Fly Me to the Moon

For other uses, see Fly Me to the Moon (disambiguation).

"In Other Words"
First recording titled "In Other Words"
Song by Kaye Ballard
ReleasedApril 1954
Recorded1954
GenreJazz
Length2:14
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Bart Howard

"Fly Me to the Moon", originally titled "In Other Words", is a song written in 1954 by Bart Howard. The first recording of the song was made in 1954 by Kaye Ballard. Frank Sinatra's 1964 version was closely associated with the Apollo missions to the Moon.

In 1999, the Songwriters Hall of Fame honored "Fly Me to the Moon" by inducting it as a "Towering Song".[1]

Background and composition

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In 1954, when "Fly Me to the Moon"was first presented to the public, Bart Howard had been pursuing a career in music for over 20 years.[2] He played piano to accompany cabaret singers, but also wrote songs with Cole Porter, his idol, in mind.[3] In the book, "Intimate: Nights The Golden Age of New York Cabaret," James Gavin noted that Howard wrote the song "in response to his publisher's plea for a simpler song: why did he have to write such grandiloquent lyrics? 'In Other Words' talked about the verbosity of poets who 'use many words to say a simple thing'; 'hold my hand,' 'Kiss me.'"[4] In response, Howard wrote a cabaret ballad.[5] A publisher tried to make him change some words from "fly me to the Moon" to "take me to the Moon," but Howard refused.[6] Many years later Howard commented that "... it took me 20 years to find out how to write a song in 20 minutes."[6]

He used his position as a piano accompanist and presenter at the Blue Angel cabaret venue to promote the song,[4] and it was soon introduced in cabaret performances by Felicia Sanders.[3]

The song was composed in 3
4 time signature but was changed to 4
4 by Quincy Jones in his arrangement.[7][citation needed]

Early recordings

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Kaye Ballard circa late 1950s

Kaye Ballard made the song's first[8] commercial recording, released by Decca in April 1954.[9] A brief review published on May 8, 1954, in Billboard said that "In Other Words" was "...a love song sung with feeling by Miss Ballard."[10] This recording was released as the flipside of "Lazy Afternoon", which Kaye Ballard was currently performing as star of the stage show The Golden Apple.[11]

Over the next few years, jazz and cabaret singers released cover versions of "In Other Words" on EP or LP record albums, including Chris Connor,[12] Johnny Mathis,[13] Portia Nelson,[14] and Nancy Wilson.[15] Eydie Gormé sang the song on her 1958 album Eydie In Love (under the title "In Other Words"),[16] which reached No. 20 in the Cashbox Album Charts.[17]

Subsequent recordings and uses

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In 1960, Peggy Lee released the song on the album Pretty Eyes,[18] then made it more popular when she performed it in front of a large television audience on The Ed Sullivan Show.[3] As the song's popularity increased, it became better known as "Fly Me to the Moon",[19] and in 1963 Peggy Lee convinced Bart Howard to make the name change official.[6] Connie Francis released two non-English versions of the song in 1963: in Italian as "Portami Con Te"[20] and in Spanish as "Llévame a la Luna".[21]

Fly Me to the Moon Bossa Nova 1963 album by Joe Harnell

In 1962, Joe Harnell arranged and recorded an instrumental version in a bossa nova style. It was released as a single in late 1962.[22][23] Harnell's version spent 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching No. 14 on February 23, 1963,[24] while reaching No. 4 on Billboard's Middle-Road Singles chart.[25][26] It reached No. 30 in Canada.[27] Harnell's version was ranked No. 89 on Billboard's end of year ranking "Top Records of 1963".[28] Harnell's recording won him a Grammy Award at the 5th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Performance by an Orchestra – for Dancing.[29][30] His version was included on his album Fly Me to the Moon and the Bossa Nova Pops[31] released in early 1963, which reached No. 3 stereo album on the Billboard Top LP's chart.[32]

Julie London included a cover of the song for her 1963 album The End of the World.[33] Paul Anka released a version of "Fly Me To The Moon" in 1963, appearing in his album Our Man Around the World.[34]

Frank Sinatra included the song on his 1964 album It Might as Well Be Swing, accompanied by Count Basie.[35] The music for this album was arranged by Quincy Jones,[35][36] who had worked with Count Basie a year earlier on the album This Time by Basie, which also included a version of "Fly Me to the Moon".[37] Will Friedwald commented that "Jones boosted the tempo and put it into an even four/four" for Basie's version, but "when Sinatra decided to address it with the Basie/Jones combination they recharged it into a straight swinger... [which]...all but explodes with energy".[5] Bart Howard estimated that by the time Frank Sinatra covered the song in 1964, more than 100 other versions had been recorded.[5]

Bobby Womack recorded a version that was released in 1968 on Minit Records, from his album Fly Me to the Moon. His rendition reached No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 16 on the R&B chart.[38] Occasionally on the CBS series WKRP in Cincinnati, an instrumental sampling of "Fly Me To The Moon" was used as a doorbell melody during scenes taking place in the apartment of character Jennifer Marlowe.[39]

Bengali-Pakistani pop singer Alamgir recorded the Urdu version of this song titled Kya Tum Mere Ho (are you mine). The song was released in 1981 for his album Alamgir Sings for Himself.

By 1995, the song had been recorded more than 300 times.[11] According to a poll conducted by Japanese music magazine CD&DL Data in 2016 about the most representative songs associated with the Moon, the cover versions by Claire Littley and Yoko Takahashi ranked 7th by 6,203 respondents.[40] The Claire cover version won the Planning Award of Heisei Anisong Grand Prize among the anime theme songs from 1989 to 1999, following its appearance in the end credits of Neon Genesis Evangelion.[41]

Richard Simmons's last words were a loose paraphrase of the song's lyrics.[42]

NASA association

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Quincy Jones presents platinum copies of Frank Sinatra's album to Senator John Glenn and Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong

Frank Sinatra's 1964 recording of "Fly Me to the Moon" became closely associated with NASA's Apollo space program. A copy of the song was played on a Sony TC-50 portable cassette player on the Apollo 10 mission which orbited the Moon,[43] and also on Apollo 11 before the first landing on the Moon.[44][45] The song's association with Apollo 11 was reprised many years later when Diana Krall sang it at the mission's 40th anniversary commemoration ceremony,[46] and also for mission commander Neil Armstrong's memorial service in 2012.[47]

Certifications

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Frank Sinatra's version

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[48] Gold 45,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[49] Gold 35,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[50] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "1999 Award and Induction Ceremony". Songwriters Hall of Fame. June 9, 1999. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  2. ^ "Famous Iowans - Bart Howard | The Des Moines Register | DesMoinesRegister.com". Data.desmoinesregister.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c STEPHEN HOLDEN (February 23, 2004). "Bart Howard, 88, Songwriter Known for 'Fly Me to the Moon' - New York Times". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  4. ^ a b ""Fly Me to the Moon": Song History, Commentary, Discography, Performances on Video". Greatamericansongbook.net. February 23, 2004. Archived from the original on August 18, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016. Quote from Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret, New York: Back Stage Books 2006. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Will Friedwald, Sinatra! The Song Is You: A Singer's Art, Scribner, New York, 1995, page 411
  6. ^ a b c Stephen Holden (December 19, 1988). "Product of 20 Minutes: A Million Dollar Song". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  7. ^ Interview with Quincy Jones. Appeared in the cover of Frank Sinatra & Count Basie 1964 album "It Might As Well Be". Transcript
  8. ^ Barnes, Mike; Byrge, Duane (January 22, 2019). "Kaye Ballard Dead: 'Mothers-in-Law' Star Was 93". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  9. ^ "Kaye Ballard - In Other Words / Lazy Afternoon - Decca - USA - 9-29114". 45cat.com. November 25, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  10. ^ Billboard. May 8, 1954. p. 24. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  11. ^ a b Liz Smith, Liner Notes for the CD Portia Nelson, Let Me Love You: Portia Nelson Sings the Songs of Bart Howard, DRG 91442, 1995
  12. ^ Chris. Chris Connor at AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  13. ^ In Other Words. Johnny Mathis at AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  14. ^ Cross, Lucy E. "Portia Nelson". The Official Masterworks Broadway Site. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  15. ^ Like in Love/Something Wonderful. Nancy Wilson at AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  16. ^ "ABC-Paramount Album Discography, Part 2". Bsnpubs.com. September 1, 2005. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  17. ^ Carolyn Hope (September 11, 2007). "Barry's Hits of All Decades Pop rock n roll Music Chart Hits". Hitsofalldecades.com. Archived from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  18. ^ "Pretty Eyes - Peggy Lee". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  19. ^ "Bart Howard: 1915-2004". Jazzhouse.org. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  20. ^ "Connie Francis - Mala Femmena / Portami Con Te (Fly Me To The Moon) - MGM - Italy - K 2078". 45cat.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  21. ^ "Connie Francis—Connie Francis Canta en Español—MGM, Spain". 45cat.com. February 15, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  22. ^ "Reviews of New Singles", Billboard, November 10, 1962. p. 52. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  23. ^ Thompson, Dave (2016). Standard Catalog of American Records[permanent dead link‍], F+W Media, Inc. p. 567. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  24. ^ Hot 100 - Joe Harnell and His Orchestra Fly Me to the Moon - Bossa Nova Chart History Archived 2018-05-12 at the Wayback Machine, Billboard.com. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  25. ^ "Middle-Road Singles", Billboard, February 23, 1963. p. 42. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  26. ^ Adult Contemporary - Joe Harnell and His Orchestra Fly Me to the Moon - Bossa Nova Chart History Archived 2018-05-12 at the Wayback Machine, Billboard.com. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  27. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - February 4, 1963".
  28. ^ "Top Records of 1963", Billboard, Section II, December 28, 1963. p. 30. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  29. ^ "Joe Harnell". Recording Academy Grammy Awards. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  30. ^ "Joe Harnell, 80; Pianist, Conductor, Composer, Arranger - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. September 29, 1994. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  31. ^ "Fly Me to the Moon and the Bossa Nova Pops - Joe Harnell & His Orchestra, Joe Harnell". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  32. ^ "Billboard Top LP's for Week Ending March 16". Billboard. March 16, 1963. p. 66. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  33. ^ The End of the World at AllMusic
  34. ^ Our Man Around the World - Paul Anka, AllMusic, retrieved January 27, 2021
  35. ^ a b "It Might as Well Be Swing - Count Basie, Frank Sinatra". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  36. ^ "It Might as Well Be Swing - Count Basie, Frank Sinatra - Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  37. ^ "This Time by Basie: Hits of the 50s - Count Basie". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  38. ^ "Bobby Womack Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com.
  39. ^ "WKRP and Stupid Copyright Laws". Outside the Beltway. April 1, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  40. ^ "「月（ＭＯＯＮ）からイメージする曲」ランキング。～音楽情報マガジン『ＣＤ＆ＤＬでーた』～". PRTIMES (in Japanese). September 26, 2016. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
  41. ^ "Evangelion's "Cruel Angel's Thesis" Theme Song Takes Heisei Anisong Grand Prize". Anime News Network. March 5, 2019.
  42. ^ Garner, Glenn (July 21, 2024). "Richard Simmons' Team Shares His Final Prepared Social Media Post 1 Week After Death". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  43. ^ "Lunar Collections: April 2006". Apollotribute2.blogspot.com.au. April 13, 2006. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  44. ^ Music on the Moon: Meet Mickey Kapp, Master of Apollo 11's Astro-Mixtapes
  45. ^ Diane K. Shah (November 18, 1990). "On Q". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  46. ^ "NASA - NASA TV's This Week @NASA, July 24". Nasa.gov. July 24, 2009. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  47. ^ "Neil Armstrong remembered at public memorial". BBC News. September 13, 2012. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  48. ^ "Danish single certifications – Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  49. ^ "Italian single certifications – Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved February 17, 2021. Select "2021" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Fly Me to the Moon" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  50. ^ "British single certifications – Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
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