Origins: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: GUEST,Paul from Woodhaven
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:30 PM

My Mom and Dad the Mariners' song on 45 in the early sixties. I very vividly remember the song, their version was kind of strange with a spoken word intro, but also some nice barbershop harmony. Man, this thread brought back some memories.

Cheers,
Paul

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: GUEST,Wilson
Date: 10 Oct 06 - 02:38 AM

Interesting posts, everyone.
The version of this lullabye that was sung to me - many years ago - had a few changes to it.... went like this:

I see the moon, the moon sees me
Shining over the old oak tree
I ask the moon, that shines above
Shine on the one I love


Wilson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: leeneia
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 12:26 PM

Thought I'd share this memory:

The first time I sang this song to my little niece, she objected to the words "the moon sees me." She knew that the moon is inanimate and cannot see anyone. I had to do some fast talking about the imaginary Man in the Moon looking down at us. Thank goodness she went for it.

Kids are more intelligent than we think, sometimes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: GUEST,Jaime McDonald
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 09:51 AM

Hi there :)

Just to say you are right in assuming theres more, its an old rhyme that my grandmother used to sing to me when I was very little, and its been passed down through the women as a sort of legacy to sing to their daughters. The full rhyme is...

I see the moon, the moon sees me,
Under the shade of the old oak tree.
Please let the light that shines on me,
Shine on the one I love.

Over the mountains, Over the sea,
Where my heart is longing to be.
Please let the light that shines on me,
Shine on the one I love.

Im not entirely sure how old it is and whether or not its copyrighted...I dont even know the name! But I hope this is what you're looking for :]

Jaime

x

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: GUEST,Elinor -Australia
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 08:15 AM

Thank you so much for the rest of the lyrics. My Grandad sang this to me as a child, and now my children love it. It feels like a gift to hand down the generations.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 09:07 PM

That's funny. The MIDI search engine didn't mention it.

I'm glad somebody was kind enough to post it, but Lordy, that MIDI fiddle sound is enough to turn anybody off folk music.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 10:17 AM

I can't believe this tune is not on the Internet. Stand by, and I will try to post the MIDI of the tune I know.

---

We've got one in Mudcat MIDIs, leeneia-


Click to play

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: GUEST,Jane in Ohio
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 09:17 AM

I'm 72 years old and I learned this at Camp Fire Girls camp many years ago.

I see the moon, the moon sees me,
the moon sees the one I long to see,
God bless the moon and God bless me
and God bless the one I long to see.

Once I had a heart so true,
but now it's gone from me to you.
Take care of it as I have done
for you have two and I have none.

Then the chorus again.

It seems to me that God above
created you for me to love,
he picked you out from all the rest
because he knew I'd love you best.

Then again the chorus.

I sing this to my little 3 year old Great Grandson and he just loves it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 11:08 AM

A vague recollection is that Debbie Reynolds sang this one in one of her movies, possibly Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) and it was briefly popular on radio and jukeboxes, by a number of singers, in the late 50s US.

There are a number of sites with info on Debbie's movies, but none that I find with a quick search that identifies what songs were included. If my memory isn't completely off (not a certainty) there probably was a published "modern movie version" of the sheet music, and some recycled/republished CDs. Again, the CDs offered don't provide a play list, so I guess they're only for old fans with memory better than mine.

But possibly, it's a traditional song that once made the big time in Hollywood, and the movie verson may be where a few 'catters parents learned it (?).

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From:
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 12:33 AM

No one mentioned my favorite verse;
(the last one)

If I get to Heaven and you're not there,
I'll write your name on a golden stair.

God bless the moon and God bless me,
and God bless the somebody I want to see.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me
From: GUEST,Bindi Australia
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 05:31 AM

I have been singing this song to myself for weeks and just couldn't remember where I used to hear it.So thankyou 'guest' from Lindswidder...it was Uncle Mac! :)

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: GUEST,guest, blouse1
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 01:55 PM

this is a version my great grandmother used to sing to me

i see the moon and the moon sees me
and the moon sees somebody i want to see.
god bless the moon and god bless me
and god bless the somebody i want to see.

god looked down on me from above
and gave you to me just for me to love,
he picked you out from all the rest
because he knew i'd love you the best.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: GUEST,Johnnyboy
Date: 19 May 04 - 11:20 AM

I have wondered about this song for a long time. I sing it to my little boys, but had no idea where I ever heard it from. Thanks for all the verses!

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: GUEST,BIG ANDY
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 06:19 PM

have a look at this then http://www.rathergood.com/moon_song

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 06:15 PM

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 08:41 PM

T in Oklahoma- what is this   repeated, that starts every line?

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: GUEST,Lindswidder
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 07:34 PM

Yep - I've got the Stargazers Version on the "Uncle Mac" Compilation "Hello Children Everywhere" ... it's probably the best-known version

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: T in Oklahoma (Okiemockbird)
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 07:26 PM

In the 19th century, the Mudcat discussion forum was called Notes and Queries. The Following note appeared in Notes and Queries, 10th Series, May 14th, 1904, page 395:


In Ireland, sixty years ago, children, at their first glimpse of the new moon, were taught, in order to escape bad luck or some dire calamity, to use the following invocation:-

   I see the moon,
   And the moon sees me.
   God bless the moon,
   And God bless me.
                 HENRY SMYTH.
Harborne.


Underneath Mr. Smyth's note is an anonymous note in brackets, presumably from the editor: "These lines were familiar in the West Riding a couple of generations ago."

The chronological indication, "sixty years ago", agrees fairly closely with the date of J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps's The Nursery Rhymes of England, Obtained Principally from Oral Tradition, Third Edition with Additions, London and Boston, 1843, in which the same rhyme appears (#299, page 169) though as an English, rather than an Irish rhyme.

T.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Penny G.
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 11:40 PM

Allan...Is the tune as lovely as the lyrics?

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Penny G.
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 11:32 PM

This is dedicated to Allan for all the moonlight nights we are apart......

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 12:40 PM

Joe Offer's post above:

I SEE THE MOON

I see the moon, the moon sees me,
God bless the moon and God bless me,
There's grace in the cottage and grace in the hall,
And the grace of God is over us all.


Source: "Cut the Loaf: Irish Children's Songs," Carmel O Boyle, Mercier Press, 1986.

This version actually first appears in P. W. Joyce's 'Old Irish Folk Music and Songs' 1909, #118 with music notation

Joyce says, 'On the first appearance of the new moon, anumber of children linked hands and danced, keeping time to the following verse-'

he is remembering his childhood from 1830's, (born 1827), so this Irish variant goes back a ways, obviously borrowed and adapted from an English original, prb. Mother Goose, since there are no Gaelic versions to be found, or are there?

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From:
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 11:03 AM

Also a big hit in the UK by The Stargazers.

Michael.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: GUEST,Suzanne Sebastian
Date: 10 Oct 01 - 08:34 PM

I, too, learned this song from my mother, who also knew only one verse. I wanted to sing more, and found my inspiration one day last winter when I was having my morning cuppa, curled on the couch in the dark, under the full moon. I used the melody I knew to convey what it felt like to be a small child, listening to my mother sing this song while standing under a maple tree, looking at the moon over the bay. I was singing this all day today, so it was a merry coincidence to find an Email from a buddy, telling me about this thread. I hope you like the song.


I See The Moon

I see the moon and the moon sees me,
Peeking through the branches of the maple tree.
Please tell the moon she shines on me;
Shine on the one I'll love.

I see the moon and the moon sees me--
She shows me the sky and the clouds and sea.
The world is wide and I'm tiny;
Shine on the one I'll love.

I see the moon and the moon sees me--
She is old, and I am three.
She sees the one whose love I'll be;
Shine on the one I'll love.

I see the moon and the moon sees me,
Peeking through the branches of the maple tree.
Please tell the moon she shines on me;
Shine on the one I'll love.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 08:14 AM

I'll do my best to be there, Judy!

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Judy Cook
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 07:35 PM

Steve,

St. Neot's isn't too far away. I'll be singing there on March 6th.

-- Judy Cook

Subject: Lyr Add: I SEE THE MOON, THE MOON SEES ME (Willson
From: Sarah2
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 04:42 PM

Refresh, because I was in my favorite second-hand book store, flopping around through the music, and found a sheet-music publication of this, copyright 1953, words and music credited to Meredith Willson, as sung by the Mariners on Columbia Records (featured on all Arthur Godfrey Programs -- oh my!) Price 40 cents. So I had to have it. Publisher was Plymouth Music Co, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York, NY. It goes...

I SEE THE MOON
(Meredith Willson)

I see the moon, the moon sees me,
Down thru the leaves of the old oak tree,
Please let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.
    Over the mountain, 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

I hear the lark, the lark hears me
Singing a song with a memory
Please let the lark that sings to me
Sing to the one I love
    Over the mountain, over the sea,
    Back where my heart is longing to be
    Please let the lark that sings to me
    Sing to the one I love.

I kiss the rose and the rose kisses me,
Fragrant as only a rose can be
Please take the kiss that comforts me
Back to the one I love
    Over the mountain, over the sea
    Back where my heart is longing to be
    Please take the kiss that comforts me
    Back to the one I love

***

Sarah

---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsGcat_dJVE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_See_the_Moon

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Cobble
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 08:10 PM

Thank you all, reading this thread has taken me back all those years to my childhood. Its one of those songs that suddenly appears again and your mind is back in the 1950's. was it that long ago.

Cobble.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 03:31 AM

Judy, next time you're in Bedford, UK, we'll ask you to sing it for us!

Steve

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Judy Cook
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 04:23 PM

The "Lark" verse that I remember from childhood goes:

I hear the lark, the lark hears me
Singing a song with a memory
Please let the lark that sings for me
Sing for the one I love.

--Judy Cook

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: dwditty
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 11:36 PM

Greg Brown's three girls do a nice version on one of his CD's. Bathtub Blues, I think.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 10:27 PM

Jean Ritchie recorded a version on her "Clear Waters Remembered" LP years ago.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 05:58 AM

Our own primary school vesion went

"I see the moon , the moon sees me;
This song is stupid coz the moon can't see..."

Much to the annoyance of Miss Chapman, our teacher.

Cheers (Reckon your second graders could probably do better!)

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me ^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 05:10 AM

One more version.
-Joe Offer-

---

I SEE THE MOON

I see the moon, the moon sees me,
God bless the moon and God bless me,
There's grace in the cottage and grace in the hall,
And the grace of God is over us all.

Source: "Cut the Loaf: Irish Children's Songs," Carmel O Boyle, Mercier Press, 1986.
^^

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me ^^
From: Nogs
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 12:51 PM

Mom used to sing us asleep with this one.

I see the moon, the moon sees me,
Moon sees someone I'm longing to see.
Please let the moon that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.

CHO: Over the mountains, over the sea,
Back where my heart is longing to be.
(repeat the last two lines of the last verse)

I hear the lark, the lark hears me,
Lark hears someone I'm longing to see.
Please let the lark that sings for me,
Sing for the one I love.

There may have been a 'rose' verse in there too, but I cant come up with the wording (sleep was NOT aided by singing "I smell a rose, the rose smells me . .")^^

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me ^^
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 03:43 AM

My 78 by the Stargazers (UK mixed close harmony group from the forties/fifties) goes:

I see the moon, the moon sees me,
Down through the leaves of the old oak tree.
Please [other versions have 'Lord'] let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.

Chorus:
Over the mountains, over the sea,
That's where my heart is longing to be.
Please let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.

I kissed the rose, the rose kissed me,
Fragrant as only a rose can be.
Please let the light etc.

I'm sure I've heard a version that has 'please let the kiss ...', but I'm not sure how it goes after that. Make it up, that's the folk process!

Steve^^

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Metchosin
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 07:30 PM

I know the tume of the version I posted the chorus for above,Aine, but how to get it across is a problem for me. My daughter's Finale programme doesn't seem to want ot work on this computer. Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Áine
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 04:18 PM

Ok, now we've got the author of the words -- how 'bout the tune?

-- Áine

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 03:42 PM

Yep, anon., above, has it.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From:
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 03:20 PM

Versions as early as 1784 are cited in the Opie's 'The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes'

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: --seed
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 03:15 PM

MAG--Is that right, is Ol' Ma Goose the original source. Amazing.

--seed

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me ^^
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 12:25 PM

Mother Goose:

I see the moon, the moon sees me
The moon sees somebody I can't see
God bless the moon, and God bless me
God bless somebody I can't see ^^

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me ^^
From: Áine
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 10:01 AM

Thanks, Joe, for the link to KIDiddles! The version of this song I grew up singing was Version #2 on that site:

I see the moon. The moon sees me
Under the shade of the old oak tree (I sing apple tree here)
Please let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.

Over the mountains, 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.

I know that there were more verses to this version than just these two. Does anyone remember them?

Also, does anyone know who the author is of this song, or better, the original tune?

-- Áine

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Night Owl
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 10:17 PM

seed...I learned the first verse you posted as a fast upbeat "ditty"(?). Your second verse I learned as a slow tune which has some beautiful harmonies and a different name. The verse you posted, as I remember, comes at the end of the song I learned. Anyone else have a similar memory..(or lack of)? If so, what's the rest of the verses in the slower version??

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 09:58 PM

You're most welcome, TC. Stick around a while: maybe you can return the favor some time.

--seed

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: TCHector
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 07:50 PM

Thank you Thank you, the second graders Thank you. They are going to sing this for the school. Thanks alot

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 06:38 PM

For devotees of the late Denis Potter this song was included in his brilliant 'Lipstick On Your Collar' fantasy which was set in the British Foreign Office in the 50's. Like much of his output little of it is probably seen outside of the British Commonwelth. Regards, John

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 05:32 PM

Hi - there are five versions to pick from at Kididdles, mostly pretty much what BSeed posted above. Click here to see what they have.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From: Metchosin
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 02:34 PM

Over the mountain, over the sea
Thats where my heart is longing to be
Please let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.

Subject: RE: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me ^^
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 02:13 PM

I learned this song in church camp oh so many years ago:

I see the moon and the moon sees me;
The moon sees somebody I'd like to see.
God bless the moon and god bless me,
And God bless the somebody I'd like to see.

I really think that God above
Created you for me to love
And picked you out from all the rest
Because he knew I'd love you best.

(repeat first verse)

Is this the one you want?

--seed ^^

Subject: I see the Moon, The Moon sees me
From:
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 02:06 PM

I'm looking for a song I heard as a child from my grandmother. It goes :

I see the moon the moon sees me,
Down by the shade of the old oak tree.
Please let the light that shines on me,
Shine on the one I love.

There must be more to this but I can remember any more. Thanks for your help. Cathy