Cover of sheet music for Blue Moon arranged by Jeff Funk, scored by SATB choir, and published by Alfred Publishing Co. , Inc.

"Blue Moon" is a classic popular song. Popular music is Music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more It was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934, and has become a standard ballad. Richard Charles Rodgers ( June 28, 1902, Arverne Queens, New York City &ndash December 30, 1979, New York Lorenz "Larry" Hart ( May 2, 1895 &ndash November 22, 1943) was the lyricist half of the famed Broadway songwriting team Events March 12 - the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler given the world premiere of Paul Hindemith A ballad is a Poem usually set to Music; thus it often is a story told in a Song.

Lyrics

The lyrics are presumed to refer to an English idiomatic expression: a blue moon is either the second full moon in a month or the third one when four full moons occur in one season of the year, which is a somewhat rare occurrence. This article is about the astronomical phenomenon For other uses see Blue Moon (disambiguation. If something happens "once in a blue moon" it almost never happens. The narrator of the song is relating a stroke of luck so unlikely that it must have taken place under a blue moon.

History

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart were contracted to MGM in May 1933. They were soon commissioned to write the songs for Hollywood Party, a film that was to star many of the studio's top artists. Richard Rodgers later recalled "One of our ideas was to include a scene in which Jean Harlow is shown as an innocent young girl saying - or rather singing - her prayers. Jean Harlow ( March 3, &ndash June 7,) was an American Film Actress and Sex symbol of the 1930s How the sequence fitted into the movie I haven't the foggiest notion, but the purpose was to express Jean's overwhelming ambition to become a movie star ('Oh Lord, if you're not busy up there,/I ask for help with a prayer/So please don't give me the air. . . '). " The song was not even recorded and MGM Song #225 "Prayer ((Oh Lord, make me a movie star)" dated June 14, 1933, was registered for copyright as an unpublished work on July 10, 1933. Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Lorenz Hart wrote new lyrics for the tune to create a title song for the 1934 film Manhattan Melodrama: "Act One:/You gulp your coffee and run;/Into the subway you crowd. Manhattan Melodrama is a 1934 Crime Melodrama Film, produced by MGM Pictures. /Don’t breathe, it isn’t allowed". The song, which was also titled It's Just That Kind Of Play, was cut from the film before release, and registered for copyright as an unpublished work on March 30, 1934. Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The studio then asked for a nightclub number for the film. Rodgers still liked the melody so Hart wrote a third lyric: The Bad In Every Man, (Oh, Lord …/I could be good to a lover,/But then I always discover/The bad in ev’ry man), which was sung by Shirley Ross made up in blackface. Shirley Ross (b January 7 1913, Omaha Nebraska - d March 9 1975) was an American actress and singer Blackface in the narrow sense is a style of theatrical Makeup that originated in the United The song, which was also released as sheet music, was not a hit!

After the film was released by MGM, Jack Robbins—the head of the studio's publishing company—decided that the tune was suited to commercial release but needed more romantic lyrics and a punchier title. Hart was initially reluctant to write yet another lyric but he was persuaded. The result was "Blue moon/you saw me standing alone/without a dream in my heart/without a love of my own".

Robbins licensed the song to Hollywood Hotel, a radio program that used it as the theme. On January 15, 1935, Connee Boswell recorded it for Columbia Records. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Boswell Sisters were a Close harmony singing group that attained national prominence in the USA in the 1930s Columbia Records is an American Record label founded in 1888 Columbia is the oldest surviving Brand name in pre-recorded sound being the first record company It subsequently was featured in at least seven more MGM films including the Marx Brothers' At the Circus and Viva Las Vegas. At the Circus is a 1939 Marx Brothers Comedy Film in which they save a circus from Bankruptcy. Also see theme song Viva Las Vegas (song. Viva Las Vegas ( 1964) is an American romantic musical

Recordings after 1934

Since 1934, the song has been recorded by many performers. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A partial list follows:

• Louis Armstrong
• Daniel Ash (1991, as an intro to his first solo album after leaving the bands Love and Rockets and Bauhaus)
• Cynthia Basinet, actress and jazz crooner (2007, on her "Uncovered" EP)
• Tony Bennett, with Ella Fitzgerald
• Connee Boswell
• Captain Polaroid (2007, as an alternative tribute to Grease released through Filthy Little Angels)
• Sam Cooke (one of three different versions used in the 1982 film An American Werewolf in London)
• Course of Empire, Texas band (1998, on their third album)
• Cowboy Junkies, a Canadian band, on their 1988 album The Trinity Session. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter Daniel Ash (born 31 July, 1957, in Northampton, England) is a textural Guitarist for Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, See also 1991 in music (UK Musical groups established in 1991 Record labels ("House of Building" or "Building School" is the common term for the, a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts and was famous Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007 Tony Bennett (born Anthony Dominick Benedetto; August 3 1926) is an American Singer of popular music, standards Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25 1917 &ndash June 15 1996 also known as " Lady Ella " and the "First Lady of Song" is considered one of the most influential Constance "Connee" Boswell ( December 3, 1907 - October 11, 1976) was an American female vocalist born in Kansas City This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007 Grease is a film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Jim Jacobs ' and Warren Casey 's musical, Grease Filthy Little Angels is an Independent record label based in Nelson Lancashire, UK and Los Angeles, USA Sam Cooke ( January 22, 1931 &ndash December 11, 1964) was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and Events June 10 = Steven Spielberg 's Science fiction PG-rating film E An American Werewolf in London is a comedy / Horror film released in 1981, written and directed by John Landis COE-Infestedgif|right|thumb| Infested! - Prerelease to Initiation. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998 Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian Country music and Alternative rock band Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page This is a list of notable events in Music that took place in the year 1988. The Trinity Session is a 1988 live album (see 1988 in music) by Cowboy Junkies, their second album Their version combined the song into a medley with an original song written by the band.
• Da Vinci's Notebook, Virginia a cappella band (1997, on their first album, as an a cappella song)
• Tommy Emmanuel, Australian virtuoso guitarist, on his album Initiation (1995), recorded without vocals. Da Vinci's Notebook (or simply DVN) is a comedic A cappella singing group The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state A cappella (Italian or Latin "From the chapel/choir" Music is Vocal music or Singing without instrumental Accompaniment Events January January 9 - David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert Tommy Emmanuel (born 31 May 1955) is an Australian Guitarist, best known for his incredibly complex Fingerpicking style energetic For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. See also 1995 in music (UK Musical groups established in 1995 Record
• Dizzy Gillespie
• Billie Holiday
• Chris Isaak
• Komety, Polish rockabilly band (2002, on their debut album)
• Frankie Laine & Michel Legrand
• George Larnyoh and the Love Children (1975) released as the A-side of a 7" dub-single
• Ivan Lins, Brazilian composer and singer, on his 1991 album Ivan Lins 20 anos, combined into a medley with two other songs written by Ivan Lins and Vitor Martins. John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( October 21 1917 &ndash January 6 1993) was an American Jazz Trumpeter Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7 1915 – July 17 1959 was an American Jazz singer and songwriter Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American rock Musician and occasional Actor. Komety – one of Poland 's most popular and distinctive alternative groups Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002 Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio ( Chicago, March 30, 1913 – San Diego, February 6, 2007) Michel Legrand (born February 24, 1932 in Paris) is a French musical composer arranger conductor and pianist of Armenian descent Events January 2 - New York City US District Court Judge Richard Owen rules that former Beatle John Lennon and his lawyers Dub is a form of music which evolved from Reggae in the late 1960s Ivan Guimarães Lins (b June 16, 1945) is a Brazilian musician |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld See also 1991 in music (UK Musical groups established in 1991 Record labels
• Julie London
• Helmut Lotti, Belgian singer (2007, on his "crooners CD")
• The Marcels (in a doo-wop version, see below; this was one of three different versions used in the 1982 film An American Werewolf in London)
• Dean Martin
• Vaughn Monroe
• Samantha Mumba (2002, on her second album, Woman)
• Orange and Lemons, OPM band, (2006). Julie London ( September 26, 1926 &ndash October 18, 2000) was an American singer and actress The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007 The Marcels were a Doo-wop group known for turning beloved American classical pop Songs into Rock and roll. Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based Rhythm and blues music which developed in African-American communities in the 1940s and which achieved mainstream popularity both in the 1950s Events June 10 = Steven Spielberg 's Science fiction PG-rating film E An American Werewolf in London is a comedy / Horror film released in 1981, written and directed by John Landis Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7 1917 &ndash December 25 1995 was an American Singer, Film Actor, television personality Vaughn Wilton Monroe ( October 7, 1911 – May 21, 1973) was an American Singer, Trumpeter and Big band leader Samantha Tamania Anne Cecilia Mumba (born 18 January 1983) is an Irish Singer and actress. This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002 Orange and Lemons was a Filipino pop rock band formed in 2003. The music of the Philippines is a mixture of European American and indigenous sounds This is a list of notable events in Music that took place in the year 2006. This version served as the theme song of the movie of the same name. Blue Moon is a 2006 Philippine Romantic drama film released by Regal Films directed by Joel Lamangan.
• Lee Perry's Upsetters (1971)
• Django Reinhardt pitching in with the most famous jazz versions. Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry, on March 20, 1936, in Kendal Jamaica) is a reggae and dub artist who has been Events February 5 - Eric Burdon & War disbanding They never performed togeather again until April 21 2008 at the Royal Albert Hall Jean "Django" Reinhardt ( January 23, 1910 – May 16, 1953) was a Belgian Gypsy jazz Guitarist Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States
• Amalia Rodrigues, in Fado style
• Frank Sinatra
• Mel Tormé
• Pedro Vargas, Mexican tenor (in a Spanish translation as Luna Azul, which became a great success in Latin America)
• Vazelina Bilopphøggers, a Norwegian band, (1983) as Blå lys (literally: Emergency vehicle lighting) with Norwegian lyrics about drunk driving. Amália da Piedade Rebordão Rodrigues, GCSE, GCIH, pron ɐ'maliɐ ʁu'dɾigɨʃ ( July 23, 1920 &ndash FADO - False and Authentic Documents Online A computerised image-archiving system to help combat illegal immigration and organised crime ACT Council Joint Action 98/700/JHA Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Melvin Howard Tormé ( September 13, 1925 &ndash June 5, 1999) nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician known as Pedro Vargas ( April 29 1904 - October 30 1989) was one of the most famous Singers of 20th-century in Mexico. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Vazelina Bilopphøggers is a Norwegian band founded in 1980, in Gjøvik, Norway. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Major releases Michael Jackson's Thriller, the highest-selling album of all time as well as the best-selling album of 1983 and 1984 was released Emergency vehicle lighting refers to any of several visual warning devices which may be known as light bars or beacons fitted to a vehicle and used when the driver wishes to convey to Driving under the influence of alcohol ( driving while intoxicated, drunk driving, drinking and driving, drink-driving) or other drugs Blå lys' was also the title of the album.
• Bobby Vinton (one of three different versions used in the 1982 film An American Werewolf in London)

Mel Tormé's version was the only one that actually reached the Billboard magazine charts; it was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 15428. Bobby Vinton (born April 16, 1935) is an American Pop music singer Events June 10 = Steven Spielberg 's Science fiction PG-rating film E An American Werewolf in London is a comedy / Horror film released in 1981, written and directed by John Landis See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as This list presents the numbering systems used by various record companies for single (mainly 7" 33 1/3 and 45 and 10" 78 rpm records Capitol Capitol It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on April 8, 1949 and lasted 5 weeks on the chart, peaking at #20. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Events December 29 - Les Paul and Mary Ford marry Mitch Miller begins his career as one of the 20th century's The record was a two-sided hit, as the flip side "Again" also charted. " Again " is a popular Song, recorded by many singers ^[1]

Rock and Roll adaptations

The first crossover recording to rock and roll came from Elvis Presley, but the version that really stirred things up came from The Marcels, a doo-wop group. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African The Marcels were a Doo-wop group known for turning beloved American classical pop Songs into Rock and roll. Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based Rhythm and blues music which developed in African-American communities in the 1940s and which achieved mainstream popularity both in the 1950s In 1961 the Marcels had 3 songs to record and needed one more. Producer Stu Phillips did not like any of the other songs except one that had the same changes as Heart and Soul and Blue Moon. He asked them if they knew either, and one knew Blue Moon and taught it to the others, though with the bridge or release (middle section - "I heard somebody whisper. . . ") wrong. The famous introduction to the song ("bomp-baba-bomp" and "dip-da-dip") was an excerpt of an original song that the group had in its act. The record sold a million copies and is featured in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States

In 1967, Eric Clapton used a portion of the song in his guitar solo from Cream's hit "Sunshine of Your Love. Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born 30 March 1945 is an English Blues-rock Guitarist, singer Songwriter and Composer Cream were a 1960s British rock band " Sunshine of Your Love " is a song by the British supergroup Cream, released on the Disraeli Gears album " Bob Dylan covered the song on his Self Portrait album in 1970. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major Self Portrait is Bob Dylan 's 10th studio album released by Columbia Records in 1970 In 1978, an arrangement by Jeff Funk was used in the film Grease. Grease is a film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Jim Jacobs ' and Warren Casey 's musical, Grease This has been followed by a country version from The Mavericks. Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. The Mavericks was a Grammy Award -winning Alternative country music band founded in 1989 in Miami Florida, United States. More recently, it has been recorded by Rod Stewart. Roderick "Rod" David Stewart, CBE (born 10 January 1945 is a Singer and Songwriter born and raised in London England and currently Cybill Shepherd sang "Blue Moon" on an episode of Moonlighting (the detective agency in that show was called "Blue Moon Investigations". Cybill Lynne Shepherd (born 18 February, 1950) is a American Actress, Singer and former fashion model. Moonlighting is an American Television series that first aired on ABC from 1985 to 1989 with a total of 67 episodes )

Other uses

The song is the official club chant of Crewe Alexandra F.C. and Manchester City F.C. fans. Crewe Alexandra Football Club are an English football team based at Gresty Road in Crewe, Cheshire, England and nicknamed The Railwaymen TalkManchester City FC before changing verbs to singular --> Manchester City Football Club is an English professional football club Fans in Little Italyjpg|thumb|right|Fans in Little Italy Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian association football team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup]][[Image Wm-oly-de-cr It is known to have been first sung by Crewe fans in the 1980s before Man City adopted the tune. It is also the tune used by the International Boxing Federation world champion Ricky Hatton, a fan of Manchester City F.C., as he makes his entrance into the ring. TalkManchester City FC before changing verbs to singular --> Manchester City Football Club is an English professional football club Blue Moon is also the name of Peterborough United F.C.'s popular fanzine. Peterborough United Football Club is an English professional football team based in Peterborough. Fans of 'The Posh' were heard singing the song on the terraces during the 1990s but this was unpopular with many of the club's supporters and the original name for the fanzine, launched in 2003, was 'Blue Moon is a Man City Song for F**k's Sake'. A change in the editorial team in 2005 saw the name shortened to 'Blue Moon'.

Homage

• The Marcels' doo-wop version of the song is referenced in the 1962 Academy Award nominated animated short Disney musical film, A Symposium on Popular Songs during the song, "Puppy Love Is Here to Stay" written by Robert & Richard Sherman. "Surrender" is a rearrangement by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman of a 1902 Neapolitan ballad by Giambattista and Ernesto de Curtis entitled "Torno a Surriento" Pre-Hot 100 era 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. " Runaway " was a number one Billboard Hot 100 song in the spring of 1961 by Del Shannon. For Dell Shannon, the pen name of a police procedural novelist see Elizabeth Linington. " Wooden Heart (Muss I Denn " is a song best known for featuring in the 1960 Elvis Presley film G This is a list of the number one singles on the UK Singles Chart, during the 1960s. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Floyd Cramer ( October 27, 1933 – December 31, 1997) was an American Hall of Fame Pianist who was one of the architects The Marcels were a Doo-wop group known for turning beloved American classical pop Songs into Rock and roll. Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based Rhythm and blues music which developed in African-American communities in the 1940s and which achieved mainstream popularity both in the 1950s The year 1962 in film involved some significant events Events Dr "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Short subject is a format description originally coined in the North American Film industry in the early period of cinema. The musical film is a Film genre in which several Songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative A Symposium on Popular Songs is a special cartoon featurette made by The Walt Disney Company in 1962. The Sherman Brothers are Academy Award -winning American Songwriters who specialize in Musical films.

See also

• Blue Moon of Kentucky

References

• Brent, Bill. " Blue Moon of Kentucky " is a Waltz written in 1947 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band The Blue Grass Boys 'The Story of Blue Moon', Weekly Bugle. Retrieved June 6, 2005
• Hart, Lorenzo; Hart, Dorothy; Kimball, Robert. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Complete Lyrics of Lorenz Hart (New York: Knopf, 1986). ISBN 0-394-54680-6
• Kanfer, Stefan. 'Richard Rodgers: Enigma Variations', City Journal, Autumn 2003.
• Martini, Alessandro. 'Song: Blue Moon', LorenzHart.org. Retrieved June 6, 2005
• Moser, Enoch. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 'A Tribute to Richard Rodgers', Community Band of Brevard (2002). Retrieved June 6, 2005. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.