Moon songs

I couldn't choose just one moon song for this special anniversary, so here's a whole bunch. No good version of "Under the Cherry Moon" or "Moondance" were to be found, and it's still too soon (in proximity to the release of the movie) to listen to R.E.M.'s "Man on the Moon." I don't like The Stones' "Moonlight Mile" or The Doors' "Moonlight Drive." Never have. I felt "Claire de Lune" and "Moonlight Sonata" were waaay too slow. Besides, this isn't meant to be a complete list.

"Moon Love"


"Blue Moon of Kentucky"


"Moonlight Becomes You"


"Old Devil Moon"


"Moonlight Serenade"


"It's Only a Paper Moon"


"How High the Moon"


"Moon River"


"The Moon Was Yellow (And the Night Was Young)"


"Walking on the Moon"


"Moonlight in Vermont"


pic source
"Blue Moon"

Hilarious

"Bike Ride to the Moon"


"Moonlight on the Ganges"


"Mr. Moonlight"


"Polka Dots and Moonbeams"


"Bad Moon Rising"


"Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)"


And last, but not least,
"Bark at the Moon"

'"Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree"

The The Andrews Sisters recorded and released "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me)" in 1942, the song reaching #16 on the charts. Lyrically, the song obviously played upon the insecurities of men in uniform during W.W. II. Musically, it swings...


Perhaps you are more familiar with the version Glenn Miller did (also in '42) with Tex Beneke and The Modernaires :


Tex Beneke
A polite jazz hands?

"American Patrol"

The Wikipedia entry:

"American Patrol" is a popular march written by F.W. Meacham in 1885. Written originally for piano, it was then arranged for wind band and published by Carl Fischer in 1891. Meacham's widow renewed the copyright in 1912. It was later arranged for Glenn Miller's swing band by Jerry Gray, and was also arranged by composer Morton Gould. It incorporates melodies from other patriotic American songs of the era such as "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" and "Dixie".

"American Patrol" was popular in both the Great War and World War II.

Glenn Miller made it swing baby, yeah:

"Chattanooga Choo Choo"

From the Wikipedia entry:

"Chattanooga Choo Choo" was a big-band/swing song featured in the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade, which starred amongst others Sonja Henie, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, the Modernaires, Milton Berle, and Joan Davis. It was performed in the film as an extended production number, featuring vocals by Tex Beneke, Paula Kelly, and the Modernaires.

Captain Glenn Miller
The 78-rpm commercial version of the song was recorded on May 7th, 1941 for RCA Victor's Bluebird label and became the first to be certified a gold disc on February 10, 1942, for sales of 1,200,000.

The song was written by the team of Mack Gordon and Harry Warren while traveling on the Southern Railway's "Birmingham Special" train. The song tells the story of travelling from New York City to Chattanooga. The Chattanooga Choo Choo did not refer to any particular train, though some have incorrectly asserted that it referred to Louisville and Nashville's Dixie Flyer or the Southern Railway's Crescent Limited.

Here is that performance from the movie Sun Valley Serenade. The singer is Tex Beneke, accompanied by Paula Kelly and the Modernaires, with of course, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra:


This person videoed his Wurlitzer 1015 78rpm jukebox as it played the original Bluebird label recording. It's so cool someone would share this with everybody in Internetland:


"You leave the Pennsylvania Station 'bout a quarter to four
Read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore
Dinner in the diner
Nothing could be finer
Than to have your ham an' eggs in Carolina"
All the verses are good, but that one is particularly nice. Great meter. Rappers would call it flow. Know what I'm sayin'?

"I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo"

"I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" was written for the 1942 film Orchestra Wives by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon. Big band leader Glenn Miller and his orchestra play it during a scene set at the Glen Island Casino. The vocals are handled by saxophonist Tex Beneke and the Modernaires. Also appearing in this musical scene are Cesar Romero, playing a pianist, and Jackie Gleason, in an uncredited roll as Ben Beck the bass player.

"Moonlight Serenade"

"Moonlight Serenade" is an American popular song with original music by Glenn Miller and subsequent lyrics by Mitchell Parish. It was originally named "Now I Lay Me Down To Weep." When Miller recorded "Sunrise Serenade" in 1939, he placed this song on the back. It was an immediate phenomenon as an instrumental arrangement and was adopted as Miller's signature tune. The most striking part of the piece was its use of clarinet-led saxophone section, which is widely considered the classic Glenn Miller style. It has stood as a premier example of the American big-band sound from the mid-twentieth century. (Wikipedia entry)


from 78MAN (check out his myspace)