How High The Moon

Album: Ultimate Collection (1951)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Although it was written by lyricist Nancy Hamilton and composer Morgan Lewis for the 1940 musical Two For The Show, the definitive version of "How High The Moon" was recorded by the husband and wife team of Les Paul and Mary Ford. In 1953, the duo appeared on an American TV show where they used the song to showcase Paul's new technique of multi-tracking to stunning effect. They released their version two years earlier when it topped the Billboard Chart for 9 weeks. This recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1979.
  • "How High The Moon" has been recorded by numerous artists over the years as diverse as Ella Fitzgerald and Emmylou Harris. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 2

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 15th 1974, the sitcom "Happy Days" debut on the ABC-TV network...
    The series ran from 1974 to 1984 with a grand total of 255 episodes...
    It won three Golden Globe Awards and one Emmy Award...
    "How High the Moon" by Les Paul and Mary Ford was featured on the first episode...
    Twenty-three years earlier on April 11th, 1951 the song peaked at #1 {for 9 weeks} on Billboard's Pop Singles Best Sellers chart...
    It reached #2 {for 3 weeks} on Billboard's R&B Best Sellers chart; and for the three weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for those three weeks was "Too Young" by Nat King Cole...
    Les Paul {1915 - 2009} and Mary Ford {born Colleen Summers, 1924 - 1977}.
  • Fatjopa from Cookeville, TnR.I.P Les Paul
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Band Names

Band NamesFact or Fiction

Was "Pearl" Eddie Vedder's grandmother, and did she really make a hallucinogenic jam? Did Journey have a contest to name the group? And what does KISS stand for anyway?

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.