Day's film career began during the latter part of the Classical Hollywood Film era with the 1948 film Romance on the High Seas, and its success sparked her twenty-year career as a motion picture actress. She starred in a series of successful films, including musicals, comedies, and dramas. She played the title role in Calamity Jane (1953), and starred in Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) with James Stewart. Her most successful films were the bedroom comedies she made co-starring Rock Hudson and James Garner, such as Pillow Talk (1959) and Move Over, Darling (1963), respectively. She also co-starred in films with such leading men as Clark Gable, Cary Grant, David Niven, and Rod Taylor. After her final film in 1968, she went on to star in the CBS sitcom The Doris Day Show (1968–1973).
Day was usually one of the top ten singers between 1951 and 1966. As an actress, she became the biggest female film star in the early 1960s, and ranked sixth among the box office performers by 2012. In 2011, she released her 29th studio album, My Heart, which became a UK Top 10 album featuring new material. Among her awards, Day has received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Legend Award from the Society of Singers. In 1960, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, and in 1989 was given the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures. In 2004, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush followed in 2011 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Career Achievement Award. She was one of the last surviving stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Her death was announced by her charity, the Doris Day Animal Foundation, on Monday 13th May 2019.
Discography
chart hits
Year Title Chart Positions
US CB UK
1945 "Sentimental Journey" (w/ Les Brown) 1 — —
"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" (w/ Les Brown) 1 — —
"'Tain't Me" (w/ Les Brown) 10 — —
"Till the End of Time" (w/ Les Brown) 3 — —
"Aren't You Glad You're You?" (w/ Les Brown) 11 — —
"Come to Baby Do" (w/ Les Brown) / 13 — —
1946 "You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)" (w/ Les Brown) 4 — —
"Day by Day" (w/ Les Brown) 15 — —
"I Got the Sun in the Mornin' (and the Moon at Night)" (w/ Les Brown) 10 — —
"The Whole World Is Singing My Song" (w/ Les Brown) 6 — —
1947 "The Christmas Song" (w/ Les Brown) 12 — —
"Sooner or Later" (w/ Les Brown) 13 — —
"Papa, Won't You Dance With Me" 21 — —
1948 "Thoughtless" (w/ Modernaires) 24 — —
"Love Somebody" (w/ Buddy Clark) / 1 — —
"Confess" (w/ Buddy Clark) 16 — —
"Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon, and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea" / 27 — —
"It's Magic" 2 — —
"My Darling, My Darling" (w/ Buddy Clark) 7 — —
1949 "Powder Your Face with Sunshine" (w/ Buddy Clark) 16 — —
"Again" 2 — —
"Everywhere You Go" 22 — —
"Let's Take an Old-Fashioned Walk" (w/ Frank Sinatra) 17 — —
"Now That I Need You" 20 — —
"Canadian Capers" 15 — —
"Bluebird on Your Windowsill" 19 — —
1950 "Quicksilver" 20 — —
"I Said My Pajamas (and Put on My Prayers)" 21 — —
"Enjoy Yourself (It's Later than You Think)" 24 — —
"Hoop-Dee-Doo" 17 — —
"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" 9 — —
"I Didn't Slip, I Wasn't Pushed, I Fell" 19 — —
"A Bushel and a Peck" 16 — —
1951 "It's a Lovely Day Today" 30 — —
"Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)" 10 — —
"Shanghai" 7 — —
"Domino" 21 — —
1952 "A Guy Is a Guy" 1 — —
"Sugarbush" (w/ Frankie Laine) 7 12 8
"When I Fall in Love" 20 — —
"No Two People" (w/ Donald O'Connor) 25 — —
"My Love and Devotion" — 31 10
"The Cherries" — 39 —
"A Full Time Job" (w/ Johnnie Ray) / 20 21 11
"Ma Says, Pa Says" (w/ Johnnie Ray) 23 28 12
1953 "Mister Tap Toe" 10 11 —
"When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" 29 — —
"Candy Lips" (w/ Johnnie Ray) / 17 18 —
"Let's Walk That-a-Way" (w/ Johnnie Ray) — 31 4
"Kiss Me Again, Stranger" / 30 — —
"A Purple Cow" 25 — —
"Choo Choo Train (Ch-Ch-Foo) 20 — —
1954 "Secret Love" 1 1 1
"The Black Hills of Dakota" — — 7
"Lost in Loveliness" — 25 —
"I Speak to the Stars" 16 17 —
"Someone Else's Roses" — 32 —
"If I Give My Heart to You" / 3 2 4
"Anyone Can Fall in Love" 27 41 —
"Ready, Willing, and Able" / — 31 7
"Hold Me in Your Arms" — 39 —
1955 "Foolishly Yours" — 25 —
"Love Me Or Leave Me" — — 20
"I'll Never Stop Loving You" 13 14 17
"Ooh Bang Jiggily Jang" 83 — —
1956 "Let It Ring" 51 — —
"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" 2 3 1
"Julie" / 64 40 —
"Love in a Home" 79 — —
"The Party's Over" 63 47 —
1957 "Twelve O'Clock Tonight" 68 — —
1958 "Teacher's Pet" 56 36 —
"A Very Precious Love" — — 16
"Everybody Loves a Lover" 6 6 25
"Tunnel of Love" 43 53 —
1959 "Love Me in the Daytime" 100 51 —
1960 "Any Way the Wind Blows" 50 109 —
"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" 102 102 —
"A Perfect Understanding" 111 — —
1962 "Lover Come Back" 98 — —
1964 "Move Over Darling" — — 8
"Send Me No Flowers" 135 — —
1967 "Sorry" * — — —
* "Sorry" made the US AC charts at #19.
Albums
10" LP
You're My Thrill (1949)
Young Man with a Horn (1950, soundtrack with Harry James)
Tea for Two (1950, soundtrack)
Lullaby of Broadway (1951, soundtrack)
On Moonlight Bay (1951, soundtrack)
I'll See You in My Dreams (1951, soundtrack)
By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953, soundtrack)
Calamity Jane (1953, soundtrack)
Young at Heart (1954, soundtrack with Frank Sinatra)
12" LPs
Love Me or Leave Me (1955, soundtrack)
Day Dreams (1955, expanded re-issue of You're My Thrill)
Day By Day (1956)
The Pajama Game (1957, soundtrack)
Day by Night (1957)
Hooray for Hollywood (2 volumes, 1958)
Cuttin' Capers (1959)
What Every Girl Should Know (1960)
Show Time (1960)
Listen to Day (1960)
Bright and Shiny (1961)
I Have Dreamed (1961)
Duet (with André Previn, 1962)
You'll Never Walk Alone (1962)
Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962, soundtrack with film cast)
Annie Get Your Gun (1963, with Robert Goulet)
Love Him (1963)
The Doris Day Christmas Album (1964)
With a Smile and a Song (1964)
Latin for Lovers (1965)
Doris Day's Sentimental Journey (1965)
The Love Album (recorded in 1967, released in 1994)
My Heart (2011)
Singles
Hit records:
(with Les Brown's Band of Renown)
"Sentimental Journey"
5,000,000+ sales
"My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time"
1,000,000+ sales
(As a solo performer)
"It's Magic"
1,000,000+ sales
"Again"
"Love Somebody" (duet with Buddy Clark)
1,000,000+ sales
"Confess" (duet with Buddy Clark) (also done by Patti Page)
"Bewitched"
1,000,000+ sales
"Shanghai"
"Sugarbush" (duet with Frankie Laine)
1,000,000+ sales
"Mister Tap Toe"
"Secret Love"
1,000,000+ sales
"If I Give My Heart to You" (also done by Denise Lor)
"I'll Never Stop Loving You"
1,000,000+ sales
"Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" ("Que Sera, Sera")
1,000,000+ sales
"Everybody Loves a Lover"
"Move Over Darling"
Stars Fell On Alabama
Doris Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the world a dream come true
Did it really happen, was I really there, was I really there with you?
We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white
And stars fell on Alabama last night
I can't forget the glamor, your eyes held a tender light
And stars fell on Alabama last night
A fairy land where no one else could enter
And in the center just you and me, dear
My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight
And stars fell on Alabama last night
We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white
And stars fell on Alabama last night
I can't forget the glamor, your eyes held a tender light
And stars fell on Alabama last night
I never planned in my imagination a situation so heavenly
A fairy land where no one else could enter
And in the center just you and me, dear
My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight
Stars Fell On Alabama is a song by Doris Day that describes a dream-like moment in which the singer finds themselves caught up in a perfect moment of romance. The song is nostalgic and sentimental, evoking a sense of longing for a past that may have never been entirely real. The first verse sets the scene with the image of "moonlight and magnolia" and "starlight in your hair", painting a picture of a magical moment in an idyllic setting. The line "All the world a dream come true" is both a description of the moment and a hint at the sense of unreality that pervades the song. The singer is questioning whether the experience was really real, wondering "was I really there, was I really there with you?".
The second verse goes on to describe the romance in more detail, with a kiss in a "field of white". The image of the stars falling again adds to the feeling of unreality, as if the moment was too perfect to be true. The line "I never planned in my imagination a situation so heavenly" shows that the singer may have been caught off guard by the intensity of their emotions. The image of a "fairy land where no one else could enter" suggests that the moment was private and intimate, shared only between the two lovers. The singer's heart is beating fast and their arms are wrapped tight around their partner, holding onto the moment as tightly as possible.
Overall, the song is a wistful and romantic ode to a perfect moment of love. It is simultaneously nostalgic and dreamlike, capturing a sense of longing for a past that may or may not have ever existed.
Line by Line Meaning
Moonlight and magnolia, starlight in your hair
The setting was romantic, with the perfect mix of moonlight and the scent of flowers, complemented by the stars illuminating your hair
All the world a dream come true
Everything felt surreal and like a dream that came true
Did it really happen, was I really there, was I really there with you?
The singer is questioning if the beautiful moment she shared with her lover actually happened, and if she was truly there sharing it with them
We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white
They shared a romantic moment in the snow, being the main characters in their own little love story
And stars fell on Alabama last night
The magic of the moment was emphasized by the sensual ambiance of the falling stars
I can't forget the glamor, your eyes held a tender light
The glamour of the moment was perpetuated by a loving gaze between the singer and her lover
And stars fell on Alabama last night
The magic of the moment was emphasized by the sensual ambiance of the falling stars
I never planned in my imagination a situation so heavenly
The beauty of the moment exceeded anything the singer could have ever imagined
A fairy land where no one else could enter
The intimacy and magic of the moment made it seem like there were no other people in the world, and that they were in their own private fairy land
And in the center just you and me, dear
Everything revolved around the singer and her lover, making them the center of their own little universe
My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight
The singer felt overwhelmed with emotion and wrapped her love tightly in her arms, with her heart pounding in her chest
And stars fell on Alabama last night
The magic of the moment was emphasized by the sensual ambiance of the falling stars
We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white
They shared a romantic moment in the snow, being the main characters in their own little love story
And stars fell on Alabama last night
The magic of the moment was emphasized by the sensual ambiance of the falling stars
I can't forget the glamor, your eyes held a tender light
The glamour of the moment was perpetuated by a loving gaze between the singer and her lover
And stars fell on Alabama last night
The magic of the moment was emphasized by the sensual ambiance of the falling stars
I never planned in my imagination a situation so heavenly
The beauty of the moment exceeded anything the singer could have ever imagined
A fairy land where no one else could enter
The intimacy and magic of the moment made it seem like there were no other people in the world, and that they were in their own private fairy land
And in the center just you and me, dear
Everything revolved around the singer and her lover, making them the center of their own little universe
My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight
The singer felt overwhelmed with emotion and wrapped her love tightly in her arms, with her heart pounding in her chest
And stars fell on Alabama last night
The magic of the moment was emphasized by the sensual ambiance of the falling stars
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Frank Perkins, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JorgeOlmosMusic
Was at an open mic last night and a guy sang this song...I'm so glad Doris has a version of it! I simply love her voice. So smooth, so pure. The tonal quality... Beautiful, beautiful. Discovered her maybe 10 years ago.. As far as voices go, I truly believe she's one of the best. Right at the top with Ella. Thanks for the upload!
Lois Winters
I remember this from my high school days. A few years later I was in Alabama a riding in a convertible at night. I swore you could pluck a star right out of the sky there, and, I thought, well Doris Day, you nailed it! Loved it since.
Dayniac4324
I really love her version of this great song. She has such a wonderful voice ! So happy you enjoyed it too !! Thanks !
Dayniac4324
I love Doris' version of this beautiful song. So happy you enjoyed !!
Ginnie Poppenger
Love all of Doris's songs and movies.
Dayniac4324
She said in her autobiography that while she was convalesing after the train/car wreck that ended her dancing career at that time.... that she started listening to the radio and singing along with Ella. Ella was definitely a big influence on Doris. And she also credits her voice coach, Grace Raine. She said Grace told her to sing as if she were singing to just one person. I love her songs where she has that intimate, singing just to you feeling. She does it so well !
montse pastén
wow
Lois Winters
Doris was a patient of mine in the mid 50s and she always spoke reverently of Ella "Fitz."
IritHeru
She has always been respected for her vocals. She was a superstar throughout the whole decade of the 1950s. Her favorite singer (if I remember correctly) was Ella Fitzgerald. Listen to Ella, then listen to Doris, and you'll hear the influence.
Dayniac4324
She definitely has the voice for a dreamy song like this. Happy you enjoyed !!!