"Old Devil Moon" is a popular song composed by Burton Lane, with lyrics by

Yip Harburg Edgar Yipsel Harburg (born Isidore Hochberg; April 8, 1896 – March 5, 1981) was an American popular song lyricist and librettist who worked with many well-known composers. He wrote the lyrics to the standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" ( ...

for the 1947 musical '' Finian's Rainbow''. It was introduced by Ella Logan and Donald Richards in the Broadway show. The song takes its title from a phrase in "Fun to Be Fooled", a song that Harburg wrote with

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ...

and

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the ...

for the 1934 musical '' Life Begins at 8:40''. In the 1968

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

, the song was performed by Don Francks and

Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during th ...

Notable recordings

Margaret Whiting Margaret Eleanor Whiting (July 22, 1924 – January 10, 2011) was an American popular music and country music singer who gained popularity in the 1940s and 1950s.Mapes, Jillian.Margaret Whiting, Iconic Standards Singer, Dies at 86. ''Billboard' ...

- her single release reached the No. 11 spot in the ''Billboard'' charts in 1947. *

Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973), known as Gene Krupa, was an American jazz drummer, bandleader and composer who performed with energy and showmanship. His drum solo on Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of " Sing, Sing, ...

and His Orchestra (vocal by Carolyn Grey) - this also reached the ''Billboard'' charts briefly in 1947 in the No. 21 position. *

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

– '' Blue Haze'' (1954) * Sarah Vaughan - a single release (1954). *

Mickey Baker MacHouston "Mickey" Baker (October 15, 1925 – November 27, 2012) was an American guitarist, best known for his work as a studio musician and as part of the recording duo Mickey & Sylvia. Early life Baker was born in Louisville, Kentucky. His ...

(1955) * Jack Pleis, His Piano, Orchestra and Chorus – ''Broadway Goes Hollywood'' (1955) *

Bob Dorough Robert Lrod Dorough (December 12, 1923 – April 23, 2018) was an American bebop and cool jazz vocalist, pianist, composer, songwriter, arranger, and producer. Dorough became famous as the composer and performer of songs in the TV series ''School ...

- ''Devil May Care'' (1956) * Frank Sinatra - '' Songs for Swingin' Lovers'' (1956) * Jay Jay Johnson - ''Jay'' (1956) * Andrew Hill Trio – ''So in Love'' (1956) *

Morton Gould Morton Gould (December 10, 1913February 21, 1996) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist. Biography Morton Gould was born in Richmond Hill, New York, Richmond Hill, New York (state), New York, United States. He was recognized ...

& His Orchestra - ''Blues in the Night'' (1957) *

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as ...

- '' A Night at the Village Vanguard'' (1957) * Anita O'Day - '' Anita Sings the Most'' (1957) * Jimmy Smith - '' Plays Pretty Just for You'' (1957) *

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

- ''

(Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen to You ''(Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen to You'' is an album by jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker. It follows a formula similar to two other Baker albums, '' Chet Baker Sings'' (1954) and '' Chet Baker Sings and Plays with Bud Shank, Russ Freem ...

'' (1958) *Totlyn Jackson

ith Lance Hayward The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immedia ...

- ''Lance Hayward at the Half Moon'' (1958), ''Jamaica Jazz 1931-1962'' * Lurlean Hunter - ''Stepping Out'' (1958) *

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalis ...

- '' Jump for Joy'' (1958) *

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in ''The ...

- '' That's Entertainment'' (1960) *

Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones, July 2, 1930) is an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and educator. For six decades, he has been one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. Biography Early life Jamal was born Fr ...

- '' Poinciana'' (1963) *

Milt Jackson Milton Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999), nicknamed "Bags", was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging sol ...

with

Hubert Laws Hubert Laws (born November 10, 1939) is an American flutist and saxophonist with a career spanning over 40 years in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Laws is one of the few classical artists who has also mastered jazz, pop, and rhyth ...

- ''Goodbye'' (1974) *

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, pla ...

Joe Farrell Joseph Carl Firrantello (December 16, 1937 – January 10, 1986), known as Joe Farrell, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who primarily performed as a saxophonist and flutist. He is best known for a series of albums under his own name o ...

- ''Benson & Farrell'' (1976) *Peter Magadini - ''Bones Blues'' featuring Don Menza, Wray Downs (1977) *

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpre ...

- '' The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets'' (1987) *

Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer and actress. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato), and is best known for her 1966 signature hit " These Boots Are Made for Walkin'. Nancy Sinat ...

- As vinyl 7" single / Reprise Records 0789 (1969). Also on her '' Nancy'' CD re-issue by

Sundazed Records Sundazed Music is an American independent record label based in Coxsackie, New York. It specializes in obscure and rare recordings from the 1950s to the 1970s. In 2000, Sundazed had a staff of 15 and two mixing studios, including a vintage audio ...

(1996) SC 6058 *

Mel Torme Mel, Mels or MEL may refer to: Biology * Mouse erythroleukemia cell line (MEL) * National Herbarium of Victoria, a herbarium with the Index Herbariorum code MEL People * Mel (given name), the abbreviated version of several given names (includin ...

– '' Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley'' (1960) *

Jamie Cullum Jamie Cullum (born 20 August 1979) is an English jazz-pop singer, songwriter and radio presenter. Although primarily a vocalist and pianist, he also accompanies himself on other instruments, including guitar and drums. He has recorded nine st ...

– '' Twentysomething'' (2003) *

Carmen Lundy Carmen Latretta Lundy (born November 1, 1954) is an American jazz singer. She has been performing for three decades, with a focus on original material. She has been positively compared with Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. L ...

– ''Old Devil Moon'' (1997) * David Campbell - '' Taking the Wheel'' (1997) *

Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song " Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me", " Mambo Italiano", ...

- ''

At Long Last ''At Long Last'' is a 1998 studio album by Rosemary Clooney, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra. This was Clooney's first recording with the Basie band. Clooney had previously made an album with Duke Ellington, ''Blue Rose (Rosemary Cloone ...

'' (with the

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and th ...

Orchestra) (1998) * Cheyenne Jackson - '' The Power of Two'' (2009) (who also starred as Woody in the 2009 revival of '' Finian's Rainbow'') *

Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though Ke ...

- ''At the Rendezvous, Vol 2'' (2000) (vocal by

Ann Richards Dorothy Ann Richards (née Willis; September 1, 1933 – September 13, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995. A Democrat, she first came to national attention as the Texas State Treasurer, w ...

) *

Josh Groban Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States, wi ...

- '' Stages'' (2015) * McCoy Tyner Trio - '' Reaching Fourth'' (1962)

References

External links

SoundCloud performance
by the late Piero Cusato 1947 songs Carmen McRae songs Frank Sinatra songs Lena Horne songs Songs from musicals Songs with lyrics by Yip Harburg Songs with music by Burton Lane {{Show-tune-stub