Moonlight Becomes You (song)

"Moonlight Becomes You"
Single by Bing Crosby
B-side	"Constantly"
Published	October 2, 1942 (1942-10-02) by Famous Music Corp., New York[1]
Released	November 19, 1942 (1942-11-19)
Recorded	June 12, 1942 (1942-06-12)[2]
Studio	Decca Recording Studio, Los Angeles, California[2]
Length	3:09[2]
Label	Decca 18513
Composer(s)	Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyricist(s)	Johnny Burke
Bing Crosby singles chronology
"White Christmas" (1942) "Moonlight Becomes You" (1942) "Sunday, Monday, or Always" (1943)

"Moonlight Becomes You" is a popular song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Johnny Burke.^[3] The song was written for the Paramount Pictures release Road to Morocco (1942) and published in 1942 in connection with the film. Vic Schoen (staff arranger for Paramount) wrote the arrangement.

The song has been recorded many times, becoming a standard, but the recording by Bing Crosby on June 12, 1942^[4] is the best known. This topped the Billboard charts in 1942 and spent a total of 17 weeks in the lists.^[5]

Other recordings

• Chet Baker covered the tune in his album My Funny Valentine (1980).
• Dick Haymes - included in his 1956 album Moondreams.^[6]
• Ella Fitzgerald - Verve release Get Happy! (1959), with Herb Ellis on guitar and Lou Levy on piano.
• Engelbert Humperdinck on his album The Very Thought of You (1995).^[7]
• Frank Sinatra recorded the song for his Moonlight Sinatra album (1966).
• Nora Aunor - her winning song in 1967 Tawag ng Tanghalan Championship.
• Glenn Miller Orchestra - their 1942 recording reached No. 5 in the Billboard charts the same year.^[8]
• Bobby Hackett - 1965 album of the same name.^[9]
• Harry James and His Orchestra - their recording reached No. 15 in the Billboard charts in 1942.^[10]
• The Hi-Lo's - included in the 1957 album Ring Around Rosie.
• Jack Jones - included in his 1961 album Lollipops and Roses.^[11]
• Jerry Vale - included in his 1959 album The Same Old Moon.^[12]
• Johnny Mathis - included in his 1959 album Heavenly.
• Mel Tormé - in his 1994 album A Tribute to Bing Crosby.
• Michael Holliday - included in the 1962 album To Bing - From Mike.^[13]
• Val Doonican - included in the 1982 album Val Sings Bing.^[14]
• Paul Williams recorded this song for his 1979 album A Little on the Windy Side.
• Seth MacFarlane - in his 2017 album In Full Swing.

Popular culture

• A clip of the song by Julie Morgan was also featured in Star Trek: First Contact, also a Paramount film.
• The Glenn Miller Orchestra version of the song. sung by Skip Nelson, is featured in a dance sequence in the New York City immersive theater production Sleep No More.
• Becker and an old lady sing it together at the end of the episode "Love! Lies! Bleeding!"
• The Caretaker (James Leyland Kirby) samples a cover of the song by Carroll Gibbons in his 2008 album Persistent Repetition of Phrases in the track "Von Restorff Effect"

References

1. Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1942). Catalog of Copyright Entries 1942 2 Music New Series Vol 37 Pt 3. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
2. "Decca matrix DLA 3034. Moonlight becomes you / Bing Crosby - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
3. Gilliland, John (1994). Pop Chronicles the 40s: The Lively Story of Pop Music in the 40s (audiobook). ISBN 978-1-55935-147-8. OCLC 31611854. Tape 1, side A.
4. "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
5. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research Inc. p. 109. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
6. "Discogs". discogs.com. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
7. "Discogs". Discogs.com. 1995. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
8. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research Inc. p. 312. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
9. "Bobby Hackett with Strings – Moonlight Becomes You (Vinyl)". Discogs. 17 December 2017.
10. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research Inc. p. 226. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
11. "Discogs". discogs.com. 1962. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
12. "Discogs". discogs.com. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
13. "Discogs". discogs.com. 1962. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
14. "Discogs". discogs.com. 1982. Retrieved February 14, 2016.

External links

• "Moonlight Becomes You" at Jazz Standards