Fly Me to the Moon

Infobox Song
Name = Fly Me to the Moon


Caption =
Type =
Artist = Frank Sinatra
alt Artist =
Album = It Might as Well Be Swing
Published =
Released = 1964
track_no = 1
Recorded = June 9, 1964
Genre = Traditional pop
Length = 2:30
Writer = Bart Howard
Composer = Bart Howard
Label = Reprise Records
Producer = Sonny Burke
Chart position =
Tracks =
prev =
prev_no =
next = "I Wish You Love"
next_no = 2
Misc =

"Fly Me to the Moon" is a pop standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954. When introduced by Felicia Sanders on the cabaret circuit, it was originally titled "In Other Words". The song became popularly called "Fly Me to the Moon" from its first line, but it took a few years for the publishers to change the title officially.

History

It was first recorded in 1954 by Kaye Ballard, and released by Decca Records as catalog number 29114. In 1956 it was recorded by Portia Nelson for her album, "Let Me Love You". The same year, Johnny Mathis recorded the song, this was the first time the title "Fly Me to the Moon" appeared on a record label.

The original singer of "Fly Me to the Moon", Felicia Sanders, recorded the song in 1959. It was released on Decca Records as catalog number 30937.

In late 1961 Nat King Cole recorded the song for the album "Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays" and was released on Capitol Records, catalog #1675.

In 1962, an instrumental version was recorded as "Fly Me to the Moon – Bossa Nova" by Joe Harnell, which became the biggest chart hit version of the song, reaching #14 (#4 easy listening) on the U.S. pop singles charts.

An original arrangement (by Ernie Freeman) is found in Julie London's 1963 album "The End of the World", with a different intro than usual, a jazz pizzicato instrumental break and lustrous flowing piano accompaniment. In 1964 Doris Day recorded the song for her highly acclaimed album "Latin for lovers".

Frank Sinatra recorded the song on his 1964 album "It Might as Well Be Swing" accompanied by Count Basie. The arrangement by Quincy Jones has become the rendition by which most people recognise the song. Jones changed the time signature, which was originally 3/4 waltz-time, to 4/4 and gave it a 'swing' feel. Sinatra's recording was a hit and was played to the astronauts of Apollo 10, on their lunar mission. [ [http://apollotribute2.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_archive.html Apollo Collections: April 2006 ] ] Sinatra also performed the song with Basie on 1966's "Sinatra at the Sands", and on 1994's "Duets II", his final recording of "Fly Me to the Moon" and his final collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim. He also performed this song in 1969 TV-show "Sinatra", there he dedicated it to the Apollo astronauts "who made the impossible possible".

The following year Tony Bennett recorded the song and had a minor hit with it. In subsequent years through the 2000s, he has often performed the song in concert without using any amplification or sound system. Oscar Peterson recorded the song on his album "Tristeza On Piano" in 1970 which sort of imitated Count Basie and his band. The track had to be deleted on the "Three Originals" compilation because there was not enough room for it to fit.

The song also became an international best seller after Connie Francis had recorded it on September 28, 1962 in Italian and on February 25, 1963 in Neapolitan (both versions were released under the title "Portami con te"). A Spanish version was recorded on February 21, 1963 under the title "Llévame a la luna", although this recording was also released under the title "Mandame a la luna". The song is popular in Germany and has been recorded by Tom Gaebel on his album "The Unknown" (2003) and by Roger Cicero as "Schiess mich doch zum Mond" on his album "Männersachen" (2006). These weren't the first recordings by German artists, though. Already in 1965, the song had been recorded by Heidi Brühl, a German singer/actress who later went to the US to host her own Las Vegas Shows and to appear on television shows such as "Marcus Welby, M. D.", and "Columbo".

The song reached a new generation when it was used during the opening titles of Oliver Stone's 1987 film "Wall Street" and is included on the Tribute album of Westlife, "Allow Us to Be Frank". It also appears in the closing moments and over the end titles of Clint Eastwood's 2000 film Space Cowboys.

The song has been covered by many artists for the ending theme of the Japanese anime series "Neon Genesis Evangelion" ["Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime" Episodes # 1-26] and the feature films based on the series. ["Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime Death and Rebirth" & "The End of Evangelion" & "Rebuild of Evangelion" tetralogy ] . The artists include Claire Littley, Yoko Takahashi, Kotono Mitsuishi, Utada Hikaru, Yuko Miyamura, Megumi Hayashibara and many others. ["Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime" Episodes # 1-26 ] ["Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime Death and Rebirth" & "The End of Evangelion" & "Rebuild of Evangelion" tetralogy ] The anime even includes Japanese, instrumental, and techno versions of the song. ["Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime" Episodes # 1-26]

Yi So-yeon, a spaceflight participant from South Korea who flew aboard Soyuz TMA-12 reported in a post-mission news conference that she had sung "Fly Me to the Moon" for the other crew members while in space.

ee also

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References