Lullaby: I See the Moon
On Monday night, driving home from the studio, the skies were completely clear, and there was the most beautiful, just-past-full moon. It got me humming one of my favorite lullabies, "I See the Moon."
This old song has gone through many variations, and transformations (including the well-known rhyme I see the moon and the moon sees me/God bless the moon and God bless me) but according to Mudcat, one of my favorite sources of information about traditional music, the closest to "original" goes like this:
I see the moon and the moon sees meI love this song, not only because of the melody (which is on one hand very pretty and sing-songy, and on the other hand, very melancholy), but also because of these lyrics. They're so simple and true. When we're far away from someone we love, we try to look for the little things that connect us. It's somehow comforting to remember that the same moon that's shining on me as I go to sleep will be shining on you when you go to sleep, even if you are hundreds of miles away.
Down through the leaves of the old oak tree
Please let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love
Kids, especially, get this. I've used this song in some of my workshops for kids, and they immediately have a list of distant friends and relatives they want to sing this song to. It's relevant to their lives.
And that, of course, is the coolest thing about a song like this. It was written in a completely different century, and it is still immediate and relevant to our lives.
You can listen to or download a free mp3 of my version of "I See the Moon", and read the full lyrics in the Listening Room at SongwritingForKids.com.
You can also click here to listen to the Stargazers hit musi-comedy version from the 1950's. This is the first version I ever heard of "I See the Moon," and it is certainly an experience. I came across this impassioned post from the blog Popular on FreakyTrigger.co.uk where Tom Ewing reviews every #1 single ever to hit the UK pop charts (he's currently up to 1972). His word for the Stargazers version: excruciating. Well, let's see what you think...
6 comments: POST A COMMENT!:
I never believed that typing "I see the moon and the moon sees me" into Google search would have brought me exactly the information I needed, namely the original words to this song. I didn't even know about the variation, but this is the way I was taught it as a baby. Thank you.
Enjoy! Tom B
I'm so glad it was helpful!
I also found this post via google. I sing this to my son all the time (has an instant calming effect), but I only knew the first couple of lines. After reading a few variations, I like this best! Thanks so much!
My Dad used to sing this to me in the car at night. I sing to both my kids the same words he sang to me which are:
I see the moon and the moon see's me
Way up above the old oak tree
please let the light that shines on me
shine on the one I love
Over the mountain and over the sea
back where my heart is longing to be
please let the light that shines on me
shine on the one I love
My mom taught us a slightly different version which we often sang in the car on rides home at night.
I see the moon, the moon sees me.
I see the moon over yonder tree.
Oh, let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love.
Over the mountains, over the sea, that's where my heart is longing to be. Oh, let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love.
My mom taught my nephew this version and it's one I sing to my daughter when we're outside watching the moon.
I see the moon and the moon sees me
Shining bright for all to see
God bless the moon and God bless me
And God bless the ones I love
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