Swinging on a Star [song lyrics]

Song lyrics to Swinging on a Star, music by Jimmy Van Heusen, lyrics by Johnny Burke.

Swinging on a Star is an American pop standard with music composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke. It was introduced by Bing Crosby in the 1944 film Going My Way

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 

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 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 

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 

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 

Writer: Johnny Burke, Jimmy Heusen-van