Following Sunday’s “Cocktails for Two,” this week’s Word Association Wednesday lands us squarely in the glow of the 1942 hit Moonlight Cocktail.
The Big Bluebird Hit
The version that defined the tune for most listeners was the Bluebird recording from December 1941 by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, with Ray Eberle and the Modernaires on vocals:
Classic Miller: the trademark reed blend, the gentle sway, and a tenor sax solo from Tex Beneke to seal the deal.
A Wartime Aircheck Twist
A fascinating comparison is this July 1942 aircheck, featuring the Miller band on radio with Skip Nelson stepping in for Ray Eberle:
Skip always struck me as a natural fit as the new "boy singer" for the band, but between the recording ban and Glenn’s military service, his recorded legacy ended up slimmer than his talent deserved.
Casa Loma Elegance
One of the loveliest non‑Miller takes is this instrumental by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, recorded around the same time:
It’s elegant and unhurried — and I can easily imagine Kenny Sargent stepping up to sing the lyrics.
The Okeh Smoothie
Once the tune caught fire in early 1942, more versions followed. I’m fond of this Tommy Tucker side on Okeh:
The label credits Don Brown and the Voices Three as vocalists, but it plays almost like a duet between Don and Amy Arnell, who’s in fine canary form.
Dolly on Patrol
A full‑on female‑lead version came from Dolly Dawn and her Dawn Patrol Orchestra on the Elite label:
Dolly was a major singing star in her day, and performances like this make it easy to understand why.
Bing Joins the Party
And of course, the most popular singer of the era - Bing Crosby - added his own Decca version to the mix:
Ozzie's Snappy Nightcap
Let’s sneak in one more: a brisk instrumental by Ozzie Nelson, recorded as a radio transcription:
So many cocktails… I feel shaken, but not stirred!
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