"What a Little Moonlight Can Do" 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 A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetit ...

written by Harry M. Woods in 1934. In 1934, Woods moved to London for three years where he worked for the British film studio

Gaumont British The Gaumont-British Picture Corporation produced and distributed films and operated a cinema chain in the United Kingdom. It was established as an offshoot of the Gaumont Film Company of France. Film production Gaumont-British was founded in 18 ...

, contributing material to several films, one of which was '' Road House'' (1934). The song was sung in the film by Violet Lorraine and included an introductory verse, not heard in the version later recorded by

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 ...

in 1935.

Notable recordings

Lew Stone Louis Stone known professionally as Lew Stone (28 June 1898 – 13 February 1969) was a British bandleader and arranger of the British dance band era, and was well known in Britain during the 1930s. He was known as a skillful, innovative a ...

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 in London on August 3, 1934 (Dec F-5270). *

, accompanied by

Teddy Wilson Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive swing pianist", Wilson had a sophisticated, elegant style. His work was featured on the records of many ...

& His Orchestra, on July 2, 1935. This reached the various charts of the day in the USA. She recorded the song again in 1954 for the album ''

''. * Jack Jackson - this also was very popular in 1935. * Helen Ward and Benny Goodman - published 1953 by Columbia Records 78 rpm, jazz * Bing Crosby and Gary Crosby - recorded November 4, 1953 with

John Scott Trotter John Scott Trotter Jr. (June 14, 1908 – October 29, 1975), also known as "Uncle John", was an American arranger, composer and orchestra leader. Trotter was best known for conducting the John Scott Trotter Orchestra which backed singer and ...

and His Orchestra. * Billy Eckstine - for his album '' Billy Eckstine's Imagination'' (1958) * Peggy Lee covered it with a Nelson Riddle arrangement on her 1959 album '' Jump for Joy'' * Betty Carter recorded it on her 1960 album ''The Modern Sound of Betty Carter''. * Nancy Wilson - included in her album '' Something Wonderful'' (1960) *

Anita O'Day Anita Belle Colton (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006), known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band app ...

- included in her album '' Trav'lin' Light'' (1961) * Diana Ross recorded it in her 1972 album '' Lady Sings the Blues'' and in concert in 1992, released as '' Diana Ross Live - Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz and Blues'' * Crystal Gayle included it on her 1980 album

These Days These Days may refer to: Music Albums * ''These Days'' (Bon Jovi album), and the title song (see below) ** These Days Tour, a 1995–1996 tour by Bon Jovi in support of the above album * ''These Days'' (Crystal Gayle album), 1980 * ''These ...

. * Dee Bell covered it with an

Eddie Duran Edward Lozano Duran (September 6, 1925 – November 22, 2019) was an American jazz guitarist from San Francisco. He recorded often with Vince Guaraldi and was a member of the Benny Goodman orchestra during the 1970s. Career Duran started on ...

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

arrangement on their 1985 Concord Jazz album with Tom Harrell - ''One by One''. * Robert Palmer's

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street ...

-themed album '' Ridin' High'' included a version backed by

Clare Fischer Douglas Clare Fischer (October 22, 1928 – January 26, 2012) was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University (from which, five decades later, he would receive an honorary doctorat ...

arrangement (1992) *

Karrin Allyson Karrin Allyson (pronounced ''KAR-in''; born Karrin Allyson Schoonover on July 27, 1963) is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including the ...

included it in her debut album '' I Didn't Know About You'' (1992) * Dee Dee Bridgewater included in her album ''

Keeping Tradition ''Keeping Tradition'' is a studio album by American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. The album was recorded in Paris and released in 1993 via Verve Records label. The album was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Performance in the 37th Annual Grammy ...

'' (1993) *

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birt ...

- included in his album '' Tony Bennett on Holiday'' (1997). *

Steve Tyrell ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve ...

recorded it in his 2001 album, ''Standard Time'' *

Emilie-Claire Barlow Emilie-Claire Barlow (born 6 June 1976) is a Canadian singer, arranger, record producer, and voice actress. She has released several albums on her label, Empress Music Group, and has voiced characters for animated television series. She performs ...

recorded it in her album, "The Very Thought of You" (2007). *

Cécile McLorin Salvant Cécile McLorin Salvant (born August 28, 1989) Kaplan, Fred"Cécile McLorin Salvant's Timeless Jazz" '' The New Yorker'', May 22, 2017. is an American jazz vocalist. She was the winner of the first prize in the Thelonious Monk International Jaz ...

included it in her second album, ''WomanChild'' (2013). *

Cassandra Wilson Cassandra Wilson (born December 4, 1955) is an American jazz singer, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. She is one of the most successful female Jazz singers and has been described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed wi ...

recorded it on her 2015 album, '' Coming Forth by Day'', an album that pays tribute to

by covering songs she wrote as well as made famous. * The Hot Sardines has it on their debut album released in 2014 *

Sinne Eeg Sinne Eeg (born 1 September 1977 in Lemvig, Denmark) is a Danish jazz vocalist and composer. Eeg has received a number of recognitions and positive reviews both nationally and internationally, and is considered among the best female jazz voca ...

included it in her 2014 album for Stunt Records, ''Face The Music''. *

Paula Cole Paula Cole (born April 5, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter. After gaining attention for her performances as a vocalist on Peter Gabriel's 1993–1994 Secret World Tour, she released her first album, ''Harbinger'', which suffered from a la ...

included it on her 2017 album ''Ballads''. *

José James José James (born January 20, 1978) is an American vocalist who combines jazz and hip hop. Biography José James attended The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. In 2008, he debuted with his first album, ''The Dreamer'', on the Brownsw ...

included it on his 2015 album ''Yesterday I Had The Blues: The Music Of Billie Holiday''.

References

Songs written by Harry M. Woods 1930s jazz standards 1935 songs Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) songs Billie Holiday songs Carmen McRae songs {{Pop-standard-stub

Notable recordings

See also

References