Moonlight in Vermont

Moonlight In Vermont: A Frank Sinatra Favorite  

by Karen Morris 

Introducing...The Rat Pack Music One Minute Video below. 

(All photos posted are from online research)

Moonlight in Vermont is an enchanting ballad, written in the early 1940s, with beautifully serene lyrics by John Blackburn, in collaboration with music composer Karl Suessdorf. After visiting Vermont, Mr. Blackburn penned the stunning lyrics, having been exceptionally charmed by the beauty of the region.

Always a favorite song among fans of Vermont, it is also a cherished tune within the vast Frank Sinatra repertoire, as Ol' Blue Eyes favored it as well.

Over the past eight decades, a myriad of performers have covered the song, leading it to be one of the most popular recorded jazz standards.

Besides Frank Sinatra, an array of versatile musical artists such as Margaret Whiting, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Willie Nelson, Nat King Cole, Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Mel Torme, and many more have lent their unique interpretation.

Songstress Margaret Whiting, accompanied by the Billy Butterfield Orchestra, recorded the tune on September 20, 1944, and it became an instantaneous hit, with two million copies sold worldwide. An endearing song, it was beloved by American troops abroad during World War II.

However, an instrumental version, by the versatile guitarist Johnny Smith, quickly rose to prominence.

On March 11, 1952, Johnny Smith recorded the song, which also featured the fine tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, and although it was a version without vocals, the song was tremendously popular.

Smith's album, Moonlight in Vermont, and single were critically well-received, and the album became the #1 Jazz Album of 1956. For those unfamiliar with Johnny Smith, he is a revered jazz guitarist, held in high regard in the music industry for his meticulous approach, inspiring other legendary guitarists.

But soon after Smith's acclaim, Frank Sinatra's renditions of Moonlight in Vermont would garner much attention.

In 1957, Sinatra's Moonlight in Vermont version was originally arranged by Billy May for the Come Fly With Me album, as Charles Pignone, president of Frank Sinatra Enterprises, reveals in his noteworthy insights about the tune and prolific composer.

"Moonlight In Vermont' was one of Frank's favorite songs. After he recorded it for 'Come Fly With Me' in 1957, it stayed with him for decades in his concert programs. The arrangement by Billy May is exquisite as are the other ballads Billy wrote for 'Come Fly With Me' such as 'Autumn In New York,' 'Around The World' and 'April In Paris.' I once asked Billy why he didn't write more ballad arrangements for Frank - Billy said, 'You'll have to ask Frank!' Even though Billy is famous for his up tempo charts, his ballad arrangements are just as impressive and imaginative." 

One of Frank's loveliest Moonlight in Vermont performances occurs during the CBS network television special, A Man and His Music - Part ll broadcast on December 7, 1966, as he delivers the song with ease and an ethereal quality that is undeniably alluring. 

The CBS televised presentation was conducted by Nelson Riddle, backed by The Nelson Riddle Orchestra, with Frank singing elegantly as if he were serenading us.

Yet before Frank begins his serenade, his poetic introduction sets up the song even more beautifully:

"What I'm trying to say is when you are sad there's a song that does the crying for you. And when the tension in daily life kind of ties knots in your spirit, why a song can be your tranquilizer, your quiet pill. Yes sir, bless the musician, for without him a great darkness would come over the land, our emotions would fold their tents and silently steal away." Beyond the intro, Frank leads us to experience the lyrical grandeur of the song in his distinct way.

There are so many sublime Sinatra versions of Moonlight in Vermont to be enjoyed, but a special mention must be acknowledged for his unique 1961 Las Vegas live performance during a two-week November engagement at the Sands.

Accompanied by the outstanding Sands House Band, Frank begins singing gently and glides us along. But more than midway, and nearing the closing of the song, he stops in between verses, and suddenly says "Hot Damn, boy, I'll tell you," then quickly adds "I'm talking about the song, not me!". Quite the revealing and genuine outburst from a master vocalist who truly appreciates the magnificence of the song in that defining moment, with perhaps a bit of self-congratulatory humor on the side.

Sinatra scholar, Charles L. (Chuck) Granata, enlightens and adds his perception about Frank's momentary and passionate outburst: "I think he is so loved by the song that he feels compelled to say that to the audience. It was certainly one of his favorites; after recording it at Capitol, he included it in many concerts between 1957 and the early 70s - and then on nearly every show he performed as an arena performer in the 80s and 90s. One of his greatest recordings."

Another enchanting Moonlight moment not to be missed is the duet featuring Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra on The Frank Sinatra TV Show, which aired on ABC-TV, on May 9, 1958. Ella and Frank blend their voices subtly, creating a tender-hearted performance. Watching these two songbirds team up to sing so delicately together is a marvelous treat.   

The combination of Billy May's superb Moonlight arrangement and Frank Sinatra's expressive technique continued to paint a vocal picture, and was evident in the 1994 Grammy Award-winning Duets II album, featuring an older, seasoned Frank Sinatra with the softer vocals of Linda Ronstadt. 

Sharing her thoughts with Parade magazine, Linda expressed, "His  (Frank's) voice was in decline, and I did a lot of improvising. But I was astounded at how much story he could still deliver and how much color was there."

Frank Sinatra's phrasing and interpretation have always been a point of discussion. On Moonlight in Vermont, his phrasing is outstanding, and his breath control is remarkable. Many sources confirm that Frank learned about breathing techniques early in his career by studying how Tommy Dorsey played the trombone.

Breath control aside, in an essay written years ago, Gene Lees (lyricist of Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars), remarked how Sinatra influenced many singers, including Vic Damone, Steve Lawrence, and Julius LaRosa, and shared that LaRosa said: "He (Frank) turned a 32-bar song into a three-act play. He taught us that lyrics had periods, commas, semicolons, and question marks."

Speaking of lyrics, one may notice how the Moonlight in Vermont lyrics do not rhyme. Lyricist John Blackburn has said, "After completing the first 12 bars of the lyric, I realized there was no rhyme and then said to Karl, 'Let's follow the pattern of no rhyme throughout the song. It seemed right.'

There are a few variations of a story about Sinatra not realizing the song's lack of rhyme, as noted in a conversation Frank had with Steve Lawrence.

One version of the story goes like this: Frank was on tour with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. Late one evening, after the show, Steve and Frank were chatting over drinks, and within earshot of a nearby pianist. The conversation began with Frank asking Steve to name his favorite song. Steve replied, Moonlight in Vermont. Frank asks, Why? and Steve says, ' It's a great melody, great lyric. And there's not one rhyme in the whole song." Frank surprisingly responds, "What are you talking about?" Steve answers, "There are no rhymes in the song. None." So Frank asks the piano player to play Moonlight In Vermont and he begins to sing it to Steve. At the end of the song, Frank admits, "Well I'll be damned. There are no rhymes. I never realized that."

The no-rhyme pattern is unconventional, but it worked so well, and that lyrical method has been referenced as a haiku, defined as a short-form poem that originated in Japan and captures a simple moment in time with imagery and contrast.

But Billy May's superb arrangement and Frank Sinatra's delivery are summed up best by Charles L. (Chuck) Granata in his book, Sessions With Sinatra: Frank Sinatra and the Art of Recording:

"On this tune, he (Frank) chooses an airy, relaxed approach, and May's picturesque orchestration is sentimentally plush. Particularly noteworthy is the way Sinatra, using the harmonic changes in the orchestration to their best advantage, imparts a half-step key change as he glides from the word lovely to the word evening in the second chorus. The transition is silky smooth, the simple maneuver heightening the listeners' anticipation at a critical point in the performance." 

Moonlight in Vermont lyrics are graceful and scenic, swiftly leading us all to imagine the serenity and idyllic beauty of Vermont in a most magical way.

This exquisite tune, considered by many as the unofficial song of the state of Vermont, is often played at wedding receptions for the newlyweds' first dance.

The song remains a favorite, as it always inspires and delights. May you listen and find that to be your sense as well.