HOW HIGH THE MOON
Music and lyrics: Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton
Year: 1940
Origin of the song
On 8 February 1940, the musical revue Two for the show was released in the Booth Theatre of New York. The author of the script and the lyrics was Nancy Hamilton, and Morgan Lewis wrote the music. In the first act, Alfred Drake and Frances Comstock sang ‘How High the Moon’. The show, where also took part Keenan Wynn, Eve Arden, Richard Haydn, and Betty Hutton (who was debuting in theatres), was a series of songs and dances located in London during the II World War. It had moderate success and it has performed a hundred and twenty-four times.
The song immediately became a hit. But it was in 1951 when it reached the top. Les Paul & Mary Ford’s version remained in the top of the charts for nine weeks and millions of copies of the disc were sold. Years later, the NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences) gave it the Hall of Fame prize.
For some time, it had the honour of being the most recorded composition by jazz musicians until ‘Body and Soul’ replaced it. According to Paul McCartney, ‘How High the Moon’ was the first song that The Beatles played in The Cavern Club of Liverpool.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
Benny Goodman Orchestra |
1940.02.07 |
1940.03.23 |
9 |
6 |
Helen Forrest (voc) |
|
Mitchell Ayres Fashions in Music |
1940.02.08 |
1940.05.04 |
2 |
18 |
Mary Ann Mercer (voc) |
|
Stan Kenton Orchestra |
1947.12.31 |
1948.07.10 |
1 |
20 |
June Christy (voc) |
|
1951.01.04 |
1951.03.31 |
25 |
1 (nine weeks) |
Les Paul (g), Mary Ford (voc) |
|
|
Ella Fitzgerald |
1960.02.13 |
1960.08.15 |
5 |
76 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Paul Smith Quartet |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1943.08.13 |
Joe Thomas (tp), Edmond Hall (cl), Teddy Wilson (p), Sid Catlett (d) |
|
|
1945.01.25 |
Bernie Privin (tp), Peanuts Hucko (ts), Mel Powel (p), Django Reinhardt (g), Joe Schulman (b), Ray McKinley (d) |
|
|
Jazz at the Philharmonic |
1945.02.12 |
Joe Guy, Howard McGhee (tp), Willie Smith (as), Illinois Jacquet, Charlie Ventura (ts), Garland Finney (p), Ulysses Livingston (g), Red Callender (b), Gene Krupa (d), Norman Granz (dir) |
|
1947.11.14 |
Duke Ellington (p, dir), Shorty Baker, Dub Bascomb, Shelton Hemphill, Ray Nance, Francis Williams (tp), Lawrence Brown, Tyree Glenn (tb), Claude Jones (vtb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Johnny Hodges (as), Russell Procope (as, cl), Al Sears (ts), Harry Carney (bars), Fred Guy (g), Oscar Pettiford (b), Sonny Greer (d) |
|
|
1949.??.?? |
Art Tatum (p) |
|
|
1950.10.?? |
Dave Brubeck (p), Ron Crotty (b), Cal Tjader (d) |
|
|
1950.10.07 |
Erroll Garner (p), John Simmons (b), Shadow Wilson (d) |
|
|
1951.12.18 |
George Shearing (p), Joe Roland (vib), Chuck Wayne (g), Al McKibbon (b), Denzil Best (d) |
|
|
1955.08.01 |
Art Tatum (p), Lionel Hampton (vib), Buddy Rich (d) |
|
|
1956.09.07 |
Count Basie (p, dir), Wendell Culley, Reunald Jones, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tp), Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell (tb), Bill Graham (as), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Foster (ts), Frank Wess (ts, fl), Charlie Fowlkes (bars), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d) |
|
|
Gene Krupa Orchestra
|
1958.11.20 |
Gene Krupa (d, dir), Al DiRissi, Ernie Royal, Doc Severinsen, Al Stewart, Marty Markowitz (tp), Willie Dennis, Urbie Green, Frank Rehak, Kai Winding (tb), Sam Marowitz, Phil Woods (as), Al Cohn, Eddie Wasserman (ts), Danny Bank (bars), Harry Jones (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Jimmy Gannon (b), unidentified (tu) |
|
1958.12.30 |
Chet Baker (tp), Pepper Adams (bars), Bill Evans (p), Kenny Burrell (g), Paul Chambers (b), Connie Kay (d) |
|
|
1965.06.22 |
Stéphane Grappelli, Stuff Smith (vn), René Urtreger (p), Michel Gaudry (b), Michel Delaporte (d) |
|
|
1968.04.02 |
Jaki Byard (p, org), George Benson (g), Ray Nance (vn), Ron Carter (vc), Richard Davis (b), Alan Dawson (d, vib) |
|
|
1973.08.28 |
Joe Pass (g) |
|
|
1990.04.18 |
Stéphane Grappelli (vn), McCoy Tyner (p) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1940.02.07 |
Benny Goodman (cl, dir), Jimmy Maxwell, Ziggy Elman, Irving Goodman (tp), Red Ballard, Vernon Brown, Ted Vesley (tb), Toots Mondello, Buff Estes (as), Bus Bussey, Jerry Jerome (ts), Johnny Guarnieri (p), Arnold Covey (g), Artie Bernstein (b), Nick Fatool (d), Helen Forrest (voc) |
|
|
1947.08.13 |
Nat Cole (voc, p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b) |
|
|
1947.12.?? |
Anita O'Day (voc), Ralph Burns Orchestra |
|
|
1947.12.20 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Leonard Graham (tp), Ray Brown (b), Studio Orchestra |
|
|
1947.12.21 |
Stan Kenton (p, dir), Chico Alvarez, Buddy Childers, Ken Hanna, Al Porcino, Ray Wetzel (tp), Milt Bernhart, Eddie Bert, Harry Betts, Harry Forbes, Bart Varsalona (tb), Art Pepper, George Weidler (as), Bob Cooper, Warner Weidler (ts), Bob Gioga (bars), Laurindo Almeida (g), Eddie Safranski (b), Shelly Manne (d), Carlos Vidal (cng), Jack Costanzo (bon), Machito (mrc), June Christy (voc) |
|
|
1948.02.10 |
Anita O'Day (voc), Tadd Dameron (p), Curley Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d) |
|
|
1957.08.06 |
Sarah Vaughan (voc), Jimmy Jones (p), Richard Davis (b), Roy Haynes (d) |
|
|
1959.??.?? |
Mary Osborne (g, voc), Tommy Flanagan (p), Danny Barker (g), Tommy Potter (b), Jo Jones (d) |
|
|
1960.02.13 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Paul Smith (p), Jim Hall (g), Wilfred Middlebrooks (b), Gus Johnson (d) |
|
|
1960.08.05 |
Mel Tormé (voc), Don Fagerquist (tp), Pete Jolly (p), Howard Roberts (g), Ralph Pens (b), Mel Lewis (d), string section, Russell Garcia (dir) |
|
|
2002.07.?? |
Keely Smith (voc),
Dennis Michaels (p, dir), Frank Szabo, Carl Saunders, Wayne Bergeron, Pete Candoli (tp), Andy Martin, Chauncey Welsch, Bryant Byers (tb), Brad Kintcher, Paul Klintworth, Trish
Skys, Ian Donald (tpa), Sal Lozano, Lanny Morgan (as), Pete Christlieb, Don Menza (ts), Bob Efford (bars), Jim Self (tu), Frank Collett (p), Barry Zweig (g), Kirk Smith (b), Steve
Barnes (d), John Magnussen (per), string section |
On cinemas
The song 'How High the Moon' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IN SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Porky’s |
Porky’s |
1981 |
Les Paul & Mary Ford |
|
My Favourite Year |
Mi año favorito |
1982 |
Les Paul & Mary Ford |
|
Biloxi Blues |
Desventuras de un recluta inocente |
1988 |
|
|
Eat A Bowl Of Tea |
Cómete una taza de té |
1989 |
|
|
Casino |
Casino |
1995 |
Les Paul & Mary Ford |
|
The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion |
La maldición del escorpión de jade |
2001 |
Dick Hyman & The Rainbow Room All Star |
|
Mona Lisa Smile |
La sonrisa de Mona Lisa |
2003 |
Les Paul & Mary Ford |
|
Good Night, And Good Luck |
Buenas noches, y buena suerte |
2005 |
Dianne Reeves |
|
Infamous |
Historia de un crimen |
2006 |
Erroll Garner |
|
The Blind Side |
Un sueño posible |
2009 |
Les Paul & Mary Ford |