Swinging On A Star
Crosby Bing Lyrics

Would you like to swing on a star
Do you want to aspire and dream beyond your current life?

Carry moonbeams home in a jar
Do you want to capture the impossible and make it your own?

And be better off than you are
Do you want to better yourself and rise above your current circumstances?

Or would you rather be a mule
Or are you content with being stubborn and unintelligent?

A mule is an animal with long funny ears
A mule is a creature with remarkable physical features, but lacks intelligence.

Kicks up at anything he hears
A mule is quick to get agitated and can be explosive.

His back is brawny but his brain is weak
The physical strength of the mule is disproportionate to its mental capacity.

He's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak
The mule is not smart, and tends to dig in its heels when faced with change or challenges.

And by the way, if you hate to go to school
The singer suggests that avoiding education is a sure path towards becoming like the mule.

You may grow up to be a mule
Your choices in life will have an impact on your ultimate fate.

Or would you like to swing on a star
Do you want to aspire and dream beyond your current life?

Carry moonbeams home in a jar
Do you want to capture the impossible and make it your own?

And be better off than you are
Do you want to better yourself and rise above your current circumstances?

Or would you rather be a pig
Or are you content with being rude, lazy, and impolite?

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
A pig is an unclean creature known for its sloth and laziness.

His shoes are a terrible disgrace
The pig has no regard for self-grooming or presentation.

He has no manners when he eats his food
The pig engulfs food greedily and leaves a mess.

He's fat and lazy and extremely rude
The pig's lifestyle is sedentary and grossly unhealthy.

But if you don't care a feather or a fig
If you don't care about your personal grooming or manners, you may end up like the pig.

You may grow up to be a pig
Your choices in life will have an impact on your ultimate fate.

Or would you like to swing on a star
Do you want to aspire and dream beyond your current life?

Carry moonbeams home in a jar
Do you want to capture the impossible and make it your own?

And be better off than you are
Do you want to better yourself and rise above your current circumstances?

Or would you rather be a fish
Or are you content with being slippery and deceiving?

A fish won't do anything, but swim in a brook
A fish is limited to its environment and does not seek to explore outside of it.

He can't write his name or read a book
A fish lacks higher-level thinking abilities that enable humans to learn and create.

To fool the people is his only thought
The fish is only concerned with self-preservation and does not value the needs or well-being of others.

And though he's slippery, he still gets caught
Despite its slipperiness, the fish is not invincible and can be easily caught in a trap.

But then if that sort of life is what you wish
If living a small, unfulfilling life is what you want, then that is your choice.

You may grow up to be a fish
Your choices in life will have an impact on your ultimate fate.

A new kind of jumped up slippery fish
The world and its values keep changing, and those who deceive and manipulate others will continue to exist, but in different forms or levels of advancement.

And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo
People who behave foolishly exist outside of cages or confines.

Every day you meet quite a few
Encounters with people who question your choices and define your character happen frequently.

So you see it's all up to you
Ultimately, the power to choose lies with you.

You can be better than you are
You have the power and potential to become better than your current self.

You could be swingin' on a star
By choosing to aspire and dream, you could be reaching for the impossible and achieving greatness.