Greatest love songs ever: #36 “Blue Moon”
By Tom Quiner
Even younger readers are familiar with Rodgers and Hammerstein. But few knew that Lorenz Hart was Richard Rodger’s lyricist before Oscar Hammerstein II. Hart’s lyrics had a different feel, as showcased in “Blue Moon,” #36 on our list of Greatest Love Songs Ever.
Hammerstein’s lyrics tend to be sentimental; Hart’s are witty. The most memorable musicals were those written by Rodgers and Hammerstein. But jazz musicians are more likely to perform songs from the Rodgers and Hart songbook than Rodgers and Hammerstein’s.
Blue Moon enjoys different treatments from different artists, a sign of a great song. For instance, listen to Frank Sinatra’s cover (above) of the song from his 1961 “Swinging Session!!!” album. This is the Sinatra style I love most, refined by another classic arrangement by the great Nelson Riddle. By way of contrast, listen to the doo-wop version performed by Sha Na Na in the 1978 movie version of Grease:
Sha Na Na sings Blue Moon
I was recently at Des Moines’ Noce Jazz Club, and the jazz group that night performed the classic “My Funny Valentine” with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. Think about it: Richard Rodgers wrote music using two different lyricists, but the songs with Hart’s lyrics are the ones you hear performed the most in jazz clubs. Why?
Some think it’s because the nature of musicals changed. Musicals at the time Hart was penning the lyrics with Rodgers (1919 – 1943) were about the song. Musicals at the time Hammerstein partnered with Richard Rodgers (1943 – 1959) were about the story first. The songs’ roles were to advance the storyline … perhaps at the expense of the song itself?
Lorenz Hart was simply a genius when it came to lyrics. He was a tortured soul, a hopeless alcoholic who fought depression, and was believed to be a closet homosexual in an era when a label like that could crush a career.
He poured his pain into his beautifully crafted lyrics. His words were often playful, while providing a glimmer of the vulnerability lurking between the lines. Like Irving Berlin, his lyrics were impeccably crafted, often using clever rhymes and even interior rhymes.
Fourth time is the charm!
In the case of Blue Moon, Richard Rodgers wrote the melody for a 1933 MGM musical. Hart added the lyrics, but the song ended up being scrapped.
Rodgers pulled out the melody two more times in future movie projects, with Hart dutifully adding a complete new set of words each time. And still, the studio didn’t use the song.
Third time wasn’t the charm!
But the fourth attempt finally produced pay dirt, with the new title of “Blue Moon.” Richard Rodger’s timeless melody and Lorenz Hart’s yearning lyrics meld into a unified expression of what life is about: an endless search for love … until we find it (or it finds you). The opening verse sets the stage:
Blue Moon,
You saw me standing alone,
Without a dream in my heart,
Without a love of my own.
Love is always about God, because God IS Love. The secular Mr. Hart unwittingly acknowledges this truth with the next verse:
Blue Moon,
You knew just what I was there for,
You heard me saying a prayer for,
Someone I really could care for.
The song’s story unfolds as the prayer is answered with the delirious beauty that makes the love song the artist’s ultimate pallet for expressing our deepest longings.
Blue Moon says so much with such simplicity. It takes the artistry of the masters to pull such a feat off, for simple (and good) love songs are difficult to write. Blue Moon has a simple, accessible melody line featuring classic chord progressions that begs to be sung. Indeed it has, by top artists for nine decades. It even pops up on televisions shows from time to time, as you can see in this fun clip from the 1980s series, “Moonlighting”:
Cybil Shepherd sings “Blue Moon” on the TV series, Moonlighting
We’ll be back next week with another Broadway love song with lyrics by a musical theater legend who could be described as the ‘Bizarro’ version of Oscar Hammerstein.
In the meantime, tell your friends about this series. Seriously. We’re trying to spread a little love, because love is the greatest antidote to abortion. Be sure to subscribe to our blog. And if you’re really feeling good after listening to this great love song, make a donation to Pulse Life Advocates and promote a culture of life. Nothing bewildering about that!