The Man Who Fell To Earth |
El hombre que cayó a la Tierra |
1976 |
Artie Shaw Orchestra |
|
Stardust Memories |
Recuerdos |
1980 |
Louis Armstrong Orchestra |
|
My Favorite Year |
Mi año favorito |
1982 |
Nat King Cole |
|
Rain Man |
Rain Man. El hombre de la lluvia |
1988 |
Rob Wasserman with Aaron Neville |
|
Goodfellas |
Uno de los nuestros |
1990 |
Billy Ward & His Dominos |
|
Texasville |
Texasville |
1990 |
Willie Nelson |
|
The Miracle |
Amor a una extraña |
1991 |
|
|
Malcolm X |
Malcolm X |
1992 |
Lionel Hampton Orchestra |
|
The Long Day Closes |
El largo día se acaba |
1992 |
Nat King Cole |
|
Sleepless In Seattle |
Algo para recordar |
1993 |
Nat King Cole |
|
Flesh and Bone |
Como uña y carne |
1993 |
Willie Nelson |
|
Casino |
Casino |
1995 |
|
|
Lolita |
Lolita |
1997 |
Artie Shaw Orchestra |
|
The Green Mile |
La milla verde |
1999 |
Eddy Howard Orchestra |
|
American Splendor |
American Splendor |
2003 |
Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra |
|
The Aviator |
El aviador |
2004 |
Vince Giordano Nighthawks Orchestra |
|
Running With Scissors |
Recortes de mi vida |
2006 |
Nat King Cole |
|
Chico & Rita |
Chico & Rita |
2010 |
Chico & Rita New York Band |
|
Beginners |
Beginners |
2010 |
Hoagy Carmichael |
|
Tracks |
El viaje de tu vida |
2013 |
Hoagy Carmichael |