Swinging on a Star ✨

Background: Bing Crosby’s Wartime Hit

Written by Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics), “Swinging on a Star” was originally performed by Bing Crosby, accompanied by John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra. Released in 1944 by Decca Records, the tune quickly became a cultural staple. With its witty lyrics contrasting human failings to barnyard animals, the song was playful, moralizing, and irresistibly catchy.

Its flipside was “Going My Way,” the title track to Crosby’s Academy Award-winning film. Together, these records defined part of the American soundscape of the 1940s, giving soldiers and civilians alike a buoyant escape from wartime reality.

Fun fact: Slim Willet and Tommy Hill even co-wrote a “female answer song” titled “I Let the Stars Get in My Eyes,” recorded by Hill’s sister Goldie Hill. The song became a cultural back-and-forth, echoing through jukeboxes of the early ’50s.

Fallout Appearances

• Fallout 76 (B.E.T.A. phase): Broadcast on Appalachia Radio. The track was patched out before the game’s full release, making it something of a collector’s memory among early players.
• Music from Fallout Playlist (Amazon Music): Added to promote the Fallout TV series, though not included in the show itself.

Why It Fits Fallout

Fallout thrives on irony, and “Swinging on a Star” embodies that contrast. On one hand, the song playfully warns against laziness and foolishness—encouraging listeners to “be better.” On the other, when heard against the backdrop of Appalachia’s nuclear devastation, its cheerful message takes on a twisted edge. The wasteland is filled with people (and creatures) who literally failed to rise above, becoming something less than human.

It’s that sharp contrast—the playful optimism of the 1940s clashing with Fallout’s grim post-apocalypse—that makes the song unforgettable, even after it was removed from the in-game rotation.

Song Details

• Flipside: “Going My Way”
• Genre: Jazz
• Length: 2:30
• Released: 1944
• Artist: Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra
• Music by: Jimmy Van Heusen
• Lyrics by: Johnny Burke
• Produced by: Decca Records
• Appearances: Appalachia Radio (Fallout 76 B.E.T.A.), Music from Fallout playlist

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Final Thoughts

“Swinging on a Star” might not have made the final cut for Fallout 76’s Appalachia Radio, but its legacy remains. Fans still recall its brief inclusion during the B.E.T.A., and the song’s placement on the Music from Fallout playlist has ensured that it won’t be forgotten. Like so many Fallout tracks, it represents the blending of old-world cheer with post-apocalyptic irony—reminding us that even in the wasteland, you can always choose to swing a little higher.

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
He 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

Or 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 pig?

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
His shoes are a terrible disgrace
He’s got 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

Or 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 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

And all the monkeys aren’t in the zoo
Everyday you’ll 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