This is a duet that I would rate as mildly enjoyable - I thought it was fun but don't feel a need to listen to it repeatedly.
Big Dee Irwin (1932-1995) was from the Harlem district of New York City. In the 1950s, he formed a singing group known as The Pastels; they reached #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958 with "Been So Long" but did not get airplay in Toronto. The group split up in 1959, after which Irwin went solo.
"Swinging On A Star" was originally recorded by Bing Crosby in 1944; he took it to #1. Big Dee Irwin's version was a duet with Little Eva, who was uncredited. It reached #38 on the Billboard Hot 100. (Little Eva was, of course, famous for reaching #1 with "The Loco-Motion".)
Irwin's followup, "Happy Being Fat", also recorded with Little Eva, was unsuccessful. He continued releasing singles up until the late 1970s, occasionally as Dee Irwin or under his given first name of DiFosco. He passed away of heart failure.
Created September 25, 2026.