How High the Moon

A jazz standard with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis.

Published: 19 May 2013 Updated: 09 Feb 2016Visits: 4Code: UL555

Category: JazzInstrument: Any Subjects: Jazz • Repertoire

Share How High the Moon on: Bluesky facebook twitter (X)

All 1 sample page(s) are viewable on-line.

If you are a registered site member, have verified your email address, and have the correct permissions you can view ALL the pages of this PDF or Samples pages at a larger size using the LearningUkulele.com Online PDF Viewer .

View the Main Song Downloads section below to download the song files for the complete and most up-to-date versions.

How High the Moon

How High the Moon is a jazz standard with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis. It was first featured in the 1940 Broadway revue Two for the Show, where it was sung by Alfred Drake and Frances Comstock.

How High the Moon — Premium Play-along Track

Premium Play-along Tracks are only available to Premium members and Active/Private Students.

Here is a Demo of Desafinado to get an idea of the quality of these custom play-along tracks.

Play-along Demo: Desafinado

DesafinadoPremium Play-along Track with Guitar Melody Played


I, (Curt) originally created these tracks to perform over for gigs and this was a demo for booking gigs.

These Premium Play-along Tracks are available to LearningUkulele.com Site Members and are my personal one-of-kind tracks I (Curt) and Chuck Anderson recorded and arranged.

How High the Moon - Examples with Guitar — Premium Play-along Track

With example of guitar playing the melody.

Premium Play-along Tracks are only available to Premium members and Active/Private Students.

Here is a Demo of Desafinado to get an idea of the quality of these custom play-along tracks.

Play-along Demo: Desafinado

DesafinadoPremium Play-along Track with Guitar Melody Played


I, (Curt) originally created these tracks to perform over for gigs and this was a demo for booking gigs.

These Premium Play-along Tracks are available to LearningUkulele.com Site Members and are my personal one-of-kind tracks I (Curt) and Chuck Anderson recorded and arranged.

How High the Moon is in the Real Book - Volume 1 Sixth Edition book.

How High the Moon…

In "Two for the Show", this was a rare serious moment in an otherwise humorous revue. The song was sung, in a slow fox trot tempo, by a group of evening-dressed people walking along a London street. At the end, they all looked at the sky, and cowered, obviously terrified: quick curtain. It was 1940, and the time of the London blitz: a clear night meant "bomber's moon".

Notable Recordings

The earliest recorded hit version was by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra. It was recorded February 7, 1940 and released by Columbia Records as catalog number 35391, with the flip side "Fable of the Rose". The Les Paul Trio recorded a version released as V-Disc 540B with a spoken introduction which was issued in November, 1945 by the U.S. War Department. In 1948, bandleader Stan Kenton enjoyed some success with his version of the tune. The recording, with a vocal by June Christy, was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 911 (with the flip side "Willow, Weep for Me") and 15117(with the flip side "Interlude"). It reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on July 9, 1948, its only week on the chart, at #27.

Roadmap

The song uses a descending chord progression in which the tonic of the moment turns minor to become the II of the chord a whole step below it.

Main Song Download(s)

The main downloads for this Song.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

How High the Moon - Premium Play-along Track, Key of G

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

How High the Moon - Play-along with Guitar

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

Related Lessons

Related Lessons for How High the Moon.

UL42-7

Core Chords - The Big Six - Building a Solid Chord Foundation

Updated: 07 Sep 2021

The Big Six Core Chords is a series of lessons for building your core, essential 4-part chords. These chords commonly called jazz chords, are really just 4-part chords used in a wide range of musical styles. These chords include: Seventh , Major Seventh, Minor Seventh, Half Diminished Seventh or Minor Seven Flat Five, Diminished Seventh, and Augmented Seventh. These six chords form a core set of chords.

Related Lesson Series

Related Lessons Series for How High the Moon.

Types of Chords Available on Ukulele

Updated: 08 Jun 2023

On the ukulele, there are various types of chords that you can explore, including open position chords, movable form chords, 4-part chords (commonly known as jazz chords), and free form chords.

Common Chord Progressions and Remembering Songs

Updated: 08 Jun 2023

Understanding the similarities between chord progressions and songs can greatly enhance your ability to remember and play a wide variety of songs. It's fascinating how much common ground exists among different musical compositions.

Basic Ukulele Chords Charts

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

Not so much a series - but the basic chords ALL ukulele players should know.

Jazz Standard Chord Progressions

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

These are the chord progressions, extracted from my book "Exploring Jazz Chords on Ukulele" for use with on-line and private students.

Modular Phonetic Rhythm by Chuck Anderson

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

Modular Phonetic Rhythm represents a significant advance in the teaching and application of rhythm. Eliminating many inefficient aspects of rhythm education, Modular Phonetic Rhythm streamlines the traditional educational approach, resulting in a reflexive reaction to rhythm.

Related Songs

Related Songs for How High the Moon.

UL409

I'll Remember April

Updated: 11 Aug 2022

I’ll Remember April was written by Gene de Paul with the lyrics by Patricia Johnston and Don Raye. The song was published in 1942. It was once sung by Judy Garland. The song debuted in the 1942 Abbott and Costello comedy Ride 'em Cowboy, sung by Dick Foran.

Related Song Files, Resources and Assets

Related Assets for How High the Moon.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G

Updated: 11 May 2019

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G. Shows natural, sharp and flat notes for the ukulele fingerboard. This tuning can be used on a soprano, concert, tenor and baritone ukuleles.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Open Position Flash Cards for Ukulele C Tuning

Updated: 07 Jan 2022

Standard music notation flash chards for learning the notes in open position for C tuning.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Movable 7th Chords for Ukulele Chord Chart - C Tuning

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

A handy dandy single sheet chart showing the each voicing of the four, seventh chords Big Six seventh chord voicings.

Site Access Plans for LearningUkulele.com

Forever Access - With Forever Premium Access, you get ALL the benefits of a Premium Access Subscription such as Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources, related assets, and ALL books by Curt as FREE downloads. Pretty much everything on the site, and NEVER worry about a subscription or surprise payment again. And jump the queue for responding to any questions.

If you're anything like me (Curt) and getting Subscription overloaded with everything and everybody on-line wanting money from you once a month — I'm with you. For like-minded individuals, this forever plan is a pay once, and you're done.

The price for Unlimited Forever access is right around the cost of a few months of private lessons. I can guarantee there is more than enough material on-line to keep you busy for a long, long time. And, you get all of my books for FREE. That alone is more than the cost of this plan.

Premium Access - This premium gives you Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources and related assets. As well as ALL books by Curt Sheller as FREE downloads.

Basic Access - A limited selection of basic lessons — ( currently over 140 ) and 100+ songs for ukulele as well as basic general music reference material — Completely FREE — Simply Register/Signup. HOWEVER - I've been doing ukulele and LearningUkulele.com since 2003 and probably have given too much away already - as reflected in my income from the site in relationship to the time spent on the site. So help support this site and its continued development by signing up for one of the below Premium Access Plans or buy a few of my books. - Thanks, Curt

NOTE: Each higher access level includes ALL the benefits of the lower levels. Private Lessons include all the benefits of a Premium Access Plans as long as you remain a student on the schedule.

Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books!Peter Rhee

Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the bestGlen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys

Folks, if you haven't stopped by Curt's site, do so right now! ..And get his books, they are fantastic. This guy knows his stuff and is able to pass it along too.Alan Johnson Proprietor, The 4th Peg

I can highly recommend Curt's Uke books — I have four of them and they are excellent.fatveg — Portland

Want to drop LearningUkulele.com & Learning Ukulele with Curt a nice comment . We always like to know how we are and you are doing. We'll post any comment, quotes throughout the site and you can help spread the word .

Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!

curtieAnim.gif rw.vg.gif

Original Curtie Animation from 1987 for my first web site on a Macintosh II, 37 years ago. Man, does time fly.

“Built for myself (Curt), and sharing with the `Ukulele community!”

LearningUkulele.com has one of the largest collections of lessons, songs, and TABS, Luthiers, ukulele builders, ukulele festival and club information, and, ukulele links on the web. Curt has been on the ®Internet since the early 1990's and This site just never stops growing!!!

Content is added and updated daily — so check back often. I really do need to get out more ;-)

Love LearningUkulele.com? • Show your support!
Support development via a monthly membership or a one-time forever membership!