Shine On, Harvest Moon

"Shine On, Harvest Moon"
Cover, sheet music, 1908
Music by	Nora Bayes
Lyrics by	Jack Norworth
Published	1908
Language	English

"Shine On, Harvest Moon" is the name of 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 the composers in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1908 to great acclaim. It became a pop standard, and continues to be performed and recorded into the 21st century.

During the vaudeville era, songs were often sold outright, and the purchaser would become the songwriter of record. John Kenrick's Who's Who In Musicals credits songwriters Edward Madden and Gus Edwards, while others credit David Stamper, songwriter for 14 Ziegfeld Follies and Bayes' pianist from 1903 to 1908.

Like many old popular songs, the verses are often left out, although the verses for this song are musically quite good and set off the chorus well. Also like many songs of that era, the song was sometimes performed ethnic undercurrent. The duet of Billy Murray and Ada Jones recorded a popular version of the song. They performed the song in a stereotyped African American style, though not taken to the excess of some other recordings of that era.

Lyrics

Shine On, Harvest Moon 1909 Edison Records recording with Ada Jones and Billy Murray Problems listening to this file? See media help.

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 January, April, 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 is several different orders. The Ada Jones and Billy Murray song linked on this article has:

April, January, Ju-une or July

Leon Redbone's cover on his album Double Time had the lyric as:

January, February, 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 connections

The song has had a long history with the movies. In 1932, animation great Dave Fleischer directed a short titled Shine on Harvest Moon. A 1938 Roy Rogers western was also named after the song, as was a 1944 biopic of Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth.

The song has been featured in dozens of movies including Along Came Ruth (1933), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), The Eddy Duchin Story (1956), and Pennies from Heaven (1978).

Other references

• Billy Murray did not hesitate to record parodies and other songs that made fun of popular hits, including his own. Today's hits quickly become tomorrow's oldies. At the time this song was popular, Murray recorded a song whose title is the last line, gently poking fun at this "modern" song:

Oh, I'm sick of all these ditties about "moon" and "spoon" and "June"

So, will you stand up and sing, for your father, an old time tune?!

By the time Murray was recording "follow the bouncing ball" cartoons in the 1930s, Shine On, Harvest Moon was also very much an "old time tune".

Other recordings

• Kirsten Cooke and Arthur Bostrom perform it as Michelle Dubois of the resistance and officer Crabtree in the sitcom 'Allo 'Allo (Season 8 Episode 7). Carmen Silvera as Madame Edith also sings the number during the closing credits of the same episode.
• Jerry Gray and his orchestra (recorded August 24, 1951, Decca Records catalog number 27868^[1])
• Laurel and Hardy perform it in their film The Flying Deuces (1939).
• Marah recorded the song for their 2007 EP, Can't Take it With You.
• Moon Mullican live, 1955.
• Leon Redbone recorded the song for his 1976 album, Double Time (album).

References

1. ^ Decca Records in the 27500 to 27999 series