Interesting to see what a century of folk variation can do to a pop song. Starting with a refrain of

Oh, Mister Moon, Moon, silvery moon, kindly come out and shine,
Do Mister Moon, Moon, come out soon, my home I want to find,
I'm brave, 'tis true, was never known to run,
But the boys behind me with a gatling gun,
Oh Mister Moon, Moon, silvery moon, kindly come out and shine,

We get variants like:

Line 1: bright and shiny moon, [won't you] please shine down on me
   OR Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. Golden Sun ...

Line 2: ... hiding behind that tree OR come from behind that tree OR I'm lonesome / lonely as I can be

Lines 3-4:

Your life is in danger, you better run
Here comes a man with a gatling gun, OR

Well, if your life is in danger and you're starting to run / When your knees are shaking and you start to run / Well my life is in danger but I'm scared [or OR I've got] to run
There's a man behind you [me] with a gatling gun OR

Here comes the farmer with his big shotgun,
He's gonna get you if you start to run,   OR

I want to shoot that possum with my big shotgun
Shoot that possum 'fore he starts to run OR

Can't you see that man with the big shotgun
Here comes a Johnny with a kettle and a gun

Line 5 (reprise of line 1)

-- and that's just the major variations. Folk process!

More recently camp counselors have obviously had their way with lines 3 and 4, as a quick web search indicates:

Way over there there's an owl in a tree,
Here she comes swoopin' down on me,

I want to see you shinin' down on earth below,
See you shine way up above us so,

We're all here just waiting for you,
So come out and do the things that you do,

These little children are asking you,
To please come out so we can play with you,

Kingsley Camp, I'm a-telling you,
To Miss Higham we'll be true,

and so on ...

The "hoofing" finish, "Talk about shine on, Won't you please shine down on me" may have stemmed from Smith and Bowman, or may have been added later. It was a wildly popular way for vaudevillians to end a song right up through the 1930s if not later, and could still be seen on TV variety shows in the 50s. -- Bob