[Wikimedia Commons.]
Almanac Music: ‘My Huckleberry Friend’ – Songs about the Moon
Hi, Almanackers. This week’s piece in my ongoing series about key popular song themes concerns songs that in some way involve the moon.
So, dear readers, please put your relevant songs in the ‘Comments’ section. Below, as usual, are some examples from me to get things going.
‘Blue Moon’, written by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart, performed by Billie Holliday (1952)
This lovely ballad was written in 1934 and has become a standard, recorded by many.
‘Blue Moon of Kentucky’, written by Bill Monroe, performed by Elvis Presley (1954)
This often-covered song was written in 1945. Elvis Presley’s fabulous rockabilly version is the best-known.
‘Moon River’, written by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini, performed by Audrey Hepburn (1961)
Hundreds of versions of this hauntingly beautiful ballad have been performed. It was originally sung by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie, Breakfast at Tiffanys.
‘Mr Moonlight’, written by Roy Lee Johnson, performed by The Beatles (1964)
One of the better Beatles covers, in my opinion. Fine, rich vocals, in terms of both lead and harmonies. Jeez, those boys – well, John, Paul and George, anyway – could sing!
‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight’, written by Bob Dylan, performed by Linda Ronstadt (1969)
‘That big fat moon is gonna shine like a spoon…’
Love Linda. Love her version of this.
‘Stand by Me’, written by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, performed by John Lennon (1975)
‘…and the moon is the only light you’ll see…’
Fabulous cover by one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest ever voices, John Lennon.
‘Moon and Stars’, written by Billy Miller, performed by Deborah Conway (1984)
From the fine ABC-TV 80s series, Sweet and Sour.
‘Man on the Moon’, written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe, performed by R.E.M. (1992)
Great rock song by one of my all-time favourite American bands.
………………………………..
Now, wonderful readers / listeners – it’s over to you. Your responses to this topic are warmly welcomed. In the ‘Comments’ section, please add your own choice of a song (or songs) involving the moon, along with any other relevant material you wish to include.
[Note: as usual, Wikipedia has been a good general reference for this piece, particularly in relation to checking dates and other details.]
Read more from Kevin Densley HERE
Kevin Densley’s latest poetry collection, Please Feed the Macaws…I’m Feeling Too Indolent, is available HERE
Read more Almanac Poetry HERE
If you would like to receive the Almanac Music and Poetry newsletter we will add you to the list. Please email us: [email protected]
To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.
Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.
Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.
Become an Almanac (annual) member – click HERE.
About
Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His fifth book-length poetry collection, Please Feed the Macaws ... I'm Feeling Too Indolent, was published in late 2023 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, which was published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.
Hi KD
Another excellent theme that will get our neurons working day & night – well into the moonlight hours.
Nice to see Bob in the in the video intro.
I’ll open with a song that covers 100% of the theme:
The Waterboys – The Whole of the Moon
‘I saw the crescent
You saw the whole of the moon’
Have a great weekend!
Hi Karl. Great song to kick off the our moon theme! Many thanks.
Hi Kevin,
I remember listening to The Takeaways on a cassette tape in the 1980s!
Songs with this theme include:
Ticket to the moon: Electric Light Orchestra
Earth and sun and moon: Midnight Oil
Harvest moon: James Reyne
La Luna: Belinda Carlisle
Instant karma: John Lennon
Magic: Ben Folds Five
“Moonshadow”, by Cat Stevens
“Dancing in the Moonlight”, by Toploader
“Mr Squiggle, the Man from the Moon”, television theme song
Hi Liam – yes, that Sweet and Sour TV series was a beauty, as was the soundtrack.
Thanks for your selection of ‘moon songs’.
Thanks, Anon, for your additions to our moon theme. Love ‘Moonshadow’, in particular.
“Blame it on the Boogie”, by The Jackson 5 (“Don’t blame it on the sunshine. Don’t blame it on the moonlight.”)
‘Hey Diddle Diddle Kids Songs & Nursery Rhymes” by The Wiggles (“The cow jumped over the moon.”)
Thanks again, Anon – two vastly different songs there!
Here’s a few, KD:
Moonlight Shadow – Mike Oldfield,
Walking on the Moon – The Police,
Moonlight Mile – Rolling Stones,
To the Moon and Back – Savage Garden,
Moondance – Van Morrison,
Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival,
Brain Damage – Pink Floyd (the presumptive title track from Dark Side of the Moon).
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
Great bunch of ‘moon songs’ – thanks, Smokie.
Ah yes, Bad Moon Rising, and the classic mis singing – there’s a bathroom on the right!
“Fly Me To The Moon”, by Frank Sinatra
Fort Worth Blues, Steve Earle
How Will I Forget You, The Four Tops
Beautiful Moon, Kim Deal
Moon and Stars, The Mavericks
Moonlight Motel, Bruce
“Silvery Moon”, by Sherbet
Do Ya: by The Move and Electric Light Orchestra (Well, I heard the crowd singin’ out of tune as they sat and sang ‘Auld Lang Syne’ by the light of the moon)
Thank you, Jim, for ‘Bad Moon Rising’ – yes a classic example of mishearing / mis singing there.
“Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In”, by the 5th Dimension (“When the moon is in the Seventh House”)
Thanks for your latest couple, Anon. ‘Silvery Moon’ by Sherbet is somewhat neglected in general song discourse, I feel.
Thanks for your initial foray into the new theme, Rick.
This moon theme should be a ripper – a word I now associate with Mickey Randall, on account of the LP Ripper ’76.
Here’s 2 more from Cat Stevens.
1. From his debut 1967 New Masters album – Moonstone
2. From his 1972 Catch Bull At Four album – The Boy With A Moon And Star On His Head
‘We’ll find a dry place under the sky with a flower for a bed
And for my joy I will give you a boy with a moon and star on his head’
Thanks for ‘Aquarius’, A – its moon reference is a classic one.
Thanks for your latest Cat Stevens material, Karl. Love the second of the songs, especially.
Thank you for ‘Do Ya”, Liam.
Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes – Perry Como
Stagger Lee – Lloyd Price
Come Outside – Mike Sarn and Wendy Richard
Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Moon and St Christopher (Also recorded by Mary Black but Mary Chapin wrote it)
Michael Nesmith – Silver Moon
Judy Collins – The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (written by Jimmy Webb using the title of a Robert A Heinlein novel)
Patsy Cline – Walkin’ after Midnight (I go out walkin’ after midnight Out in the moonlight)
Ruby Hunter – Aurukun Moonlight
Andy Irvine – The Highwayman
Van Dieman’s Land – Traditional C19th folk song recorded by lots of Australian and British folk singers, particularly in the 1950s and 60s
“Come all ye gallant poachers
Who ramble void of care
Who wander out on moonlit nights
With your dog and gun and snare”
Blue Moon Over Kentucky – Elvis Presley
How High the Moon – Gene Krupa
It’s Only a Paper Moon – Miles Davis
Moon Talk – Perry Como
Shame on the Moon, Rodney Crowell
Old Yellow Moon, Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris
Easy From Now On, Emmylou Harris
How High the Moon, Emmylou Harris
You’ll Never Be the Sun, Trio which is of course Emmylou, Dolly and Linda Ronstadt
“Moonlight Feels Right”, by Starbuck
“Space Oddity”, by David Bowie (“Here I am sitting in a tin can far above the moon.”)
“Summer Night City”, by ABBA (“Walking in the moonlight”)
Great theme KD, these are rolling out!
Mandinka, Sinead O’Connor
Moon in Oklahoma, Zach Bryan
Superfly, Curtis Mayfield
Spirit in the Night, Bruce
Wrong Side of the Moon, UK Squeeze
A Russian Love Song (look up in the skies, I can’t believe my eyes, it’s a dear old fashioned Russian satellite moon) – Spike Milligan and the Goons
That’s Amore- Dean Martin
Neil Young’s ‘Harvest Moon’ always makes me feel goodness in my heart.
But there’s a full moon risin’/Let’s go dancin’ in the light….
Because I’m still in love with you/On this harvest moon….
But now it’s gettin’ late/And the moon is climbin’ high….
Thanks, Fisho, for your first three sets of contributions – a rich, varied bunch of songs, indeed.
Thank you, Dave N, for your choices – loved the song quality and the country and folk influences. To single out just one … goodness me, Michael Nesmith could write a fine song, couldn’t he? ‘Silver Moon’ is a reminder of this, a favourite song of the past for me, one that I’d almost forgotten about.
Glad you’re finding the moon theme an inspirational one, Rick – thanks for your latest sets of songs. To pick just one to comment upon: I found your inclusion of ‘Wrong Side of the Moon’ especially noteworthy, as I never think of Jools Holland as a lead vocalist, but there he is, singing lead here.
Thanks for your most recent three, Anon. ‘Space Oddity’ would be among my favourite songs of its era.
Thank you, Karl, for ‘Harvest Moon’ – what a lovely song indeed!
Some of my favourite songs in these lists. We played Mary Black’s version of “The Moon and St Christopher” at our wedding. Our song.
Sha Na Na’s doo wop version of “Blue Moon” has always been my highlight of the Woodstock movie. Bugger Hendrix guitar solos. It’s the Rogers and Hart song but you’d never pick it out of a lineup.
Two songs to add by favourite female singers:
– “Once in a Very Blue Moon” by Nanci Griffith (sadly recently departed)
– “I Wish I was the Moon” by Neko Case
And of course Frank Sinatra’s immortal “Fly me to the Moon”….let me play among the stars; let me see what spring is like; on Jupiter and Mars (they don’t write lyrics that poetic any more).
Yes, KD, Jools was only the third vocalist in UK Squeeze and I think that was the last album he played on as a band member. They did bring him back a few times over the years. His tv show was a fave through the 90s.
Anyways, here’s a few more and I’ll return to this tomorrow. Tonight, a few beers and some loud music.
Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La), The Ramones
Putting People on the Moon, DBT
Whitey on the Moon, Gil Scott-Heron
No More the Moon Shines on Lorena (old minstrel song, covered by The Carter Family and many other artists)
When the Moon Shines on the Moonshine, Bert Williams, the first black vaudeville performer on Broadway.
“The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore”, by The Walker Brothers (“The moon ain’t gonna rise in the sky.”)
Hey KD
I’ll end today’s contribution with a bit of colour:
Nick Drake – Pink Moon (1972)
The Neville Brothers – Yellow Moon (1989) – produced by Daniel Lanois – who also produced Dylan’s ‘Oh Mercy’ in the same year.
The Hives – Blood Red Moon (2015) – a Swedish rock band – song written for the movie ‘Cirkeln’ (The Circle): it’s a cracker of a song.
Things don’t seem: Australian Crawl (Feel like taking a vacation like going to the moon, I can’t afford it)
Tonight Yo u Belong to Me – Patience and Prudence
Rainbow – Russ Hamilton
Aba Daba Honeymoon -Debbi Reynolds
I Got the Sun in the Morning – Doris Day
“Cloud Number Nine”, by Bryan Adams (“And the moon is out and the stars are bright”)
“I Don’t Wanna Fight”, by Tina Turner (“There’s a pale moon in the sky.”)
“Play Me”, by Neil Diamond (“You are the sun, I am the moon.”)
“Blue Bayou”, by Linda Ronstadt (“The silver moon and the evening tide”)
“Close My Eyes”, by Mariah Carey (“Still feel like that child as I look at the moon”)
I have decided to bring up the 50 with “Can’t Fight The Moonlight”, by LeAnn Rimes.
Thanks, Peter B, for your fine selections and interesting comments. (I just had a listen to your two song additions by the women singers, and know the Sinatra song very well of course.)
Yes, I think the moon has ‘provoked’ (in a sense) some of our best popular songs over the years – it’s an image/symbol of potent force in the arts more generally, as we all know.
And I just thought of another favourite ‘moon song’ of mine: ‘Strange Phenomena’ by Kate Bush begins – ‘Soon it will be the phase of the moon / When people tune in…’
Thanks for your latest lot of songs, Rick. Keep ’em coming!
I also loved Jools Holland’s ‘Later…’ series, but don’t have pay TV these days, so I don’t watch it. (That said, I suppose there are all sorts of bits from it on Youtube.) I think it’s just about the best TV music show of all time, starting in 1992 and still going at present.
Thank you for your latest song choices, Anon – bringing up the fifty with a great pop song of the last 25 or so years, ‘Can’t Fight the Moonlight’, was particularly pleasing.
Hi Karl – what a pleasantly poetic way to bring your day’s choices to a close – ‘colour moon songs’. Thank you.
Thanks, Liam, for ‘Things Don’t Seem’, one of Australian Crawl’s top few songs, in my opinion. (Perhaps their best one is ‘Unpublished Critics’.)
And thanks so much, Fisho, for your latest selections.
Happy Saturday KD
Here are the 3 moon songs that popped into my head during the moonlight hours:
A sure favourite for you, me thinks – Moonlighting – Leo Sayer
A nod to Aussie females – Sorrento Moon – Tina Arena
& one of my favourites from a long time ago – Cajun Moon – JJ Cale
‘Cajun moon, where does your power lie?
As you move across the Southern sky
You took my babe way too soon
What have you done, Cajun moon?’
Happy Saturday to you, Karl.
Thanks for your latest three – and yes, I do love Sayer’s ‘Moonlighting’.
Has anyone mentioned FEVER by Peggy Lee yet?
…and now, a few words from the Nobel Laureate….
Darkness at the break of noon
Shadows even the silver spoon
The handmade blade, the child’s balloon
Eclipses both the sun and moon
No, Fisho, ‘Fever’ hasn’t been mentioned yet. Thanks for that one.
And thanks, Karl, for those lines from Bob. What wonderful lyrics and title that song has: ‘It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding).’
I Am a Cider Drinker – The Wurzels
If – Perry Como
How High the Moon – Les Paul and Mary Ford.
Great, Fisho – thanks for these latest selections.
Moonlight Gambler – Frankie Laine
Chug- A- Lug – Roger Miller
“My Favourite Things”, by Julie Andrews (“Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings.”)
“Maria” or sometimes known as “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?”, from The Sound of Music, by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II (“How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?”)
“Nothin’ New Under the Moon”, by LeAnn Rimes
“The Light of the Moon Belongs to Me”, by Kim Wilde, from her 1992 album, titled “Love Is”.
“Moonraker”, by Shirley Bassey (“Where is the moonlight trail that leads to your side? “)
“It’s Just the Sun”, by Don McLean (“It’s just the moon that is the sun’s disguise.”) and (“The sun and the moon and the sky, and you and I.”)
Thanks Fisho and Anon for your latest additions to our moon theme.
Happy Sunday KD!
Thought I might kick off with a few Donovan songs:
The Voyage Of The Moon – off HMS Donovan (1971) – a lovely songs for the kids
Moon Rok – off 7-Tease (1974) – a standard rock’n’roll number which was very different from Donovan’s normal fare.
Brother Sun Sister Moon – off album of same name (2019) – not a very good attempt at capturing some deeper spiritual connection
And then there is the classic The Intergalactic Laxative – off Cosmic Wheels (1973)
In awe with admiration,/We listened to the talk.
Such pride felt they, Such joy to be Upon the moon to walk.
My romantic vision shattered, When it was explained to me,
Spacemen wear old diapers In which they shit and pee.
Oh, the intergalactic laxative, Will get you from here to there…….
Thanks for this Donovan material, Karl.
I must admit that while I know his hits, I haven’t got a great grip on his overall career. Perhaps I should listen to some more of his stuff.
Hey KD
There would be much better things to do with your life that listen to more Donovan – especially after his glorious 60’s period.
Here’s an interesting ‘moon; song I came upon by the band Dead Moon – who seem to be a love child band of AC/DC
They have a song called ‘Dead Moon Night’ which looks more interesting when transcribed:
Never going home, never going home
D for disaster
E for my eyes
A for my anger
D before I die
M for mona
O oh good
O oh good
N for the night
Dead moon night
“Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”, by Christopher Cross (“When you get caught between the moon and New York City”)
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, by Roberta Flack (“And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave”)
“Tim McGraw”, by Taylor Swift (“The moon like a spotlight in the lake”)
Thanks, Karl, for your latest choice. I’ll check it out.
I suspected I’d listened to enough Donovan in my time – you’ve confirmed that for me.
Thanks, Anon, for your most recent three – coincidentally, perhaps, I heard ‘Arthur’s Theme’ on the radio within the last day or so.
Anderson’s Coast – Nancy Kerr and James Fagan (written by John Warner) This is great “folk” song written late last century tells the story of a group of convicts who stole a ship, escaped from Van Diemen’s Land and were shipwrecked in Gippsland.
“Old Bass Strait roars like some great millrace,
And where are you, my Annie?
And the same moon shines on this lonely place,
As shone one day on my Annie’s face.
Chorus (after each verse):
But Annie, dear, don’t wait for me,
I fear I shall not return to thee,
There’s nought to do but endure my fate,
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait.
The Fox went out on a Chilly Night – Many recordings – This is a much older folk song often performed for or by Children (“He prayed for the moon to give him light)
From folk song to love songs
I’ll Be Seeing You – Billie Holliday (“I’ll be looking at the moon, but I’ll be seeing you”)
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square – Vera Lynn (and lots of others from the middle of last century)
No Moon At All – Julie London
And from the sublime to the ridiculous
Convoy – C. W. McCall
(“It was the dark of the moon
On the sixth of June
In a Kenworth, pullin’ logs
Cabover Pete with a reefer on
And a Jimmy haulin’ hogs”)
Thanks, Dave, for your latest material – nice variety here.
I like your extensive quoting of lyrics, too – there’s definitely a place for this in terms of providing broader context to a song’s relationship to the theme concerned. You’ve reminded me, too, that the moon is represented in so many different ways in popular song; for example, it could signify loneliness, wildness, romance, dreaminess … the possibilities are rich and endless.
Hey KD
I thought I’d end the weekend with one of my all time favourite songs – peaked at 10 on Aussie charts in 1974 but I would have rated it much higher.
Midnight At The Oasis – Maria Muldaur
‘Heaven’s holding a half-moon
Shining just for us
Let’s slip off to a sand dune, real soon
And kick up a little dust’
“When You Love Someone”, by Bryan Adams (“You’ll shoot the moon.”)
“You and I “, from “Pretty Woman The Musical,” by Bryan Adams (“I would give almost anything. The stars, the moon, the sky”)
“You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)” by Meatloaf (“We we’re lying together in a silver lining by the light of the moon.”)
“Kokomo”, by The Beach Boys (“Cocktails and moonlit nights”)
“Beach Baby”, by The Beach Boys (“Just like before, we can walk by the shore in the moonlight.”)
Thanks, Karl, for ‘Midnight at the Oasis’ – it’s a favourite song of mine, too. With its great vocal performance, jazzy feel, and witty lyrics, what’s not to love?
Thanks, Anon – good quintet of moon songs
Happy Monday KD
Glad you liked the Midnight At The Oasis choice.
Here’s a song fit for purpose:
Duran Duran – New Moon On Monday
Happy Monday to you, Karl!
Thanks for your latest. This moon theme, overall, is producing a brilliant songlist!
A new day is dawning so better crack on with songs about or featuring or referencing or in some way associated with the moon:
C Moon, Paul McCartney
When the Moon across the Bushland Beams, Slim Dusty
Howlin at the Moon, Hank
The Moon is Down, John Prine
One Night the Moon, Paul Kelly
Thanks for your latest lot, Rick. The more it goes on, the more I think this moon theme is one of my absolute favourites out of all the themes I’ve put forward in my series.
It is a great theme as there are so many variable reference points, inspirations and metaphors emanating from that rocky satellite. Here’s a few more, with some notes.
Gone, Connie Smith – it’s been covered by many great artists, with Ferlin Husky making it a hit in the late 50s but I reference Connie Smith because she sings the hell out of it and she has just released her latest album, at 83.
Red Moon, Big Thief – if yer worried about the state of music, it’s gunna be okay, considering the latest albums by Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Waxahatchee and Vampire Weekend. Big Thief are another example of great country rock. This song is from their fifth and latest album released in ’22 and it’s alright.
Heart’s Content, Brandi Carlile – another great countrish artist. This song is from 2012 and she was pretty good then and has just got better. She has also produced a few artists including Tanya Tucker and Joni Mitchell.
Fingernail Moon, The Jayhawks – how this band never got really big I don’t know. In the late 80s and through the 90s they were a must go to band (as close to Gram’s original conceit for expanding country music as you could get). This song is from one of their two best albums.
I Flew Over Our House Last Night, Tom T Hall – you think you know an artist’s songs but in this case, I first heard this on a Joe Henry album (another excellent artist). Incidentally The Jayhawks were his studio band for that record from ’93. Find it, you’ll enjoy.
Hi KD
It’s half way through Monday, so I’ll chuck in:
Janis Joplin – Half Moon from her exceptional posthumously released 1971 Pearl album.
On the question of best or favourite song theme topics, I’ll settle for the cowbell theme every time – but the moon theme has a long orbit left in it!
“Annie’s Other Song”, by John Denver (“With the moon lookin’ over my shoulder”)
“Something Better To Do”, by Olivia Newton-John, from her album “Clearly Love (1975)”. (“The moon is wasting shine, shining on me.”) and (“I won’t be out in the moonlight.”)
“Changes”, by Olivia Newton-John, from her Olivia Newton-John Greatest Hits 1977 album. This song wasn’t released as a single but it’s on that album. (“You can’t grow apples on the moon.”)
“I’m jealous” by Shania Twain, from her album titled “Up” (2002). (“If I were the moon, I could catch your eye. I’m jealous of the moon.”)
“Slow Hand”, by The Pointer Sisters (“As the moonlight moon, was drifting through”)
Congratulations on the Almanac Music Readers for reaching a well deserved century. Let’s just say that we’re all over the moon about it!
A Strangers Lullaby by Catherine Traicos and the Starry Night. “The earth, the sea, the moon, the sky” is a recurring line in the song.
Thanks for your latest contribution, Rick – the notes were a welcome aspect indeed. You’ve given readers (including me) a lot of interesting material to listen to, also. In addition, one thing – among many things – you’ve underlined for me over a wide series of your comments in what a fine songwriter the late Tom T Hall was.
Thanks for ‘Half Moon’, Karl – fine song and performance!
And I’m pleased you liked the cowbell theme so much, too – every now and then I like to throw in a theme that may be considered more left-field than usual.
Thanks, Anon, for being a main contributor towards our century.
Another song I’ll throw into the mix while I think of it is Kate Bush’s ‘L’Amour Looks Something Like You’:
‘… I’m hanging on the old goose moon.
You look like an angel,
Sleeping it off at a station.
Were you only passing through? …’
Thanks, Luke, for the moody and (in a good way) strange song, ‘A Stranger’s Lullaby’ by Catherine Traicos and the Starry Night.
A couple to close off Monday, on this overcast, damp, moonless night – going back to the 50’s.
Frank Sinatra – Old Devil Moon (1956 – Songs For Swingin’ Lovers)
Bonnie Guitar – Dark Moon (1957) – single: reached no.6 on the US charts
Interestingly, Bonnie has an album in 1957 titled ‘Moonlight and Shadows’. While I haven’t listened to it, every one of the 12 tracks is inspired by the moon:
Moonlight And Shadows 1:49
Carolina Moon 1:57
Get Out And Get Under The Moon 2:08
By The Light Of The Silvery Moon 2:10
Moonlight On The Colorado 2:22
Shine On Harvest Moon 2:00
There’s A New Moon Over My Shoulder 2:06
Moonlight And Roses 1:58
It’s Only A Paper Moon 1:53
The Moon Is Low 2:04
Roll Along Prairie Moon 2:03
Roll Along Kentucky Moon 1:58
{Note how short the songs were back then}.
Great stuff, Karl. Many thanks – the whole ‘moon album’ is a particularly good ‘get’.
It’s Tuesday!
Here’s a cracker to kick off the day:
B52’s – There’s A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon): off their self titled 1979 album.
This song was overshadowed by Rock Lobster but it is so typical B52’s.
Here’s a few more…
Grapefruit Moon – Tom Waits
Drunk on the Moon – Tom Waits
Moon in My Bed – Paul Kelly
Mr Moon – Headless Chickens
Luna – Tom Petty + the Heartbreakers
Marquee Moon – Television
Killing Moon – Echo + the Bunnymen
Rolling Moon – The Chills
Moonlight + Roses – Peter Posa
Moon Mist – Duke Ellington
Dancing in the Moonlight – Thin Lizzy
Cowboy Junkies – Blue Moon
Debussy – Claire de Lune
Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata
How High the Moon – Ella Fitzgerald
Impressive list here, Peter C – thanks so much!
To single out one: ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ by Thin Lizzy has always been a personal favourite.(While we’re basically dealing with the realm of popular song in these themed pieces of mine, I found your inclusions of Debussy and Beethoven interesting, nevertheless.)
Thanks Kevin.
To take it back to the realm of popular song, Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata was said to be musical and lyrical inspiration for John Lennon’s ‘Because’ on Abbey Rd, with the chords played in reverse order…
Thanks, Peter – yes, I’ve heard that ‘Moonlight Sonata’ was inspiration for ‘Because’ along the lines you say.
From Wikipedia:’Lennon said the song was inspired by Ludwig van Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. “I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ on the piano. Suddenly, I said, ‘Can you play those chords backward?’ She did, and I wrote ‘Because’ around them.The song sounds like ‘Moonlight Sonata,’ too. The lyrics are clear, no bullshit, no imagery, no obscure references.”
One of the singer/songwriter/musician I most admire is Robbie Robertson. His solo/post The Band albums are fabulous. His songs often shelter in the shadows where the moon is a silent witness. Here’s three songs that aptly fit the moon theme:
Testimony
In these hands, I’ve held the broken dream/In my soul, I’m howling at the moon
Night Parade
Just a shadow in the moonlight/Just a shadow, shadow on the wall
A silhouette, the kiss of death/Did somebody take the fall?
Sonny Got Caught In The Moonlight
Sonny got caught in the moonlight/A wanted man with a haunted heart
Thanks for the Robbie Robertson material, Karl – great stuff!
I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned Mondo Rock’s classic hit State of the Heart: “You are the moon, I am the sea, You pull me in and gaze on down at me.”
Thanks, Liam. I’ve looked through the ‘moon’ list above countless times and can’t recall seeing this fine Mondo Rock song.
Hey KD
I saw Nick Cave at the State Theatre, Sydney last night. I noted he sang a ‘moon’ song.
Jesus Of The Moon (off 2008’s Dig Lazarus Dig album)
Thanks for the Cave song, Karl.
Just a guess that Nick has quite a few moon songs in his body of work.
Yesterday, Peter Cresswell listed Tom Waits’ Drunk on the Moon
There was a very good folk-ish band from Brisbane in the 90s called Spot the Dog. Their second album was called Drunk on the Moon and the title track is one they wrote (i.e. not the Tom Waits song)
(Chorus) I lost my head, I said things I’ll come to regret, When I was drunk on the moon, You seemed so sure Turning the key to my door, When I was drunk on the moon.
I don’t think ‘moon’ features too heavily in nick cave’s songs, but he could easily add 20+ post to the ‘hair’ theme.
Now, I’ve checked the above list of songs twice and can’t believe it has taken this long for someone to submit:
Reg Lindsay – Armstrong (from his 1971 ‘Armstrong’ album) The single reached no.6 on the Go-Set charts.
‘Rivers gettin’ dirty/Wind is gettin’ bad
War and hate is killin’ up/The only earth we had
But the world all stopped to watch/On a July afternoon
Watched a man named Arrmstrong/Walk upon the moon’
Killing Time, Cold Chisel
New Blue Moon, Travelling Wilberys
Can’t Find the Moon, The Black Eyed Susans
Killing the Blues, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Beach House on the Moon, Jimmy Buffett
Great that Karl gave a shout out to “Armstrong”. Great song. Written by one of my favourites and the most underrated of early folk/rock/country crossover artists – one of the founders of the Americana style – John Stewart. A member of the Kingston Trio, he later wrote “Daydream Believer” for the Monkees; “Never Goin’ Back” for the Loving Spoonful: and “Runaway Train” for Roseanne Cash. His only big hit was “Gold”. But he left countless poignant and evocative melodies and lyrics on his albums.
He wrote and recorded “Armstrong” at the time of the original moon landing in July 1969 and it started to climb the charts, but his references to social problems at home was seen as “unpatriotic” and a lot of radio stations banned it. Stewart was always a man out of time. He played as a warm up act on Bobby Kennedy’s ill-fated 1968 Presidential campaign tours and was with him in LA at the time of his assassination.
Reg Lindsay picked up “Armstrong” 2 years later and made it a hit in Australia. Great song by an even greater man and artist.
Thanks, Karl, for ‘Armstrong’ – a moon classic.
Re Nick Cave, a very brief bit of research has uncovered stuff he has done like ‘The Moon is in the Gutter’, ‘Under this Moon’ and ‘Man in the Moon’, as well as ‘Jesus of the Moon’. This indicates what I was getting at.
Thanks, Dave N – excellent informative detail as usual. ‘Drunk on the Moon’ is a great title, too.
Thanks, Rick, for your latest quintet of choices.
Thanks, Peter B, for the additional material about ‘Armstrong’, as well as the stuff concerning the career of John Stewart. Interesting, indeed. When I was a kid, I recall the popularity of Reg Lindsay’s version of ‘Armstrong’ in Australia.
Armstrong by John Stewart is a good political observation.
It should be noted that two other songs of the period offer a far deeper juxtaposition. I have already mentioned Whitey on the Moon by the quite remarkable Gil Scott Heron and I’ll add Marvin Gaye’s Inner City Blues. Cheers
Thanks, Rick, for your latest comments.
I recall seeing an interesting doco about Gil Scott Heron on SBS TV not so long ago, and he cropped up in a writing course I taught at RMIT Uni some years back.
My ‘moon’ theme contributions are beginning to wane…but here is an excellent song from a even more excellent album:
Norah Jones – Shoot The Moon (off Come Away With Me 2002)
Great, Karl – thanks for the Norah Jones addition.
Children of the Moon, The Flaming Lips, with guests, Australia’s own, Tame Impala (TFL are a great band, and if you like Portlandia you can see the band send themselves up, v funny)
Tides of the Moon, Mercury Rev (one of the best gigs I’ve been to, at the Corner, late 90s/early 2000s, I can’t remember dates)
Sisters of the Moon, Fleetwood Mac (has this been put forward already, if not, bit of a miss)
Cosmic Love, Florence and the Machine (what a voice, her duet with Talyor Swift on Florida from TS latest album is a standout!)
Cool Change, LRB (hey, I’m just the messenger)
Hey KD
Another week draws to a close – been very damp & cool over this way.
I came across this guy, a US singer/songwriter, recently – he has some talent for sure & a song to fit the theme:
Danny Schmidt – Man Of Many Moons
Thanks so much, Rick and Karl – excellent, informative material.
And Rick, ‘Cool Change’ is cool – well, semi-cool, anyway, in a middle-of-the-road fashion!
Ha, KD I’ll pay that.
Plenty more moon songs coming through. Today, thought I’d focus on the americana genre. Some great bands and artists through the last 30 odd years. Here’s a few:
Half Moon, Iron & Wine (terrific folk/country artist, has collaborated with Calexico a number of times)
Moon Never Rises, Calexico (love this band, and embarrassingly, still haven’t seen them live)
I Wish I Was the Moon, Neko Case (she’s great, saw Neko perform at Port Fairy)
Anytime, My Morning Jacket (big fan, more of their early stuff, saw them support Neil Young at the Bowl a decade or so ago)
Splendour in the Grass, Simone Felice (what a voice, and perspective, excellent gig at the Corner)
Cheers
Hi Rick. Many thanks for these latest song choices – Americana in all its manifestations, musical and otherwise, is a highly interesting phenomenon. I might write something for the Almanac about Norman Rockwell’s paintings at some point and/or classic American advertising art, to name but two areas where Americana is an important frame of reference.
Hey KD
Continuing with my stroll through Dylan’s songs, here’s a few more ‘moon’ related that haven’t been mentioned so far:
Oxford Town – Two men died ‘neath the Mississippi moon/Somebody better investigate soon.
It Takes A Lot To Laugh – Don’t the moon look good, mama/Shinin’ through the trees?
Can You Please Crawl Out Yorr Window – He looks so truthful, is this how he feels?/Trying to peel the moon and expose it
If You See Her, Say Hello – Sundown, yellow moon/I replay the past
Changing Of The Guard – The cold-blooded moon/The captain waits above the celebration
Jokerman – Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune/Bird fly high by the light of the moon
Licence To Kill – Oh, man has invented his doom/First step was touching the moon
Hi Karl. Thanks for the interesting Dylan material. As usual, the quotes work well in terms of adding specific detail.
More ‘moon songs’ for the list … ‘Backwards Traveller’ by Wings, written by Paul McCartney, from the 1978 album London Town, where ‘wailing on the moon’ occurs a number of times in the lyric, and.’Monkberry Moon Delight’, written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, from the album Ram (credited to both), released in 1971.
The Moonlight Song, Blaze Foley (a singular artist in the country/folk music world, his songs covered by Merle Haggard and John Prine, friends with Townes Van Zandt and the song, Drunken Angel by Lucinda Williams, written about a for him)
Luna de Miel, Alejandro Escovedo (an impressive career without getting the brass ring – with early cow punk band, Rank and File, worked with Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown on their seminal album, Strangers Almanac, his niece is Sheila E, Prince’s drummer in the 80s, and Alejandro, who was touring Australia at the time, joined John Prine on stage at his Palais concert in 2019)
The Man in the Moon, Loudon Wainwright (this song is part of a tribute album Loudon recorded to honour the singular country artist Charlie Poole, it is sung from Charlie’s wife’s perspective)
Got You on My Mind, Bonnie Raitt (what can be said about this incredible artist other than to check out her discography, from her first album she announced herself, this song is from her fourth album, which also includes her version of Angel from Montogomery and like Hendrix taking Watchtower from Dylan, she almost claims Montgomery from Prine)
Dixie Chicken, Little Feat (one can only wonder, what the music world would be if Lowell George had not have died way too early at 34, this is one of many, many great LF songs, the best being, Willin’)
Brilliant stuff, Rick – love the detail, as usual.
Many thanks.
Of the 600+ songs written by Bob Dylan, only 1 has ‘moon’ in the song title.
Moonlight – off the 2001 Love & Theft album
The seasons they are turnin’
And my sad heart is yearnin’
To hear again the songbird’s sweet melodious tone
Won’t you meet me out in the moonlight alone
It’s a song that I find endearing, ever since my first listen way way back then.
Thanks, Karl, for this interesting info.
Here are 4 songs with moon lyrics that made number one on the C&W charts in the 1940s + a song from a fave movie, also from the 40s:
There’s a New Moon over My Shoulder, Jimmie Davis
Rainbow at Midnight, Ernest Tubb
Sugar Moon, Bob Will’s & His Texas Playboys
Tennessee Saturday Night, Red Foley
Buffalo Gals, George Bailey (James Stewart) in It’s a Wonderful Life
Excellent ‘digging in the archives’, so to speak, Rick. Interestingly, Jimmie Davis was a two-time Governor of Louisiana, as well as a performer. He also lived to be 101!
Fine touch, also, to mention something from a classic Frank Capra movie.
(Note: new theme coming this Friday.)
Hi Rick and Kevin. I am sure you both know that Jimmie Davis is credited with writing You are my Sunshine (which is my least favourite Country song). You probably also know that Davis’ authorship is strongly contested. Wikipedia nominates Oliver Hood of Georgia as the most likely songwriter although some people credit Paul Rice from whom Jimmie Davis and musical collaborator Charles Mitchell bought the rights to the song.
Dave.
Thanks, Dave, for this additional material regarding the song itself and Jimmie Davis. Good to put it into the discussion.
And still they come …
Gallo del Cielo, Tom Russell (it’s about a warrior rooster but it’s about so much more)
Let’s Valet, Robert Earl Keen (one of the standout countrish artists of last 40 years, hasn’t released anything new in years and bang, first new song and it features Old Mr Moon shinning on Cupids Bay)
Moonlight Drive, The Doors (over-rated music artist, along with Pink Floyd, The Smiths, Radiohead and Nick Cave, but what the hell, this is a moon theme thread so they’re in)
Time Out Of Mind, Steely Dan (great band, this song is from a not very good record. Trivia, These guys took a Dylan line as the title of their first album and Dylan has an album with the title TooM, what the actual)
Moonlight, Jay Z (great song by one of the best hip hop artists and moonlight or even moon aint mentioned in the lyrics but if you know the album and the era you’ll have a chuckle at the wit in calling this song Moonlight, psst, it has to do with movies and a great blunder by the Oscars).
Great stuff, Rick.
This moon theme is certainly another one that keeps on giving! It’s very much in that ‘big theme’ category, like, for example, our river theme.
Still more. Some great singer songwriters of a country nature in this lot:
Too Long in the Wasteland, James McMurty
Let’s Kill Saturday Night, Robbie Fulks
Moon on my Shoulder, Lyle Lovett
Goondiwindi Moon, Lee Kernaghan
Letting Me Down, Margo Price
And, to bring up the 150 may I add
Poison Moon, Elvis Costello (a demo from 1976, preparing for My Aim is True. The rest is a great career)
Thanks, Rick – a fine contribution on your part in connection with our 150 milestone.