Morning Star (Nat King Cole song)

Morning Star is a song and single by Nat King Cole from the 1958 album St. Louis Blues. "Morning Star", taken from the Paramount picture St. Louis Blues, with new lyrics by Mack David, was based on W. C. Handy's spiritual "Shine like a morning star".^[1] The song tells of a mother's love for her son. The lyrics commence "I asked my mother / Is there a morning star? / I was answered by my mother / Yes, there's a morning star".

Handy's original song, "Shine Like a Morning Star", was also arranged for SATB quartet as a four voice spiritual.^[2][3][4]

References

1. William Christopher Handy, Abbe Niles, Elliott S. Hurwitt W.C. Handy's Blue 0486486192 2012 -Page 262 "Another extraordinary example, in march time, is Shine Like a Morning Star, which is to be found only in Handy's own published arrangement."
2. Evelyn Davidson White Choral music by Afro-American composers 1981 -Page 118 WILLIAM C. HANDY SECOND COLLECTION OF 37 SPIRITUALS Mixed Voices, Male Voices and Vocal Solos with Piano Accompaniment Arranged by William C. Handy ... Shine Like a Morning Star (SATB) 4."
3. David Robertson W.C. Handy: the life and times of the man who made the blues 2009 "Shine Like a Morning Star."
4. Leslie Gourse Sassy: The Life of Sarah Vaughan 2009 - Page 276 0786751142 "Of the songs that were released, "Morning Star" was written by Jimmy Rowles with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, though W. C. Handy was given credit — apparently by accident — for the composition. This information comes directly from Jimmy "