"Little Star" | |
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Single by The Elegants | |
B-side | "Getting Dizzy" |
Released | 1958 |
Genre | |
Length | 2:42 |
Label | Apt |
Songwriter(s) | Vito Picone, Arthur Venosa |
"Little Star" is a song recorded by The Elegants. Members Vito Picone and Arthur Venosa co-wrote the lyrics. The music was adapted from "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star".[2] When released as a single in 1958, it topped both the R&B Best Sellers list and the Billboard Hot 100;[3] however, it was the only song that ever charted for The Elegants. Reportedly, the Elegants refused to pay payola to a prominent New York disc jockey, which inhibited air play of their follow up recordings.[citation needed]
Little Star went on to chart at No.27 on the pop charts, No.2 on rock charts, and No.10 on R&B charts.[citation needed]
"Little Star" remains one of the most popular examples of doo-wop music. Phil Spector described it as an "awful good record".[2] Other artists to record this song include Dion (Runaround Sue), Randy & the Rainbows, The Slades, Vera Lynn, Linda Scott and Bobby Vee.
A small portion of the song was performed by Paul Simon as part of the 1989 Dion song "Written on the Subway Wall."
Chart (1958) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Hot 100[4] | 1 |
Chart (1958–2018) | Position |
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US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 595 |
It's also not especially well-suited to becoming a pop song. But the Elegants built on its familiarity...There are plenty of better doo-wop songs, but there are plenty of worse ones, too.