We’re bidding June a fond adieu today—it certainly has been a topsy-turvy month, at least around these parts, & perhaps ruled very much by “th’inconstant moon.”
So what better way to take our leave of June than with one last installment of Moon June Spoon—& we’ve got some really fine songs today—western swing, jazz, oldtime country & western & more.
Thanks to everyone for the very positive response to Moon June Spoon; I’ll be sure to concoct another song series before too long—maybe in August. For now, hope you enjoy these selections!
Shine On Harvest Moon: I love this sort of old song—this & “By the Light of the Silvery Moon” & “In the Moonlight” are the very songs that laid the Moon June Spoon foundation (as it were—an odd metapher, yes). It’s also worth noting that all three of these songs—& lots more— appear on the Fabulous Heftones album of the same name. In this case, Brian Hefferan handles the vocal—including the stage-setting verse which I believe a lot of folks haven’t heard. It’s a fun & rambunctious outing, as is the Leon Redbone version (& Mr Redbone includes the verse, too). For those who are interested in the Fabulous Heftones (& you really should be), you can hear their tunes—including this one—on their site here. You can also see them performing “Shine On Harvest Moon” in the video clip below. Although there’s a lot of background noise, it’s notable for at least two reasons: first, the Fabulous Heftones seem an embodiment of “playing” music—it’s fun! Second: check out the bass banjo (known as a Heftone). Now that’s a cool instrument! The Fabulous Heftones:Moon June Spoon (Heftone Records); Leon Redbone: Double Time (Warner Bros)
Silvery Moon & Golden Sands: This pleasant “earthly paradise” number by Johnny Hodges features some tasty exchanges between saxman Hodges & trumpeter Cootie Williams during an extended intro (which is kicked off by the Duke himself on the ivories). The vocal is handled by Mary McHugh. This would be a lovely tune for a moonlit June evening. Duke Ellington:The Duke’s Men: Small Groups, vol. 1 (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces)
Sugar Moon: Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys need no introduction, at least not to fans of old time country music. Mr Wills & colleagues’ version of western swing is just flat-out great; & Wills & the Playboys were in good form when they recorded this song, with the usual fine Tommy Duncan vocal & some excellent guitar work by Lester Barnard, Jr. But the writer of “Sugar Moon,” Cindy Walker, isn’t as well known as she should be. Ms Walker is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame (inducted in 1997), but given the amazing number of hits she turned out for some of Country’s biggest stars, she should be thought of as one of the premier 20th century popular songwriters. Consider just a handful of her highlights: “Blue Canadian Rockies”; “Cherokee Maiden”; “Dusty Skies”; “Miss Molly”; “Two Glasses, Joe”; “Warm Red Wine”; “You Don’t Know Me”; “Dream Baby”—& the list goes on. Wills & the Texas Playboy’s alone recorded 50 of Walker’s songs. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys:Take Me Back to Tulsa (Proper)
That Old Devil Moon: This may be a bit of heresy to some of my classic film friends out there, but I never could quite get Judy Garland’s popularity as an actress. As Dorothy, yes. In most of her other roles—even some really famous ones—not so much. However, Ms Garland sure could sing. She had amazing range, of course, but much more than that—she could really live inside a song. A lot of folks have covered “That Old Devil Moon” but, like many of her other famous numbers, this is a song Garland made her own. I have this on an old cassette but this song is pretty readily available—one choice would be Judy Garland:Very Best of Judy Garland: The Capitol Recordings 1955-1965 (EMI Imports). For the record, mine is: Judy “Live” (Golden Circle)—looks like a bootleg to me….
What a Little Moonlight Can Do: This is one of the songs I always think about when I think of Billie Holiday—the impeccable phrasing, the understated approach, the ability to take a melody outside itself or beyond itself—taking it to a new place while it always remains completely itself. Holiday has fantastic back-up on this recording: Charlie Shaver, trumpet; Oscar Peterson, piano; Herb Ellis, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Ed Shaughnessy, drums. Billie Holiday:Jazz Masters 12 (Verve)
When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again: I really love this old country tune, & it’s one I perform myself, sometimes with guitar & other times with 5-string banjo. Needless to say, there are lots of versions out there—Elvis’ rockabilly version, tho not one of my favorites, is very well known, & Merle Haggard also has done a nice version of the tune. To my mind, it’s pretty hard to beat the original version of this song by Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan, but the version by Cindy Walker in the vidclip below is really good—proving that Ms. Walker was a terrific singer in addition to being a great songwriter. Sadly, this recording doesn’t seem to be available commercially at this time. Walker’s recording of “When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again” was a top 10 hit in 1944. Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan:Columbia Country Classics, vol. 1 The Golden Age (Columbia)
Winter Moon: What a song to end on—this tune has an incredibly haunting melody, & although it’s not one of his best known pieces, I think it’s one of Hoagy Carmichael’s very finest compositions. It is a sad song—the emotion is almost desolate—but the rich harmonies & deceptively simple melody will transport you. The recording by Carmichael himself is superb, with a great back-up band called the Pacific Jazzmen (including Art Pepper on alto sax & Johnny Mandel as arranger & conductor); Hoagy’s voice was just stronger in the 50s than earlier in his career—more assured & more comfortable. I recommend this recording very highly. Hoagy Carmichael:Hoagy Sings Carmichael (Pacific Jazz)
Thanks everyone for the positive response to Moon June Spoon! It makes me realize I’d waited a while to do one of these series—Songs 4 Foodies also was quite popular—so I’ll try to make sure the next song list series isn’t so long in coming.
When I started the series I mentioned that I was going to confine the lists to music I currently listen to. There was one song, however, that I debated including even tho I haven’t listened to it in ages. Interestingly, our very own SoCal Correspondent, Audrey Bilger, wrote me an email yesterday making a case for including that very song. So…..
Blue Moon: “But wait,” you say, “you did include that.” But no, I don’t mean the Rogers-Hart tune, which turned up in the very first Moon June Spoon installment; I mean Alex Chilton’s song “Blue Moon” from the Big Star album sometimes referred to as Big Star’s Third & sometimes referred to as Sister Lovers (& occasionally called Beale Street Green). Talk about a soundtrack to my life. I was completely obsessed with this album in the mid 80s, & particularly with such haunting tunes as “Blue Moon,” “Nightime” “Take Care” “Kangaroo” & “Holocaust.” These songs seeped into my poetry & into the way I saw the world. Please check out the video of “Blue Moon” below—in my opinion the animation doesn’t fit the song, but just close your eyes & listen. This is a fantastic song from a truly great album, & one that I recommend highly. I have it on vinyl & also on a cassette—the two versions vary (there’s more material on the cassette, including Chilton singing “Nature Boy”). The “cassette” version is the one available on CD from Rykodisc. Big Star:Third/Sister Lovers (Rykodisc)
Audrey’s suggestion made me consider further that there have been other suggestions of Moon Songs—so here we have other readers’ choices, communicated either thru comments or email. I’ve included a couple of other videos, too.
Alleghany Moon – Patti Page (et al.) Moon of Manakoora – Dorothy Lamour (et al.) Moon Over Miami-The Platters (ditto) When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain (Kate Smith) Pink Moon (Nick Drake)
Special thanks to Jacqueline T. Lynch, as well as Audrey, for making suggestions. I also remembered that I meant to link to a site suggested by Dominic Rivron—the link is here, & while this doesn’t have to do with music, it has a lot to do with the moon. Check out the atlas section!
Here’s the penultimate installment of Moon June Spoon, one in which we take a moonlight stroll to the sounds of jazz guitar, a western swing band, acoustic blues & lots more, including two soundclips. Also—horror of horrors—there's a song out of alphabetical order; a "moon" song I love & couldn't leave off the list, tho I'd forgotten it earlier.
Hope you enjoy these.
Moonlight Serenade: The golden tones of the Glenn Miller Orchestra in peak form on this lovely instrumental—now that’s good stuff. This song developed from an earlier Glenn Miller number, “Now I Lay Me Down to Weep.” The Mitchell Parrish lyrics sung by Sinatra et al. actually came later. To my ear, the Miller Orchestra instrumental is the preferred version; I like the tempo & the overall feel better than the ballad version. Glenn Miller Orchestra:Golden Hits (The Masters); Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
Moonlight in Oklahoma: This is an obscure old western swing number I have on an excellent compilation called Doughboys, Playboys & Cowboys. The tune bounces along at a pleasing tempo, & features honky tonk piano, with steel guitar whining atmospherically in the background. & what a band name—Smokey Wood & the Wood Chips: Doughboys, Playboys & Cowboys – The Golden Years of Western Swing (Proper)
Moonlight in Vermont: This beatiful & evocative song is a favorite, & one I’ve played around with myself in various settings, tho I’ve never been quite satisfied with any rendition I can concoct—the harmonies & bass movement in the song move it along in subtle ways that move the song thru a dazzlingly lyrical landscape. I love both the recorded versions I have—as a guitarist, I really go for Johnny Smith’s legato chord melody, but Lady Day’s version is fantastic too. Johnny Smith:Moonlight in Vermont (Roulette Jazz); Billie Holiday:Body & Soul (Verve)
Moon’s Going Down: The real blues—the Charlie Patton version is about as gritty as the acoustic blues gets—amazing guitar work by one of the early blues masters & a vocal that’s a gravel road thru a stark landscape. Rory Block’s version has a lot to recommend it, too—Block’s has a lot a guts & gusto in both her vocal & her guitar playing—& she can really drive that guitar! Charlie Patton:The Best of Charlie Patton (Yazoo); Rory Block:Best Blues & Originals (Rounder)
Oh, You Crazy Moon:Moonlight Sinatra is pretty heavy overall on the ballad side of the spectrum, with lots of Nelson Riddle’s strings & woodwinds. This, however, is a upbeat number with plenty of brass, literally & otherwise, about how the moon can sway lovers’ affections. A couple of other songs worth mentioning from Moonlight Sinatra (more in the moody ballad mode) are “Moonlight Mood” & “Reaching for the Moon.” Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
A Sailboat in the Moonlight: A Carmen Lombardo piece covered in 1937 by Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra, with the following line-up: Cootie Williams, trumpet; Barney Bigard, clarinet (really featured here); Johnny Hodges, alto & soprano saxes; Harry Carney, baritone sax; Duke Ellington, piano; Fred Guy, guitar; Buddy Clark, vocal. Duke Ellington: The Duke’s Men: Small Groups, vol. 1 (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces)
Grapefruit Moon: I’m simply re-posting what I wrote earlier about “Grapefruit Moon” in the Songs 4 Foodies series from last fall. There are a lot of sides to Tom Waits; one of them is bringing his Old Crow & Chesterfields growl to a beautiful melodic accompaniment; there are a number of examples, both from earlier & later in his career. “Grapefruit Moon” is from Waits’ first album, before his voice “changed,” & before the 3:00 a.m. poetry or crazed Americana or Klezmer-blues of his later incarnations. It’s a lovely lyric—piano playing against a backdrop of strings; & while “Grapefruit Moon” doesn’t match the poetry of later Waits’ lyrics, the title itself is a nifty image—not only visual, but literally “bittersweet.” Perhaps you have to be young to sing about this kind of heartache—Waits makes it sound real. Tom Waits: Closing Time (Asylum)
No, I haven’t fallen down the well—feel a bit like it, but that’s another story for another time. So:
We’re back with more Moon June Spoon, & this time around there’s lots of Ol’ Blue Eyes (all from the Moonlight Sinatra album), as well as a couple of novel takes on well-known numbers—& more beside, including more videos than usual.
Hope you enjoy them.
Moon Love: Wow—It doesn’t get much more lush than this—Nelson Riddle Orchestra & Sinatra in peak form. I must admit that I don’t always go for the Riddle treatment—sometimes it seems a bit much (sorry!). But in the case of this serious tearjerker it really fits, & in front of all that orchestration Ol’ Blue Eyes sings it like he really means it. Sinatra hits some notes in this one that are just so pure & so heartbreaking…. Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
Moon River: This beautiful Mancini tune is probably heard most often these days in “sweetened string” versions. But make no mistake—this tune, like Mancini’s music overall is the real deal, & even highly-diluated versions can’t take all the life out of it. The version I’m thinking of, tho, is anything but diluted—it’s neat in every sense of the word. Start out with Matt Brubeck’s lovely cello intro on the theme, then move into the finger-popping craziness of Ralph Carney, Joe Gore & Scott Amendola. Really great stuff, & any Oranj Symphonette (I believe there were only two albums) is highly recommended. Ornaj Symphonette:Oranj Symphonette Plays Mancini(Gramavision HiFi)
Moon Song: More of the full-on Nelson Riddle treatment. In this case it seems a little heavy-handed to me—sorry, Sinatra fanatics out there—I like Ol’ Blue Eyes, but I don’t give him an automatic pass. In some ways I like the lighter, more jazz-inflected Doris Day version in the video below. Not a big fan of Ms Day as an actress, but she could sing. Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
Moonglow: I adore this song & have played it myself on a few instruments—guitar, tenor uke & tenor guitar. I have three versions on CD, & they’re all fantastic— Lionel Hampton:Flying Home (Living Era): Hampton’s version is with the Benny Goodman Quarter, & besides creating a dreamy atmosphere for Goodman, Hampton takes a sweet extended break; Teddy Wilson, of course, on piano, & Gene Krupa, of course, on drums; Milt Jackson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown:The Big 3 [note: these guys have earned that title for sure] (Original Jazz Classics): Milt Jackson is, of course, another great vibes man, & the three-way interplay between him & Pass on guitar & Brown on bass isn’t to be missed; Mary Lou Williams:1949-1951 (Chronological Classics): Last but very far from least, Mary Lou Williams duets with herself on organ & piano—fun! Also: check out Les Paul & Chet Atkins below; what guitar work….
Moonlight Bay: Wish I could find the Auldrige – Brozman- Grisman on YouTube; it’s “Moonlight Bay” set in some Hawaiian cove, & it’s truly lovely. For those of you who don’t know, all three of these guys are top-notch: Mike Auldridge, a reknowned Dobro player; Bob Brozman, Mr National guitar & also a super uke player (typically on a resophonic); & I assume most folks know of David “Dawg” Grisman, mandolin player-supreme. The Tone Poems albums are all built around fanastic musicians getting together & playing vintage instruments. Volume III involves “slide & resophonic instruments," in this case all Hawaiian-style steel guitars—a 1923 Regal Hawyfone, a 1925 Maiki Hawaiian (both of these were economy knock-offs of the top-of-the line Weissenborns) & a Weissenborn Kona Style 3. Please do check this out—but I think you’ll also enjoy the Premier Quartet from 1913 in the video/soundclip below. Mike Auldrige, Bob Brozman, David Grisman: Tone Poems III (Acoustic Disc)
Moonlight Becomes You: Sinatra was in one of his “primes” in the Nelson Riddle period, & he certainly uses his pipes & phrasing to give this lovely tune a great reading; & yes, I do think the arrangment on this one is great—including some nice guitar work pretty prominent in the mix. It’s interesting, as a for what it's worth note, that he started the song out with the bridge. But tho Sinatra’s version is really good, I’ve got to mention der Bingle’s version from the very funny Road to Morocco; check it out below (complete with a very lovely Dorothy Lamour). Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
Moonlight Fiesta: A latin number written by long-time Ellington cohorts Irving Mills & Juan Tizol. The band recording this (the date was June 1937) went by the name of Barney Bigard & His Jazzopators, & besides Tizol on valve-trombone, Bigard on clarinet & Elllington on the 88s, it included Rex Stewart on cornet, Harry Carney on baritone sax, Billy Taylor on string bass, Sonny Greer on drums & Charlie Barnet on maracas. That last instrument should give you the idea. It’s a fun piece, if a bit of a novelty. Duke Ellington:The Duke’s Men: Small Groups, vol. 1 (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces)
It’s Moon June Spoon time, folks, & today’s list has some interesting selections, including a couple of real old time songs by the Fabulous Heftones, an obscure but haunting piano piece by Mary Lou Williams, & a blues qua dark night of the soul by the great Reverend Gary Davis. Check ‘em out!
In the Moonlight: As I’ve said in this space before, the Fabulous Heftones are very good at playing to their strengths—no small achievement, & one that I believe is particularly crucial for a duo—in some ways, I think the most difficult musical configuration of all in terms of finding a “sound.” “In the Moonlight” is a sweet love song, & the Fabulous Heftones keep it pure & lovely. Vocals on this & “In the Valley of Moon” are handled by Lynn Hefferan, who also handles the intriguing bass banjo called a Heftone. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the band, Brian Hefferan is a very fine uke player & singer. The Fabulous Heftones:Moon June Spoon (Heftone Records)
In the Valley of the Moon: This tune dates back to 1913 & was written by one Jeff Branen—obscure to me at least. It’s another lilting tune, & it rhymes “moon” & “June”—very much to our purpose—at the beginning of the chorus: “In the Valley of the Moon, where I met you one night in June.” There’s no follow-up on “spoon” or even “croon,” but rather “While I passed you by, thought I heard you sigh, while the nightbirds were in tune.” You can hear an mp3 of the Fabulous Heftones playing these tunes on their site here. The Fabulous Heftones:Moon June Spoon (Heftone Records)
It's Only a Paper Moon: Oh I do love this song—I do it myself, resonator guitar & all, & it’s great fun—for me at the very least! There are of course scads of recordings of this song about a belief that love will make everything “real.” One of my favorites is by the great Cliff Edwards, AKA Ukulele Ike (also AKA Jiminy Cricket in the 1940 Disney Pinocchio, & as such the voice behind “When You Wish Upon a Star.”) The version I refer to of Ukulele Ike’s is actually a bit more ballad-like than his version in the clip below, but both are top-notch. & the other versions I happen to have aren’t too shabby either! Cliff Ukulele IkeEdwards:Singin' in the Rain (Living Era), Ella Fitzgerald:The Harold Arlen Songbook, vol. 2, Grappelli-Kessel:Stephane Grappelli Meets Barney Kessel (1201 Music), Oscar Peterson: Oscar Peterson Plays the Harold Arlen Songbook, Django Rheinhardt:Djangology 49 (Bluebird)
Moon: It’s an undeniable fact that Mary Lou Williams was a musical genius; she was a genius as a composer, as a pianist, & as an arranger—Duke Ellington’s various combos benefited a lot from her arranging talents. Williams came up as a stride piano player in the real hardscrabble days of early jazz & continued to evolve her chops from the 30s thru the 70s. It is a crime that she’s not recognized for what she is: one of the jazz world’s true shining lights. This song is one of her originals—by turns moody & atmospheric but with a playful touch constantly bringing the music back into a casual feel. As with most Williams’ compositions, the rhythms & harmonies are complex; “Moon” is played with Williams on piano & an upright bass. These Chronological Classics CDs seem to be getting harder to come by, but it is available on Amazon & the songs are also available as mp3 downloads. Mary Lou Williams:1944-1945 (Chronological Classics)
Moon Country: This is a delightful song about the (mythic) old south where, as Johnny Mercer states in the lyric, they cook things “that melt in your mouth.” Listening to this particular album the other day, it was sad to consider that Hoagy as a performer (at least in the 20s & 30s) was uncomfortably close to the blackface tradition, with his use of “dialect” on tunes like “Rockin’ Chair” & “Washboard Blues.” Still, to my mind Carmichael’s melodies & harmonies are as fine as any written during the golden age of the Great American Songbook, & his best songs are really timeless. Of course, Mercer was as good as lyricists came during that era as well. Hoagy Carmichael:Stardust, And Much More (Bluebird)
Moon Dreams: Here’s another tune Johnny Mercer had a hand in, tho this version is instrumental. Of course, Birth of the Cool is a seminal recording, & check out the line-up for the 1950 session that produced "Moon Dreams" & three other takes: Davis on trumpet; JJ Johnson on trombone; Gunther Scheller on French horn (!); John Barber, tuba; Lee Konitz, alto sax; Gerry Mulligan, baritone sax; Al McKibbon, bass; & Max Roach on drums. What a line-up…. & they play up to their reputations (just being formed at this time). The ensemble playing is superb on this haunting melody. Miles Davis:Birth of the Cool (Capitol Jazz)
Moon Goes Down: Who can take a guitar & make it sound as if it’s being played by a top-notch rag piano player while at the same time always sounding like a guitar? Reverend Gary Davis is one of the few. If you’ve never heard the Reverend, you’re missing some of the finest guitar playing I know of—& I’m not limiting that to a given genre—it’s just some of the best period. One thing about Reverend Gary Davis—besides his uncanny musicality & playing ability, he layed it all on the line vocally & instrumentally each & every time. Actually the guitar part on this is subdued by his standards, & this song is a bit more traditionally “bluesy” than much of his material. Reverend Gary Davis:Pure Religion & Bad Company (Smithsonian-Folkways)
In honor of the very recent (& apparently very potent) full moon, some more “moon songs” for your consideration. This really should have been up yesterday evening for the full moon, but so it goes. For some cogent observations on the power of the full moon, please check out Life at Willow Manor & The Gold Puppy.
In the meantime, enjoy!
East of the Sun (& West of the Moon): I love this song, so the parenthetical mention of the moon carries full titular force with me. This tune pretty much has it all—lovely melody, great swing, & enchanting lyrics. When it’s sung by Sarah Vaughn, what more can you ask for? Sarah Vaughn:Sarah Vaughn in Hi-Fi (Columbia)
Fly Me to the Moon: What a gem, & so versatile—play it fast, play it slow; play it in 4/4 or 3/4 (Eberle & I used to play it in waltz time in Five & Dime Jazz, flute & electric guitar). It’s true that everyone thinks of this as Sinatra’s song, but check out Astrid Gilberto’s version sometime—you won’t be sorry! In case you don’t know, Ms Gilberto’s was the voice for the classic bossa nova recordings of Jobim’s “Girl from Impanema” & “Corcovado.” Astrid Gilberto:Astrid Gilberto’s Finest Hour (Verve)
Honeymoon Blues: So I asked myself—is it “fair” to include “honeymoon” title songs? & I said, of course, because that gives us “Aba Daba Honeymoon” (see last Wednesday’s post) & the great bluesman Robert Johnson, who promises to take his beloved Betty Mae for a honeymoon “in some long, long distant land.” From what I understand, by the way, the term “honeymoon” came from a tradition of in-laws giving a newlywed couple a months supply of mead or honey wine. Robert Johnson:King of the Delta Blues Singers, vol. 1 (Columbia—I have this on vinyl, but Columbia has re-issued this on CD)
How High the Moon: Another favorite old standard “moon song” that really swings. As you can see, I happen to have a number of recordings of this tune, but for some reason I don’t have the classic Les Paul-Mary Ford version. Not to worry—thanks to YouTube, you can listen to that one below. Being a guitarist, I really like the Barney Kessel & Django versions. Grappelli-Kessel: Stephane Grappelli Meets Barney Kessel (1201 Music), Lionel Hampton: Flying Home (Living Era), Sarah Vaughn:Sarah Vaughn (Compact Jazz), Mary Stallings:Mahattan Moods (Concord), George Shearing:Jazz Masters 57 (Verve), Django Rheinhardt: Django the Unforgettable (BGO), Charlie Parker:Confirmation: Best of the Verve Years (Verve)
Howlin’ at the Moon: For some very good reasons, a lot of folks immediately think about songs that tug at the heartstrings or sound flat-out haunted when they hear the name Hank Williams. But Hank could sing some wonderful up-tempo, good-humored songs, too, & “Howling at the Moon” is one of them. The storyline is pretty basic—he’s so worked up over his gal that he’s giving the proverbial howl (& doing some other odd things, like trying to fill his horse with gasoline). A fun tune, & there’s the wonderfully cheesy wolf howl thrown in for good measure. Hank Williams:40 Greatest Hits (Polygram)
I Wished on the Moon: This is another personal favorite in the “moon song” category, with words & music by Dorothy Parker (!) & Ralph Rainger; Parker was in her Hollywood years. The song was introduced in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (a film I haven’t seen) by der Bingle himself. I have a few recordings of this; if I had to pick a favorite, I might lean toward the Geroge Shearing version, with vocal by Teddi King. The other two are also fine; as far as Ol' Blue Eyes goes: as you can probably guess from the title, that’s not the last time I’ll refer to this particular Sinatra album. (Coleman Hawkins:Jazz Masters 34 (Verve), George Shearing:Jazz Masters 57 (Verve), Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise—on vinyl & in mono)
If the Moon Turned Green: This is a tune I know about only because of our dear friends Audrey & Cheryl. They sent me a wonderfully generous package of cds on my 50th birthday, & among those was the 3-disc set Stitt’s Bits –BeBop Recordings, 1949-1952. This little number is on disc three, from the time Sonny Stitt was playing with Gene Ammons. The vocal is by a singer named Larry Townsend; Stitt contributes a beautiful (but short) solo, playing tenor sax on this take. Sonny Stitt:Stitt’s Bits –BeBop Recordings, 1949-1952 (Prestige)
Ah, it’s June—along with May, a month that rhymes easily, & as such a long-time favorite for poets & songwriters. Of course it’s such a favorite that the phrase “Moon, June, Spoon” was originally a bit derogatory, ridiculing what were seen as the cookie cutter tunes produced by Tin Pan Alley. More recently, tho, the phrase was wonderfully rehabilitated by a simply wonderful musical duo, the Fabulous Heftones. I posted about their Moon June Spoon album here, & it’s really a delightful collection of music.
& since it’s June, I thought I’d take a look at “Moon Songs”—quite simply, songs that have the word “moon” in the title. Of course, because this list could be overwhelmingly long, I did set myself a couple of ground rules.
First, I limited it to songs that fit my current listening tastes. This means no “Moondance” or “Moonshadow” or “Dark Side of the Moon,” etc.—not to knock these as songs at all—it’s just not what piques my interest these days.
Second, I tried to limit the list to songs I have on a recording. I fudged on this with a few songs that I like a lot & know well, but just from happenstance don’t have on cd or vinyl.
I came up with a list of 42, & I’ll be presenting that in six installments throughout the month—each Wednesday, & then two other days as well. I didn’t go into great detail describing each song, but I did list the recordings or recordings I have, in case you’re interested in adding any of these songs to your own listening collection. There will also be a video per post featuring one of the songs—but since this is the kick-off post, there are two!
Aba Daba Honeymoon: This rather wild & wooly novelty tune was written in 1914 by Arthur Fields & Walter Donovan. For those who don’t know, it tells the love story of a monkey & a chimpanzee; Thomas Pynchon referred to the song as “the nadir of American expression”—despite this, there are many recordings available, & it is fun to play. You can check it out on: Cynthia Sayer:Attractions (Plunk) & The Fabulous Heftones:Moon June Spoon (Heftone Records)
All By Yourself in the Moonlight: Although Answers.com lists the composer for this as Traditional, the song was written by Jay Wallis in 1928—I have pretty conclusive evidence, having seen a vintage sheet music cover. This is another 20s novelty song with a real music hall feel & some rather madcap lyrics—a natural for singer Whispering Jack Smith, who was a star in the 20s, but who’s now mostly forgotten. Once you hear Whispering Jack “sing,” tho, you won’t forget him again. Whispering Jack Smith:Me & My Shadow (ASV)
Blood Red Moon: Dave Van Ronk was such a fantastic musician—a singer & guitar player & a songwriter. This is one of his originals, & it’s a wonderful acoustic blues with an old-time feel. The Van Ronk recording of this song I have is live. Dave Van Ronk:Statesboro Blues (Blues Collection)
Blue Moon: OK, so everyone has done this 1934 Rogers & Hart classic, complete with its chord progression that conquered the world (viz. everything from Hoagy Carmichael’s 1938 “Heart & Soul” to Blondies’ “The Tide is High”). But it’s hard to beat Billie Holiday’s version. Billie Holiday:Jazz Masters 12 (Verve). For the rockabilly minded—Elvis Presley:The Sun Sessions (RCA)
Blue Moon of Kentucky: Folks who know this song from the Elvis rockabilly version (also on The Sun Sessions) may be surprised to learn that it was written as a slow waltz by Bill Monroe (not a musician generally associated with slow songs!) Monroe’s version is really haunting & beautiful, & the recording dates from the days when Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs were part of the Bluegrass Boys. But the vocal is all Monroe’s “high lonesome.” Bill Monroe:20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection (MCA-Nashville)
By the Light of the Silvery Moon: Folks of a certain age certainly remember this as one of the old standby singalong songs. I wonder if that’s still true—however that may be, I’ve always liked this song a lot, & I can steer you toward a great version, complete with the verse! Almost all those old standards, dating back to these very early 20th century tunes, had verses, but these are rarely heard now, so I love it when folks include them in a performance. The Fabulous Heftones:Moon June Spoon (Heftone Records)
Carolina Moon: I’m a Jim Reeves fan, but I’ve somehow managed not to purchase any recordings of his music. Still, I love to play & sing songs like “He’ll Have to Go,” “When Two Worlds Collide” or “The Blue Side of Lonesome.” Reeves had a golden voice, & his version of “Carolina Moon is a classic. I believe he originally issued this on the Moonlight & Roses album, which is available doubled up on cd with The Jim Reeves Way on the RCA label.
