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Moonlight Bay

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Published
  
1912

Language
  
English

Moonlight Bay

Writer(s)
  
Composer: Percy WenrichLyricist: Edward Madden

"Moonlight Bay" is a popular song. It is commonly referred to as "On Moonlight Bay". The lyrics were written by Edward Madden, the music by Percy Wenrich, and was published in 1912. It is often sung in a barbershop quartet style. Early successful recordings in 1912 were by the American Quartet and by Dolly Connolly.

Contents

Notable covers

  • Glenn Miller and his Orchestra recorded the song on March 22, 1937 with a special swing arrangement by Miler.
  • The song was featured the film Tin Pan Alley (1940) when it was sung by Alice Faye. Miss Faye also included the song in her 1962 album Alice Faye Sings Her Greatest Movie Hits.
  • The Mills Brothers recorded the song in 1940 for Decca Records.
  • The song was featured in the film On Moonlight Bay (1951) when it was sung by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae. Miss Day also recorded the song commercially and it appeared on her album On Moonlight Bay.
  • A duet performance by Bing Crosby and Gary Crosby was recorded on March 22, 1951 and reached No. 14 in the Billboard charts in 1951.
  • The Beatles performed "Moonlight Bay" with comedians Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise on the duo's ATV programme Two of a Kind in December 1963. A recording of the performance was released on the Beatles' Anthology 1 in 1995.

    • Verses

    Voices hum, crooning over Moonlight BayBanjos strum, tuning while the moonbeams playAll alone, unknown they find meMemories like these remind meOf the girl I left behind meDown on Moonlight BayCandle lights gleaming on the silent shoreLonely nights, dreaming till we meet once moreFar apart, her heart, is yearningWith a sigh for my returningWith the light of love still burningAs in of days of yore

    Chorus

    We were sailing alongOn Moonlight Bay.We could hear the voices ringing;They seemed to say,"You have stolen her heart""Now don't go 'way!"As we sang Love's Old Sweet SongOn Moonlight Bay

    Beatles Version

    We were strolling along (twist and shout!)On Moonlight Bay (whoo!)We could hear the voices singing (I like it!)You said you'd stay (Keep up, Bongo!)You have broken my heart (oh, twist and shout!)So go away ('Have the Beatles gone?' 'No, they're here!')With your short, fat hairy legsOn Moonlight BayOn Moonlight Bay

    Some sources alter the third line of the chorus from "voices ringing" to "darkies singing," to appeal to minstrel show tastes. However, the original sheet music and 1912 recordings use the lyrics above.

    References

    Moonlight Bay Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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