A THOUSAND STARS - Rivileers

-1953- This is one of my favorite songs. i have like 8 different artist who sing it. but kathy young is my #1

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Doo
• Wop
• Oldies
• thousand
• stars
• 1953
• firme
• love
• r&b
• soul

[rb62470]

Saw in my Top 40 book that The Rivileers did this song six years before Kathy Young, and I just had to hear it. Without folks like guanajuato I would've been left high and dry. Thanks so much for posting it!

[guanajuato1987]

@rb62470 glad you enjoyed it=]

[superspeedG]

I had the pleasure of working with Gene Pearson the lead singer of the Rivileers in the 1980s. He was a NYC Transit police officer. He was really a great guy. He has since passed away. He told me he wrote the song in 1952 when he was 17. The Rivileers version is without a doubt the best version.

[souljahtite17]

every time i hear kathy young do this song on public television, I cant help but think she needs to give credit to the Rivileers. Then I think better yet, public television should get the remaining Rivileers to do the song. RIP to the deceased Rivileer.

[joromeyers1]

I love this.  It's the original. Hubby & I went steady with theses song. Goes back to the early 50;s Thank you for posting it.

[duvessa2003]

Thanks, Guan. Great point about giving credit where credit is due, Sou. Thanks for singling out the sax for me 2:00. We lay people need help. It doesn't matter which version is better. The Rivileer's offers a polished loveliness . Kathy's offers raw teenage longing and uncertainty. Her 14 y.o.alleged "off-key, annoying" voice is the very part that works for me. She REALLY is appealing to the stars about her first love as all teenage girls have done from the beginning of time.

[redd5674]

I like the orignal better than Kathy Youngs version I had no idea intill just a few minutes ago that some else wrote and did this song first. The original thousand stars the voice is smoother plus that bass being played on the track really sets the song off.

[newjerseybt]

What intrigues me with this version is how the sax works itself into the song at 2:00. He seems to be playing a different melody but it weaves seamlessly into the main melody! There must be some kind of terminology for this type of music melding. Amazing how one can come up with this transition "on the fly" so to speak.

[XSkycop]

Like the Negro ball players of the first half of the 20th Century, groups like the Rivileers have disappeared into the dust-bin of history. So sad!

[FourHbcaps]

At least this version has a bass (instrument, not voice) on it. I wish Kathy Young's version did--then it would be perfect!

[VideoalAZ]

A favorite that was played at any house party in the '50s that had it going on!

Played often on the afternoon Doo Wop request show with Dr. Jive on WWRL.

[crusher1944]

If you live in NY you have to know jocko is