Catch a Falling Star

<h2 id="background-and-chart-performance">Background and chart performance</h2>
<p>The song's melody is similar to a theme heard in <a href="/facts/Johannes_Brahms/wr1Qo5Jh">Brahms</a>' <i><a href="/facts/Academic_Festival_Overture/jyRMRI9e">Academic Festival Overture</a></i>, the <i>Fuchslied</i> (Was kommt dort von der Höh [de]). Perry Como's recording features <a href="/facts/Ray_Charles_(musician%2c_born_1918)/UhRG6fRA">the Ray Charles Singers</a>, who sing the refrain as a repeated round.
</p><p>It was Como's last number one hit in the United States,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> reaching number 1 on the <i>Billboard</i> "Most Played by Jockeys" chart, but not in the overall top 100, where it reached number 3.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> It was the first single to receive a <a href="/facts/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America/8a7K0Ubf">Recording Industry Association of America</a> <a href="/facts/Music_recording_certification/zGzLFa9l">gold record</a> certification, on March 14, 1958.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> In Canada, the song reached number 12 on the <a href="/facts/CHUM_Chart/d1gd54kz">CHUM Charts</a>, February 3, 1958, co-charting with <i><a href="/facts/Magic_Moments/9uWAn4NN">Magic Moments</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a>
</p><p>Internationally, in 1958, the song also topped the Australian charts. In the <a href="/facts/UK_Singles_Chart/s2yyGUlD">UK Singles Chart</a>, "Catch a Falling Star" peaked at number nine, whereas its B-side "<a href="/facts/Magic_Moments/9uWAn4NN">Magic Moments</a>" topped the charts.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>
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<h2 id="accolades">Accolades</h2>
<p>The single won Como the 1959 <a href="/facts/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Vocal_Performance%2c_Male/c9tjyxhT">Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male</a>.
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<h2 id="certifications">Certifications</h2>
<table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Region</th><th scope="col">Certification</th><th scope="col"><a href="/facts/List_of_music_recording_certifications/6CPQFNNn">Certified units</a>/sales</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">United States (<a href="/facts/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America/8a7K0Ubf">RIAA</a>)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></th><td>Gold</td><td>1,000,000^</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p>^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Perry Como Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 14, 2009. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p3091/biography" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p3091/biography</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 187. <a href="/wiki/Joel_Whitburn" target="_blank">/wiki/Joel_Whitburn</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"History Of The Awards". RIAA.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-11. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070701162808/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=historyx" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20070701162808/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=historyx</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>"CHUM Hit Parade - February 3, 1958". Retrieved February 10, 2023. <a href="http://chumtribute.com/58-02-03-chart.jpg" target="_blank">http://chumtribute.com/58-02-03-chart.jpg</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"Perry Como". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 23, 2020. <a href="https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/1122/perry-como/" target="_blank">https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/1122/perry-como/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>"American  single  certifications – Perry Como – Catch a Falling Star". Recording Industry Association of America. <a href="https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Perry+Como&ti=Catch+a+Falling+Star&format=Single&type=#search_section" target="_blank">https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Perry+Como&ti=Catch+a+Falling+Star&format=Single&type=#search_section</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Catch a Falling Star open-in-new

Catch a Falling Star