Blue Moon of Kentucky
Blue Moon of Kentucky is a song composed by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and has been recorded by numerous performers of various musical genres since its release in 1947. Elvis Presley recorded this song with a modified arrangement for his first single. Blue Moon of Kentucky was founded in 1989 by the Kentucky General Assembly to "official bluegrass state song" of Kentucky says.
history
Origin and original
Bill Monroe wrote the song in 1946 and recorded it on September 16, 1946 in the CBS studio on the WBBM radio station in the Wrigley Building in Chicago . His backing band, the Bluegrass Boys , consisted of Monroe ( vocals / mandolin ), Lester Flatt ( guitar ), Earl Scruggs ( banjo ), Howard Watts ( double bass ) and Chubby Wise ( fiddle ). The arrangement of the song was kept in a slow 3/4 time, which is why Blue Moon of Kentucky is often referred to as Bluegrass Waltz ("Bluegrass Waltzer"). The piece was a typical example of the "high lonesome sound" Monroe, which was characterized above all by a slow tempo and high vocals.
Although the song was recorded in September 1946, Monroe's record label Columbia Records only released the piece in November 1947 with Goodbye Old Pal as the B-side (Columbia 37888). The latter was originally from 1934 by Cliff Carlisle , whose arrangement Monroe largely took over. Billboard magazine rated the single in its November 15th issue as follows: “The top tenoring of Bill Monroe, his pipes husky with the grass country flavoring, makes it a nostalgic nicety for his 'Blue Moon of Kentucky' waltz. The mandolin, fiddle and guitar of his Blue Grass Boys capture the spirit of his singing in their playing. [...] For those favoring the old-time singing and playing. ” The single sold well in early 1947 and became Monroe's most popular piece in the following years, not least because of its weekly appearances in the Grand Ole Opry on WSM , the most famous country show in the USA, which was broadcast nationwide. Because of its cultural and historical significance for the United States, the song was recorded in the original version on January 27, 2003 in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress .
Elvis Presley's version
In June 1954, the young Elvis Presley recorded his first single for Sun Records with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black . After a cover of Arthur Crudups That’s All Right was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis , Tennessee , producer and studio owner Sam Phillips requested a B-side. However, the musicians initially found no suitable song material until Bill Black suggested the Blue Moon of Kentucky . "Bill is the one who came up with 'Blue Moon of Kentucky.' Same deal. We're taking a little break and he starts beating on the bass and singing 'Blue Moon of Kentucky,' mocking Bill Monroe, singing the high falcetto voice. Elvis joins in with him, starts playing and singing with him ” , guitarist Scotty Moore later recalled the session. The trio converted the song into a fast rockabilly song in 4/4 time with 104 beats per minute . They changed the pitch from B flat major to E, changed the intro with different chords and new lyrics and producer Sam Phillips added an echo.
When Presley's single was released in the summer of 1954, local DJs Sleepy-Eyed John began playing on WHHM and Bob Neal on WMPS in Memphis Presley's Blue Moon of Kentucky . The song quickly entered the local “Billboard Memphis C&W Charts” as the B-side and reached number six as the top position. Already in October the song was in the local charts in Nashville and New Orleans - but the single did not make it into the national charts.
When Presley appeared in the Grand Ole Opry for the first and only time , he selected Blue Moon of Kentucky as a performance. While the conservative audience and management, who tended to be more attuned to traditional country music, weren't thrilled, Bill Monroe watched Presley's performance backstage. After the show, he spoke to Presley and told him - according to Colin Escott - "that it was fine for his style of music and the way he sang." Monroe then arranged an appointment with his manager in the studio for a new version of Blue Moon of Kentucky . Monroe started in this version in the slow 3/4 time and switched to a fast 4/4 time during the song. On this recording on September 4, 1954, Monroe (vocals / mandolin) as Bluegrass Boys were Edd Mayfield (guitar), Ernie Newton (bass), Gordon Terry (fiddle), Red Taylor (fiddle) and Charlie Cline (fiddle).
Cover versions
Blue Moon of Kentucky has been covered by many different artists over the years including John Fogerty , Patsy Cline , Jimmy Martin , the Stanley Brothers , Ronnie Hawkins , Jerry Reed , Ray Charles , Paul McCartney , Boxcar Willie , Scotty Moore and Mark Knopfler , LeAnn Rimes , Chet Atkins , Kitty, Daisy & Lewis and many more.
Origin of the term
The term “ blue moon ” stands for a rarely occurring event, namely around a second full moon within a month, which occurs only approximately every 2.4 years.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kentucky's State Bluegrass Song: "Blue Moon of Kentucky". (No longer available online.) Kentucky.gov, archived from the original January 8, 2011 ; Retrieved February 20, 2011 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Neil V. Rosenberg, Charles K. Wolfe: The Music of Bill Monroe. University of Illinois Press, 2007, ISBN 978-0-252-03121-2 , p. 48.
- ^ Billboard November 15, 1947 - Record Reviews
- ^ Blue Moon of Kentucky in the National Recording Registry. Retrieved August 14, 2017 .
- ↑ Ken Burke, Dan Griffin: The Blue Moon Boys: The Story of Elvis Presley's Band. Chicago Review Press, 2006, ISBN 1-55652-614-8 , p. 20.
- ↑ Craig Morrison: Go Cat Go! Rockabilly Music and Its Makers. University of Illinois Press, 1998, ISBN 0-252-06538-7 , p. 58.
- ↑ Colin Escott: Good Rockin 'Tonight: Sun Records and the Birth of Rock'n'Roll. St. Martin's Press, 1991, ISBN 0-312-08199-5 , p. 68.
