The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (song)
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress , partly also The Moon's a Harsh Mistress , is a song by the American songwriter Jimmy Webb , of which there are recordings by numerous artists from different genres today. Without becoming a hit, it became the standard.
background
The piece has three stanzas and is often played in G major , with a minor third higher being modulated to B major for the last stanza in many recordings . There is no refrain. In the text, a lyric self sings about a lost lover from the past and the rugged moon that remains for him. The title The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is the penultimate verse of each stanza.
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress borrows its title from the novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein , which was translated into German as Revolt on Luna . Webb stated that he had already read Heinlein's novels when he was eight and that he was generally strongly influenced by science fiction . The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is one of the best titles he has ever heard, which is why he decided to write a song of the same name.
“I really am guilty of appropriating something from another writer. In this case I had contact with Robert A. Heinlein's attornies. I said, “I want to write a song with the title, 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.' Can you ask Mr. Heinlein if it's okay with him? " They called me back and he said he had no objection to it. "
“I am definitely guilty of appropriating something from another writer. In this case I was in contact with Robert A. Heinlein's lawyers. I said "I'd like to write a song called 'The Moon is a harsh Mistress'". Can you ask Mr. Heinlein if he is okay with that? They called me back and said he had no objection. "
The song was "symbiotic for this decade of my life, my struggle, my failure, my fear, my pride, and even contempt."
Performers
The first recording was made by Joe Cocker , who sang the song for his 1974 album I Can Stand a Little Rain . In the same year a version by Glen Campbell followed , then by Linda Ronstadt , Judy Collins and Joan Baez . Jimmy Webb himself recorded the piece in 1977 for his album El Mirage and again in 1996 for Ten Easy Pieces . Various jazz musicians also interpreted the piece, including Radka Toneff , Nils Landgren and Silje Nergaard . Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny recorded an instrumental version for their album Beyond the Missouri Sky (Short Stories) in 1997 . In the field of jazz, it was also covered by Sheila Jordan / Steve Kuhn Trio, Karrin Allyson , Rigmor Gustafsson and Wesla Whitfiled , as well as Grażyna Auguścik (2001), John Hollenbeck / hr-Bigband (2013, Grammy nomination ) and Rita Marcotulli / Luciano Biondini (2014). Klaus Hoffmann translated the song into German for his album Aquamarin (2018).
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress at Songfacts.com (English), accessed August 25, 2019.
- ↑ Publication (Sheet Music Direct)
- ↑ a b Interview with Jimmy Webb on pennyblackmusic.co.uk, seen January 3, 2018
- ^ Jimmy Webb Discography
- ↑ Tom Lord : The Jazz Discography (online, accessed December 11, 2017)