Old Devil Moon

"Old Devil Moon" is a popular song composed by Burton Lane with lyrics by Yip Harburg for the 1947 musical Finian's Rainbow. It was introduced by Ella Logan and Donald Richards in the Broadway show. The song takes its title from a phrase in "Fun to Be Fooled", a song that Harburg wrote with Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin for the 1934 musical Life Begins at 8:40.{{cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/on-the-record-arlen-harburg-gershwins-life-begins-at-8-40-and-new-a-little-night-music-com-169311|title=ON THE RECORD: Arlen, Harburg & Gershwin's Life Begins at 8:40 and New A Little Night Music|website=Playbill|first=Steven|last=Suskin|date=June 13, 2010|access-date=October 22, 2022}}

In the 1968 film version, the song was performed by Don Francks and Petula Clark.{{cite web|title=Internet Movie Database|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062974/soundtrack?ref_=tt_trv_snd|website=imdb.com|access-date=May 31, 2017}}

Notable recordings

Margaret Whiting - her single release reached the No. 11 spot in the Billboard charts in 1947.{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|first1=Joel|title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954|date=1986|publisher=Record Research Inc|location=Wisconsin, USA|isbn=0-89820-083-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/454 454]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/454}}
Gene Krupa and His Orchestra (vocal by Carolyn Grey) - this also reached the Billboard charts briefly in 1947 in the No. 21 position.{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954|date=1986|publisher=Record Research|location=|isbn=978-0-89820-083-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/262 262]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/262}}
Charlie Spivak feat. Margaret Manning - (1946){{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTsSdrhAnaw|title=1946 Charlie Spivak - Old Devil Moon (Margaret Manning, vocal)|website=YouTube |date=6 May 2019 }}
Miles Davis – Blue Haze (1954){{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-haze-mw0000652559|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=April 12, 2025}}
Sarah Vaughan - a single release (1954).{{cite web|title=45cat.com|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/70423x45|website=45cat.com|access-date=January 24, 2018}}
Mickey Baker (1955)
Jack Pleis, His Piano, Orchestra and Chorus – Broadway Goes Hollywood (1955)
Bob Dorough - Devil May Care (1956)
Frank Sinatra on Songs for Swingin' Lovers! (1956){{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/songs-for-swingin-lovers%21-mw0000195713|website=www.allmusic.com|accessdate=June 26, 2024}}
Jay Jay Johnson - Jay (1956)
Andrew Hill Trio – So in Love (1956)
Morton Gould & His Orchestra - Blues in the Night (1957)
Sonny Rollins - A Night at the Village Vanguard (1957)
Anita O'Day - Anita Sings the Most (1957)
Jimmy Smith - Plays Pretty Just for You (1957)
Chet Baker - (Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen to You (1958)
Totlyn Jackson [with Lance Hayward] - Lance Hayward at the Half Moon (1958), Jamaica Jazz 1931-1962
Lurlean Hunter - Stepping Out (1958)
Peggy Lee - Jump for Joy (1958){{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/jump-for-joy-mw0000820648|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=November 21, 2024}}
Judy Garland - That's Entertainment (1960)
Mel Torme - Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley (1960){{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/swings-shubert-alley-mw0000188828|website=www.allmusic.com|accessdate=July 7, 2024}}
McCoy Tyner Trio - Reaching Fourth (1962){{cite web|url=https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/mccoy-tyner-reaching-fourth-1962-impulse/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog |title=Reaching Fourth — McCoy Tyner Trio |website=LondonJazzCollector|date= October 8, 2013|access-date=July 4, 2015}}
Ahmad Jamal - Poinciana (1963){{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/poinciana-1963--mw0000691640|website=www.allmusic.com|accessdate=July 7, 2024}}
Ella Fitzgerald recorded it live in 1969 on her Sunshine of Your Love album.{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunshine-of-your-love-mw0000613424|website=www.allmusic.com|accessdate=July 7, 2024}}
Nancy Sinatra - As vinyl 7" single / Reprise Records 0789 (1969). Also on her Nancy CD re-issue by Sundazed Music (1996) SC 6058
Milt Jackson with Hubert Laws - Goodbye (1974)
George Benson & Joe Farrell - Benson & Farrell (1976)
Peter Magadini - Bones Blues featuring Don Menza, Wray Downs (1977)
Carmen McRae - The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets (1987)
Carmen Lundy – Old Devil Moon (1997)
David Campbell - Taking the Wheel (1997)
Rosemary Clooney - At Long Last (with the Count Basie Orchestra) (1998)
Bobby Caldwell - Come Rain Or Come Shine (1999)
Stan Kenton - At the Rendezvous, Vol 2 (2000) (vocal by Ann Richards)
Jamie Cullum – Twentysomething (2003)
Michael Feinstein & Cheyenne Jackson - The Power of Two (2009){{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-power-of-two-mw0001784333|website=www.allmusic.com|accessdate=July 2, 2024}} (Cheyenne Jackson also starred as Woody in the 2009 revival of Finian's Rainbow)
Josh Groban - Stages (2015). He also played Woody Mahoney.
dodie - Chet Baker Re:imagined (2025){{Cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/dodie-matt-maltese-ezra-collective-mxmtoon-and-more-to-feature-on-chet-baker-reimagined|title=dodie, Matt Maltese, Ezra Collective, mxmtoon, and more to feature on Chet Baker Re:Imagined|work=The Line of Best Fit|author=Tyler Damara Kelly|date=28 November 2024|accessdate=22 December 2024}}

References

External links

[https://soundcloud.com/pierocusato/old-devil-moon-2 SoundCloud performance] by the late Piero Cusato

Category:1947 songs

Category:Carmen McRae songs

Category:Frank Sinatra songs

Category:Lena Horne songs

Category:Songs from musicals

Category:Songs with lyrics by Yip Harburg

Category:Songs with music by Burton Lane