Behind the Hopeful Lullaby “When You Wish Upon a Star”

If you ask Cinderella, “a dream is a wish your heart makes.” Similarly, if you ask Jiminy Cricket, he’ll tell you that when you wish upon a star, it “makes no difference who you are.” Indeed, wishing is one of the most wonderful, hopeful things a person can do and it almost always comes at the most dire or most necessary moments.

To wit, Disney’s classic song, “When You Wish Upon a Star” has become the anthem for this human sense of hope. But what is the meaning and history of the song?

Let’s dive in.

The Meaning

The song, which has become the signature Disney theme, is all about hope. Everyone has hope, everyone is entitled to hope.

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you

Yes, if you wish upon a star, not only will you be heard, but your wish will come true. That is what the rest of the lines explain, too. Put your heart into it.

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

All you have to do is have heart and a sense of genuine purity in your spirit and when you wish, your prayers will be answered. It’s a perfect song for children wishing for more from the world, and wishing to grow up, as well as the perfect song for the down-and-out, who need a little help to get on their feet.

The Writers

The now-iconic song, like all iconic songs, had humble beginnings with writers. It is written by Leigh Harline, who wrote the music, and Ned Washington, who wrote the lyrics. The song, given to Disney in late 1938, was always intended for the 1940 Disney animated movie Pinocchio.

The song is sung by Cliff Edwards, who played Jiminy Cricket in the movie. As the film production progressed, Jiminy became more and more involved in the movie as its narrator. And so when the film was completed, Jiminy’s signature song appeared in the opening credits of the movie, introducing the sentiment and the character.

The song won the 1940 Oscar for Best Original Song, the first composition from Disney to win the award. Today, the tune is considered synonymous with Disney.

The Little Lawsuit

Bourne Co. Music Publishers, which owns the rights to the song today, sued 20th Century Fox and several of its affiliates along with voice actors from the show Family Guy, to try to stop the animated comedy’s episode, “When You Wish Upon a Weinstein,” which includes a parody of “When You Wish Upon a Star.” But a federal judge said the episode could go on, saying that Bourne Co.’s copyright was not infringed upon.

The Song’s Legacy

Inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2009, the song is also ranked No. 7 by the American Film Institute of the 100 Greatest Songs in Film History. In 1940 the song also hit No. 5 on the rudimentary Billboard Record Buying Guide.

In later years, the song has been covered by numerous artists, including Gene Simmons of KISS for his 1978 solo LP. The song, which is also now a jazz standard, was highlighted in the Earth, Wind & Fire song, “Shining Star.”

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