Shine On, Harvest Moon

Last updated
"Shine On, Harvest Moon"
Shine-On-Harvest-Moon-1908.jpg
Cover, sheet music, 1908
Song
LanguageEnglish
Published1908
Composer(s) Nora Bayes
Lyricist(s) Jack Norworth

"Shine On, Harvest Moon" is a popular early-1900s song credited to the married vaudeville team Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth. It was one of a series of moon-related Tin Pan Alley songs of the era. The song was debuted by Bayes and Norworth in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1908 to great acclaim. It became a pop standard, and continues to be performed and recorded in the 21st century.

Contents

During the vaudeville era, songs were often sold outright, and the purchaser would be credited as the songwriter. John Kenrick's Who's Who in Musicals credits the song's actual writers as Edward Madden and Gus Edwards. However, David Ewen's All the Years of American Popular Music credits Dave Stamper, who contributed songs to 21 editions of the Ziegfeld Follies and was Bayes' pianist from 1903 to 1908. [1] Vaudeville comic Eddie Cantor also credited Stamper in his 1934 book Ziegfeld - The Great Glorifier. [2]

The earliest commercially successful recordings were made in 1909 by Harry Macdonough and Elise Stevenson (Victor 16259), Ada Jones and Billy Murray (Edison 10134), Frank Stanley and Henry Burr (Indestructable 1075), and Bob Roberts (Columbia 668). [3]

Lyrics

First verse

The night was mighty dark so you could hardly see,
For the moon refused to shine.
Couple sitting underneath a willow tree,
For love they did pine.
Little maid was kinda 'fraid of darkness
So she said, "I guess I'll go."
Boy began to sigh, looked up at the sky,
And told the moon his little tale of woe

Chorus

Oh, Shine on, shine on, harvest moon
Up in the sky;
I ain't had no lovin'
Since April, January, June or July.
Snow time ain't no time to stay
Outdoors and spoon;
So shine on, shine on, harvest moon,
For me and my gal.

Note: The months in the chorus have been sung in different orders.

The Ada Jones and Billy Murray recording linked on this article has it as April, January, Ju-u-une or July. [4]

Flanagan and Allen, Moon Mullican, Mitch Miller and Leon Redbone used January, February, June or July.

Oliver Hardy, in his rendition from The Flying Deuces , used January, April, June or July.

Second verse

I can't see why a boy should sigh when by his side
Is the girl he loves so true,
All he has to say is: "Won't you be my bride,
For I love you?
I can't see why I'm telling you this secret,
When I know that you can guess."
Harvest moon will smile,
Shine on all the while,
If the little girl should answer "yes."

(repeat chorus)

Film and television connections

The song has had a long history with Hollywood movies. In 1932, Dave Fleischer directed an animated short titled Shine On Harvest Moon. A 1938 Roy Rogers western was named after the song, as was a 1944 biographical film about Bayes and Norworth.

The song has been featured in dozens of movies, including Along Came Ruth (1933) and The Great Ziegfeld (1936). Laurel and Hardy performed a song-and-dance routine (Hardy singing and both dancing) to the song in their 1939 RKO film The Flying Deuces . The song was also featured in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), The Eddy Duchin Story (1956), and Pennies from Heaven (1978). There was also a popular British 1980s comedy drama called Shine on Harvey Moon . The song was featured in the 2013 video game BioShock Infinite . It was referenced by Don Rickles in the 1971 Friars Club roast of Jerry Lewis when he said, "Just hope and pray, Shine on Harvest Moon they know." In the 1952 I Love Lucy episode "The Benefit", the song is referenced and the chorus is sung. And Gidney and Cloyd the moon creatures performed the first line of the refrain on an episode of Rocky and His Friends in 1959–60, but sang "Shine on Harvest Earth". The song was also sung in the pilot episode of the Cartoon Network miniseries Over the Garden Wall . The Backyardigans episode "The Key to the Nile" featured a song called "Please and Thank You" to the tune of this song.

Other recordings

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Norworth</span> American musician

John Godfrey Knauff, known professionally as Jack Norworth, was an American songwriter, singer and vaudeville performer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singin' in the Rain (song)</span> Title song of the 1952 film and subsequent stage musical

"Singin' in the Rain" is a song with lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown. Doris Eaton Travis introduced the song on Broadway in The Hollywood Music Box Revue in 1929. It was then widely popularized by Cliff Edwards and the Brox Sisters in The Hollywood Revue of 1929. Many contemporary artists had hit records with "Singin' in the Rain" since its release, including Cliff Edwards, Earl Burtnett and Gus Arnheim in 1929 alone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">True Love (Cole Porter song)</span> 1956 song by Cole Porter

"True Love" is a popular song written by American songwriter Cole Porter, published in 1956. The song was introduced by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in the musical film High Society. "True Love" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Kelly's contribution on the record is relatively minor, duetting with Crosby on only the final chorus. Nonetheless, the single is co-credited to her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Side by Side (1927 song)</span> Popular song by Harry M. Woods

"Side by Side" is a popular song by Harry M. Woods written in 1927, and is now considered a standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mister Gallagher and Mister Shean</span> Comedic vaudeville song from the early 20th century

"Mister Gallagher and Mister Shean" is one of the most famous songs to come from vaudeville. First performed by the duo of Gallagher and Shean in the early 1920s, it became a huge hit and carried Gallagher & Shean to stardom. The music was written by Shean, while Bryan Foy (uncredited) wrote the lyrics. The sheet music credits Gallagher and Shean as writers. The song is also sometimes known as "Absolutely, Mr. Gallagher? Positively, Mr. Shean!."

"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" is a song from the 1956 musical My Fair Lady, with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. It was originally performed by Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgins who also performed it in the 1964 film version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Only a Paper Moon</span> 1933 popular song

"It's Only a Paper Moon" is a popular song published in 1933 with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">By the Light of the Silvery Moon (song)</span> Song

"By the Light of the Silvery Moon" or "By the Light of the Silv'ry Moon" is a popular love song. The music was written by Gus Edwards, and the lyrics by Edward Madden. The song was published in 1909 and first performed on stage by Lillian Lorraine in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1909. It was one of a series of moon-related Tin Pan Alley songs of the era. The song was also used in the short-lived Broadway show Miss Innocence when it was sung by Frances Farr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Button Up Your Overcoat</span> 1928 song

"Button Up Your Overcoat" is a popular song. The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by B.G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. The song was published in 1928, and was first performed later that same year by vocalist Ruth Etting. However, the most famous rendition of this song was recorded early the following year by singer Helen Kane, who was at the peak of her popularity at the time. Kane's childlike voice and Bronx dialect eventually became the inspiration for the voice of cartoon character Betty Boop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland</span>

"Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland" was one of the most famous and beloved popular songs of the early 20th century. This gentle waltz, with lyrics by Beth Slater Whitson and music by Leo Friedman, was published in Chicago in 1909.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet Leilani</span> 1937 single by Bing Crosby with Lani McIntyre and His Hawaiians

"Sweet Leilani" is a song featured in the 1937 film, Waikiki Wedding. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and Bing Crosby's record became one of the biggest hits of 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Melancholy Baby</span> 1912 song by Theron C. Bennett

"My Melancholy Baby" is a popular song published in 1912 and first sung publicly by William Frawley. The music was written by Ernie Burnett (1884–1959), the lyrics by George A. Norton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Me Call You Sweetheart</span> 1910 song

"Let Me Call You Sweetheart" is a popular song, with music by Leo Friedman and lyrics by Beth Slater Whitson. The song was published in 1910 and was a huge hit for the Peerless Quartet in 1911. A recording by Arthur Clough was very popular the same year too. A 1924 recording identifies a Spanish title, "Déjame llamarte mía".

"I Wished on the Moon" is a song composed by Ralph Rainger, with lyrics by Dorothy Parker. Bing Crosby sang the song in The Big Broadcast of 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandy (Irving Berlin song)</span>

"Mandy" is a popular song by Irving Berlin, published in 1919.

Singer Rosemary Clooney is known for many songs, including "Come On-a My House", "Botch-a-Me", "Mambo Italiano", "Tenderly", "Half as Much", "Hey There" and "This Ole House". This is a partial discography.

"We'll Be Together Again" is a 1945 popular song composed by Carl T. Fischer, with lyrics by Frankie Laine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Stamper</span> American composer and songwriter

David Stamper was an American songwriter of the Tin Pan Alley and vaudeville eras, a contributor to twenty-one editions of the Ziegfeld Follies, writer for the Fox Film Corporation, and composer of more than one thousand songs, in spite of never learning to read or write traditional music notation. He may have written "Shine On Harvest Moon", a claim supported by vaudeville performer and writer Eddie Cantor. He was also a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers or ASCAP.

"The Second Time Around" is a song with words by Sammy Cahn and music by Jimmy Van Heusen. It was introduced in the 1960 film High Time, sung by Bing Crosby with Henry Mancini conducting his orchestra, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It lost out to "Never on Sunday".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nora Bayes</span> American singer

Nora Bayes was an American singer and vaudeville performer who was popular internationally between the 1900s and 1920s. She is credited with co-writing the song "Shine On, Harvest Moon" and performed many successful songs during the First World War, including "Over There". She was also noted for her independent views and unconventional private life, becoming an early media celebrity. She made over 160 recordings.

References

  1. Ewen, David (1977). All the Years of American Popular Music . Prentice Hall. p.  189. ISBN   0-13-022442-1.
  2. Cantor, Eddie; David Freedman (1934). Ziegfeld, the Great Glorifier. A.H. King. p. 78.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954: The History of American Popular Music . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. p.  578. ISBN   0-89820-083-0.
  4. Herder, Ronald (1998). 500 Best-Loved Song Lyrics. Courier Dover Publications. p. 315. ISBN   978-0-486-29725-5 . Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  5. "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  6. "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  7. Decca Records in the 27500 to 27999 series
  8. John J. Serry Sr. Collection "John Serry Sextette" Audio recording for RCA Thesaurus of arrangements and performances by John Serry at the RCA Victor Sudios in 1954. The John J. Serry, Sr. Collection archived at the Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections, Sibley Music Library, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester. p. 18.
  9. "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  10. "Bing & Rosie: The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions". AllMusic . Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  11. "The Platters – Sing Of Your Moonlight Memories". Discogs . Retrieved March 25, 2020.