“[‘Star Eyes’ is] a piece that Brooks was born to play.” - Lawrence Kart

Rank 87 Words and Music Gene De Paul Don Raye   Helen O’Connell and Bob Eberly, with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, introduced “Star Eyes” in the 1943, MGM musical, I Dood It. Before they could make a recording of “Star Eyes” O’Connell left the band to get married and was replaced by Kitty Kallen. So it was Eberly and Kitty Kallen who sang on the Dorsey Orchestra’s recording of “Star Eyes,” which was on the pop charts for 16 weeks in 1943, peaking at number three.     More on Helen O'Connell       More on Bob Eberly     Chart information used by permission from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954   I Dood It (aka By Hook or by Crook in Great Britain) starred Red Skelton and Eleanor Powell and was a remake of Buster Keaton’s Spite Marriage (1929). In Vincente Minnelli’s opinion, it was the worst movie he ever directed. Part of the problem was that he was hired after production had already begun, and the producer would not let him discard any of the previous work. Also included in the cast were Lena Horne and Hazel Scott, appearing as themselves. The high points of I Dood It were the performances of “Jericho,” “Taking a Chance on Love,” “One O’Clock Jump,” and “Star Eyes.”     More on Gene De Paul       More on Don Raye

- Jeremy Wilson

This section suggests definitive or otherwise significant recordings that will help jazz students get acquainted with “Star Eyes.” These recordings have been selected from the Jazz History and CD Recommendations sections.

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Charlie Parker famously recorded “Star Eyes” for Verve in 1951 (The Essential Charlie Parker), and his brilliant performance of the tune is unrivaled both musically and historically. For vocal versions, Anita O’Day’s 1958 recording (Anita O’Day Sings the Winners) is a good starting point.

Noah Baerman - Jazz Pianist and Educator

Usually performed at a relaxed tempo, “Star Eyes” is often characterized as “dreamlike” or as a “dreamy ballad.” Jazz musicians appreciate its irregular chord progression. Don Raye’s lyrics have complimentary appeal as an expression of love and the hope that it will be returned. Not sophisticated or urbane, the lyrics are reasonably modern for 1943, avoiding the archaic and overly sweet operetta style found in romantic songs of the previous decades. Interestingly, the last section of the song includes the lines,

Makes no difference where you are,
Your eyes still hold my wishing star

which are obviously derived from

When you wish upon a star,
Makes no difference who you are

sung by Jiminy Cricket and written by Ned Washington for the Academy Award-winning song, “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Cliff Edwards voiced the part of the animated cricket in the 1940 film, Pinocchio. -JW

Musical analysis of “Star Eyes”
Original Key	F major; brief forays into Eb major, Bb major, and Ab major as well
Form	A – A – B – A with four measure tag
Tonality	Major throughout
Movement	“A” section uses primarily ascending steps. “B” jumps around a bit for four measures before descending stepwise into the last “A”section.
Comments     (assumed background)
Originally a ballad, this tune lends itself to a wide variety of treatments. The “A” section starts out I – ii7 – V7 – I. The I then turns into a minor ii7 for the chord a step below it, returning to the tonic via a tri-tone leap up and circle-of-fifths variation using a iiø7 – V7 sequence that forms a nice descending, common-tone, chromatic line. The flatted fifth of the iø7 becomes the flatted ninth of the dominant chord that follows, naturally descending a half step to become the fifth of the next “tonic-of-the-moment.” This fifth degree than descends another half step as the tonic of the moment becomes the iiø7 of the chord a step below it. This type of voice leading (similar to the harmonic progression used in “How High the Moon”) is repeated in the “B” section as well. The tag, however, ends the song with a simple, chromatic, descending progression (essentially, the old Dixieland favorite of a I – VI7 – II7 - I turnaround).
K. J. McElrath - Musicologist for JazzStandards.com

It’s undoubtedly due to Charlie Parker that “Star Eyes” became a jazz standard. Three recordings illustrate the influence Parker had on other saxophonists, but their playing also reflects his influence, tenor saxophonist Lester Young.

Alto saxophonist/arranger Lennie Niehaus’ recording from 1955 is interesting not only musically but instrumentally, with a group including a small string section, tenor and baritone sax, and rhythm.

Lee Konitz, whose primary instrument was alto, plays tenor on his recording from 1956, perhaps to avoid comparison to Parker.

Altoist Art Pepper, on arguably one his best recordings (made in 1958 in Los Angeles), is accompanied by Miles Davis’ rhythm section of Red Garland (piano), Paul Chambers (bass) and Philly Joe Jones. Supposedly Pepper hadn’t played his horn in six months, but if that was the case his playing doesn’t reflect it.

Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian

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Lennie Niehaus Lennie Niehaus, Vol. 4: The Quintets and Strings Original Jazz Classics 1858 Lee Konitz Inside Hi-Fi Koch Records 8504 Art Pepper Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section Original Jazz Classics 338

“Star Eyes” was included in these films:

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• I Dood It (1943 Helen O’Connell and Bob Eberly)

This section shows the jazz standards written by the same writing team.

Gene De Paul and Don Raye
Year	Rank	Title
1941	53	“You Don't Know What Love Is”
1943	87	“Star Eyes”

Gene De Paul, Patricia Johnston and Don Raye
Year	Rank	Title
1941	29	“I'll Remember April”

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