"Reaching for the Moon" is a popular song written by

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russ ...

for the 1930 musical film of the same name. In 1930, United Artists prepared this original music film written by Irving Berlin with his music and lyrics. Director

Edmund Goulding Edmund Goulding (20 March 1891 – 24 December 1959) was a British screenwriter and film director. As an actor early in his career he was one of the 'Ghosts' in the 1922 silent film '' Three Live Ghosts'' alongside Norman Kerry and Cyril Chadwi ...

and Berlin fought over Goulding's decision to cut most of the songs from the film (due to the temporary disfavor of movie musicals). The film starred Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and

Bebe Daniels Phyllis Virginia "Bebe" Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971) was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer, and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent film era as a child actress, became a star in musicals such ...

. The title song is only used as background music. Titles of the unused Irving Berlin songs are: "It's Yours"; "What a Lucky Break for Me"; "They're Going Down (Brokers' and Customers' Song) - which was rewritten as "Wedding and Crash"; "If You Believe" - a revised version was sung by

Johnnie Ray John Alvin Ray (January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Highly popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor to what became rock and roll, for his jazz and blu ...

There's No Business Like Show Business "There's No Business Like Show Business" is an Irving Berlin song, written for the 1946 musical '' Annie Get Your Gun'' and orchestrated by Ted Royal. The song, a slightly tongue-in-cheek salute to the glamour and excitement of a life in show b ...

(1954); "The Little Things in Life" - which provided hit records for Gus Arnheim and His Cocoanut Orchestra (vocal by Bing Crosby) on Victor, and Ted Wallace and His Campus Boys (vocal by Dick Dickson) on Columbia; "A Toast to Prohibition"; "You've Gotta Do Right by Me" and "(I Ask You) Is That Nice?" Bing Crosby sings "When The Folks High Up Do That Mean Lowdown", in his first solo film performance. The title song was quite popular in 1930-31 with recordings made for every label at the time.

Ruth Etting Ruth Etting (November 23, 1896 – September 24, 1978) was an American singer and actress of the 1920s and 1930s, who had over 60 hit recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film. Known as "America's sweetheart of song", her signature tunes ...

's version for Columbia was especially popular. The song is a waltz, but there was at least one fox trot arrangement of the waltz issued at the time (on Hit of the Week). In 1917, Fairbanks produced a

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

by this same name, in which Fairbanks starred alongside

Eileen Percy Eileen Percy (August 1902 – 29 July 1973) was an Irish-born American actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1917 and 1933. Biography Born in Belfast in August 1902, Percy lived in Brooklyn, New York, briefly ...

and Richard Cummings.

Notable recordings

* Roy Smeck's Trio of Hawaiian guitars (vocal by Jack Parker) Romeo 10438 (1926) *

Bob and Alf Pearson Bob and Alf Pearson were an English musical variety double act, consisting of brothers Robert Alexander Pearson (15 August 1907 – 30 December 1985) and Alfred Vernon Pearson (15 June 1910 – 7 July 2012), who were mainly known for their singi ...

on a 78rpm single (1931) *

Roy Fox Roy Fox (October 25, 1901 – March 20, 1982) was an American-born British dance bandleader who was popular in Britain during the British dance band era. Early life and career Roy Fox was born in Denver, Colorado, United States. He and his ...

and His Band (vocal by

Al Bowlly Albert Allick Bowlly (7 January 1898 – 17 April 1941) was a Mozambican-born South African– British vocalist and jazz guitarist, who was popular during the 1930s in Britain. He recorded more than 1,000 songs. His most popular songs includ ...

) recorded the song in London for Decca Records on March 5, 1931 (GB-2717-3: Dec F-2279). *

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 ...

- ''

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book'' is a 1958 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with a studio orchestra conducted and arranged by Paul Weston, focusing on the songs of Irving Berlin. It was part of the popu ...

'' (1958) * Frank Sinatra - '' Moonlight Sinatra'' (1965) *

Roseanna Vitro Roseanna Elizabeth Vitro (born February 28, 1951) is a jazz singer and teacher from Arkansas. Biography Born Roseanna Elizabeth VitroScott Fredrickson and Gary W. Kennedy.Vitro (Wickliffe), Roseanna" In ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2 ...

- '' Reaching for the Moon'' (1991) *

Lizz Wright Elizabeth LaCharla Wright (born January 22, 1980) is an American jazz and gospel singer. Life and career Wright was born in the small town of Hahira, Georgia, one of three children and the daughter of a minister and the musical director of t ...

Regina Carter Regina Carter (born August 6, 1966) is an American jazz violinist. She is the cousin of jazz saxophonist James Carter. Early life Carter was born in Detroit and was one of three children in her family. She began piano lessons at the age of t ...

- '' We All Love Ella: Celebrating The First Lady Of Song'' (2007) *

Holly Cole Holly Cole (born November 25, 1963) is a Canadian jazz singer and actress. For many years she performed with her group The Holly Cole Trio. Background Cole was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her father, Leon Cole, was a noted radio broadcaster ...

- ''

'' (2007)

References

Songs written by Irving Berlin Ella Fitzgerald songs 1930 songs Songs about the Moon {{Pop-standard-stub