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The same night that Dewey Phillips first played the flip side of this first release of Presley's music on WHBQ, ''"That's All Right"'', Sleepy Eye John at WHHM loosed ''"Blue Moon of Kentucky"''. Bob Neal of WMPS played the record too. The pop jockeys, entranced by something new, began slipping ''"That's All Right"'' and ''"Blue Moon of Kentucky"'' in amongst the easy listening pop of [[Teresa Brewer]], [[Nat King Cole|Nat Cole]], [[Tony Bennett]] and others.<ref name="scottymoore.net">{{cite news|url=http://www.scottymoore.net/articles.html|title=Thru the Patience of Sam Phillips Suddenly Singing Elvis Presley Zooms Into Recording Stardom|author=Robert Johnson| work=Memphis Press-Scimitar|date=February 5, 1955}} Archived at http://www.scottymoore.net/</ref> |
The same night that Dewey Phillips first played the flip side of this first release of Presley's music on WHBQ, ''"That's All Right"'', Sleepy Eye John at WHHM loosed ''"Blue Moon of Kentucky"''. Bob Neal of WMPS played the record too. The pop jockeys, entranced by something new, began slipping ''"That's All Right"'' and ''"Blue Moon of Kentucky"'' in amongst the easy listening pop of [[Teresa Brewer]], [[Nat King Cole|Nat Cole]], [[Tony Bennett]] and others.<ref name="scottymoore.net">{{cite news|url=http://www.scottymoore.net/articles.html|title=Thru the Patience of Sam Phillips Suddenly Singing Elvis Presley Zooms Into Recording Stardom|author=Robert Johnson| work=Memphis Press-Scimitar|date=February 5, 1955}} Archived at http://www.scottymoore.net/</ref> |
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With Presley's version of Monroe's song consistently rated higher, both sides began to chart across the Southern United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/elvis_presley_sun_recordings.shtml |
With Presley's version of Monroe's song consistently rated higher, both sides began to chart across the Southern United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/elvis_presley_sun_recordings.shtml|title=Elvis Presley's Sun Recordings|publisher=Elvis Australia|date=July 21, 2004|accessdate=August 17, 2007|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902082821/http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/elvis_presley_sun_recordings.shtml|archivedate=September 2, 2007|df=}}</ref> Billboard has the song listed only in Memphis, and as number 6 with That's All Right at number 7 on October 9 in the C&W Territorial Best Sellers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KSMEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA1&pg=PA62#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=C&W Territorial Best Sellers|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=October 9, 1954|page=62|volume=66|issue=41}}</ref> By October 23, ''"Blue Moon"'' was in the top 10 in Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans, with ''"That's All Right"'' absent from the listings.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nyEEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PT41#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=C&W Territorial Best Sellers|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=October 23, 1954|page=44|volume=66|issue=43}}</ref> |
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Fellow Sun Records artist [[Charlie Feathers]] has often claimed that he came up with the arrangement of the song used by Presley. |
Fellow Sun Records artist [[Charlie Feathers]] has often claimed that he came up with the arrangement of the song used by Presley. |
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*[http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1113449/a/Blue+Moon+Of+Kentucky+(Sony+Special+Products).htm Bill Monroe original version sample @ cduniverse Click on Track Listing] |
*[http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1113449/a/Blue+Moon+Of+Kentucky+(Sony+Special+Products).htm Bill Monroe original version sample @ cduniverse Click on Track Listing] |
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*[http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=2268543 Elvis version sample @ cduniverse] |
*[http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=2268543 Elvis version sample @ cduniverse] |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051228090035/http://kdla.ky.gov |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051228090035/http://kdla.ky.gov/resources/kybgsong.htm Kentucky's State Bluegrass Song: Blue Moon of Kentucky] |
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*[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1081905 NPR report including various versions] |
*[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1081905 NPR report including various versions] |
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*[http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/essays/BLUE%20MOON%20OF%20KENTUCKY.pdf Library of Congress essay] on its addition to the [[National Recording Registry]]. |
*[http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/essays/BLUE%20MOON%20OF%20KENTUCKY.pdf Library of Congress essay] on its addition to the [[National Recording Registry]]. |
Revision as of 05:32, 22 July 2017
"Blue Moon of Kentucky" | |
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Song |
"Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a waltz written in 1946 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band, the Blue Grass Boys. The song has since been recorded by many artists, including Elvis Presley. In 2003 the song was chosen to be added to the United States Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
History
"Blue Moon" is the official bluegrass song of Kentucky. In 2002, Monroe's version was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. In 2003, CMT ranked "Blue Moon" number 11 in its list of 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music.
Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe wrote the song in 1946, recording it for Columbia Records on September 16. It was released in early 1947.[1] At the time, the Bluegrass Boys included vocalist and guitarist Lester Flatt and banjoist Earl Scruggs, who would later form their own bluegrass band, the Foggy Mountain Boys. Both Flatt and Scruggs performed on the recording, although Bill Monroe supplied the vocals on this song.
The song, described as a "bluegrass waltz", had become a United States wide hit by 1947[2] and also became enormously popular with other bluegrass, country and early rockabilly acts. The song was revered by the Grand Ole Opry and others;[2] Carl Perkins played an uptempo version of this song in his early live performances.
Elvis Presley
"Blue Moon of Kentucky" | |
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Song | |
B-side | "That's All Right" |
The search for another song to release along with "That's All Right"[3] at Sun Records in July 1954 led to "Blue Moon of Kentucky" via Bill Black. According to Scotty Moore:
We all of us knew we needed something...and things seemed hopeless after a while. Bill is the one who came up with "Blue Moon of Kentucky"...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 falsetto voice. Elvis joins in with him, starts playing and singing along with him.
— The Blue Moon Boys - The Story of Elvis Presley's Band, [4]
Presley, Moore and Black, with the encouragement of Sam Phillips, transformed Monroe's slow waltz, in 3/4 time, into an upbeat, blues-flavored tune in 4/4 time.
After an early rendition of the song, Sun Records owner Sam Phillips exclaimed, "BOY, that's fine, that's fine. That's a POP song now!."[5] As with all of the Presley records issued by Sun, the artists were listed and stylized as "ELVIS PRESLEY SCOTTY and BILL".[6]
The same night that Dewey Phillips first played the flip side of this first release of Presley's music on WHBQ, "That's All Right", Sleepy Eye John at WHHM loosed "Blue Moon of Kentucky". Bob Neal of WMPS played the record too. The pop jockeys, entranced by something new, began slipping "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in amongst the easy listening pop of Teresa Brewer, Nat Cole, Tony Bennett and others.[7]
With Presley's version of Monroe's song consistently rated higher, both sides began to chart across the Southern United States.[8] Billboard has the song listed only in Memphis, and as number 6 with That's All Right at number 7 on October 9 in the C&W Territorial Best Sellers.[9] By October 23, "Blue Moon" was in the top 10 in Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans, with "That's All Right" absent from the listings.[10]
Fellow Sun Records artist Charlie Feathers has often claimed that he came up with the arrangement of the song used by Presley.
The song was later used in a scene of the 2005 TV miniseries Elvis.
Other recordings
In 1954, the Stanley Brothers recorded a version of the song using Presley's 4/4 arrangement with bluegrass instrumentation, neatly bridging the stylistic gap between Monroe's and Presley's approaches. Bill Monroe subsequently re-recorded and performed the song using a mixture of the two styles, starting the song in its original 3/4 time arrangement, then launching into an uptempo 4/4 rendition.
In 1968, Al Kooper recorded a version for his debut solo album I Stand Alone.[11]
References
- ^ Sleevenotes to Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys, All the Classic Releases, 1937–1949, CD box set by JSP (2003).
- ^ a b The Rockabilly Legends; They Called It Rockabilly Long Before they Called It Rock and Roll. 2007. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-4234-2042-2.
{{cite book}}
: Cite uses deprecated parameter|authors=
(help) - ^ Official legal title of Crudup's (and Elvis's) 'That's All Right'
- ^ The Blue Moon Boys - The Story of Elvis Presley's Band. Chicago Review Press. 2006. p. 20. ISBN 1-55652-614-8.
{{cite book}}
: Cite uses deprecated parameter|authors=
(help) - ^ Burke, Griffin, p. 41
- ^ "RCS Label Shot for Sun (Tenn.) 209". Rockin' Country Style.
- ^ Robert Johnson (February 5, 1955). "Thru the Patience of Sam Phillips Suddenly Singing Elvis Presley Zooms Into Recording Stardom". Memphis Press-Scimitar. Archived at http://www.scottymoore.net/
- ^ "Elvis Presley's Sun Recordings". Elvis Australia. July 21, 2004. Archived from the original on September 2, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2007.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "C&W Territorial Best Sellers". Billboard. Vol. 66, no. 41. October 9, 1954. p. 62.
- ^ "C&W Territorial Best Sellers". Billboard. Vol. 66, no. 43. October 23, 1954. p. 44.
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-stand-alone-mw0000459426
External links
- Bill Monroe original version sample @ cduniverse Click on Track Listing
- Elvis version sample @ cduniverse
- Kentucky's State Bluegrass Song: Blue Moon of Kentucky
- NPR report including various versions
- Library of Congress essay on its addition to the National Recording Registry.
- Template:MetroLyrics song