"Moonlight in Vermont" is a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song about the U.S. state of

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

, written by John Blackburn (lyrics) and

Karl Suessdorf Karl A. Suessdorf (April 28, 1911 – February 25, 1982) was an American songwriter. Biography The son of Henry F. Suessdorf, he was born in Valdez, Alaska, United States, where his father operated from 1907 to 1917 the Copper Block Buffet, a ...

(music) and published in

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...

. It was introduced by Margaret Whiting in a

recording.

Background

The lyrics are unusual in that they do not rhyme. John Blackburn, the lyricist, has been quoted as saying, "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.'"Sheila Davis (1984) ''The Craft of Lyric Writing '', Writer's Digest Books, Cincinnati The lyrics are also unconventional in that each verse (not counting the bridge) is a

haiku is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a ''kireji'', or "cutting word", 17 '' on'' (phonetic units similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, and a ''kigo'', or s ...

. The song is considered an unofficial state song of Vermont and is frequently played as the first dance song at Vermont

wedding reception A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple ''receive'' society, in the form of family and friends, for t ...

Recorded versions

"Moonlight in Vermont" has been

covered Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

by numerous other artists over the years: *

Johnny Smith Johnny Henry Smith II (June 25, 1922 – June 11, 2013) was an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist. He wrote "Walk, Don't Run" in 1954. In 1984, Smith was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Early life During the Great D ...

recorded a version of the song in 1952 with Stan Getz, later the title track on a 1956 album *

The Gerry Mulligan Quartet Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...

recorded a version in 1953 with Chet Baker *

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

and Louis Armstrong released a version on their 1956 album, ''

Ella and Louis ''Ella and Louis'' is a studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Quartet, released in October 1956. Having previously collaborated in the late 1940s for the Decca label, this was the first of three al ...

'' *

Jo Stafford Jo Elizabeth Stafford (November 12, 1917July 16, 2008) was an American traditional pop music singer, whose career spanned five decades from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. Admired for the purity of her voice, she originally underwent classi ...

covered the song on her 1956 album '' Ski Trails'' *

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

covered the song in 1957 * Frank Sinatra covered the song for his 1958 studio album '' Come Fly With Me'', and performed it regularly live. It appears on his live albums '' Sinatra Saga'', '' Sinatra & Sextet: Live in Paris'', '' Frank Sinatra with the Red Norvo Quintet: Live in Australia, 1959'', '' Sinatra: Vegas'' and '' Live at the Meadowlands''. Additionally, it appears as a duet with

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...

on his 1994 album '' Duets II''. * Sam Cooke covered the song on his self titled 1958 debut album * Sarah Vaughan covered the song in 1958 on '' No Count Sarah'' *

Dorothy Ashby Dorothy Jeanne Thompson (August 6, 1932 – April 13, 1986), better known as Dorothy Ashby, was an American jazz harpist, singer and composer. Hailed as one of the most "unjustly under loved jazz greats of the 1950s" and the "most accomplished ...

covered the song in 1958 on '' Hip Harp'' with Frank Wess *

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

included it on his 1960 album ''

The Genius Hits the Road ''The Genius Hits the Road'' is a 1960 album by Ray Charles. The concept album focuses on songs written about various parts of the United States. It peaked at number nine on the pop album charts and produced a US #1 single, "Georgia on My Mind". ...

'' *

Brook Benton Benjamin Franklin Peay (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988), better known as Brook Benton, was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960 ...

covered the song on his 1960 album '' Songs I Love to Sing'' *

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack (; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing gui ...

covered the song on his 1969 album ''

Fly Me to the Moon "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 ...

'' *

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...

covered the song for his 1978 album '' Stardust'' *

Jane Monheit Jane Monheit (born November 3, 1977"Jane Monheit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 33. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2001. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 2017-05-07.) is an American jazz and pop singer. Early life Monheit was bo ...

covered the song for her 2005 Christmas album ''The Season'' * Seth MacFarlane covered the song for his 2014 Christmas album '' Holiday For Swing'' * Captain Beefheart's song "Moonlight ''on'' Vermont", on his 1969 album ''

Trout Mask Replica ''Trout Mask Replica'' is the third studio album by the American band Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, released as a double album on June 16, 1969, by Straight Records. The music was composed by Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) and arrange ...

'', is unrelated

References

External links

Analysis of "Moonlight in Vermont" at Jazz Standards
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moonlight In Vermont (song) 1943 songs 1940s jazz standards Songs written by John Blackburn (songwriter) Songs written by Karl Suessdorf Margaret Whiting songs Ella Fitzgerald songs Louis Armstrong songs Frank Sinatra songs Willie Nelson songs Ray Charles songs Rosemary Clooney songs The Coasters songs Nat King Cole songs Sam Cooke songs Billie Holiday songs Frankie Laine songs Johnny Mathis songs Linda Ronstadt songs Neil Sedaka songs Sarah Vaughan songs Vermont culture Haiku Pop standards Songs about Vermont