Throwing back to the week of August 21, 1954, we find The Crew Cuts still on top of the charts with ‘Sh-Boom,‘ a doo-wop classic.
In the second spot that week was Rosemary Clooney’s ‘Hey There,’ a show tune from the musical The Pajama Game. Clooney stayed in the #2 spot behind ‘Sh-Boom’ for a month before grabbing #1 for six straight weeks. This was the third of four #1 hits for Clooney, all in the first four years of the 1950s.
I’m not familiar with this recording, but hearing it I realized I’m quite familiar with one of its lyrics. That’s because the line “you with the stars in your eyes” is sung by Raymond Cappomagi, brother of Rose Castorini, in the movie Moonstruck after he enjoys a night of romance with his wife Rita.
Lately when I’m in my room
All by myself
In the solitary gloom
I call to myself
[Verse 1]
Hey there
You with the stars in your eyes
Love never made a fool of you
You used to be too wise
Hey there
You on that high flyin’ cloud
Though he won’t throw a crumb to you
You think someday he’ll come to you
[Verse 2]
Better forget him
Him with his nose in the air
He has you dancin’ on a string
Break it and he won’t care
Won’t you take this advice I hand you like a mother?
Or are you not seein’ things too clear?
Are you too much in love to hear?
Is it all goin’ in one ear
And out the other?
[Verse 3]
Hey there
You with the stars in your eyes (Are you talking to me?)
Love never made a fool of you (Not until now)
You used to be too wise (Yes, I was once)
Will you take this advice I hand you like a mother?
Or am I not seein’ things too clear?
Are you just too far gone to hear?
Is it all goin’ in one ear
And out the other?
Meet Me In Montauk 
My familiarity with this song comes from a time in high school or maybe early college when my (other😁) brother-in-law took me to some music producer/musician’s house so I could play and potentially record one of my songs with him. That didn’t end up happening but, instead, I was asked to be part of the background vocals for a recording they were doing that day of “Hey There.” The version they were recording was much more poppy and upbeat than the Clooney version- more like this version recorded by Sammy Davis Jr.:
I do remember this song and didn’t realize that the line from Moonstruck was from that song. Also that Rosemary Clooney is George’s aunt makes her special. Thanks for sharing your experience Dana as a background vocalist. Cool ❤️