Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon

Subject: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 01:14 AM

Heard Jean Redpath sing this apparantly Celtic lullaby a long time ago and rather admired it - can't seem to find it on the DB and don't remember quite all or it though.

Starts out:

"Zoon, Zoon, cuddle and croon
out o're the wrinklin' sea;
The Moonman casts his silvery net,
Fashioned from moonbeams three.
And the tide rolls out
And the waves roll in;
Balmy the night winds blow;
And why that old Moonman still fishes the sea,
Only the Moonman knows."

The rest of the lyrics and guitar chords would be appreciated; I've got the tune pretty well in me head. It's a pretty one.

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Deckman
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 01:18 AM

Written by "B. Buck Ritchie" of Seattle, in the 1950's. I'll get everything about this song for you ASAP. It'll take me a couple of days. CHEERS

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MOON MAN
From: Deckman
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 01:43 AM

Here's all the words. I won't be able to help you with the melody:

Zoom, Zoom, cuddle and croon, Down by the wrinkling sea,
The moon man casts with a silvery net, fashioned from moonbeams three,
And some folks say when the net lies long, and the midnight hour is ripe,
The moon man fishes for some old song that fell from a sailor's pipe.

CHO: Well the waves roll out and the waves roll in,
And the nodding night winds blow,
But why the moon man fishes the sea,
Only the moon man knows.

Zoom, zoom, cuddle and croon, down by the wrinkling sea,
The moon casts with his silvery net, fashioned from moonbeams three,
And some folks say when the net lies long, and no one else is nigh,
The moon man fishes for the baby stars that fall from the slippery sky.

Zoom, zoom, cuddle and croon, down by the wrinkling sea,
The moon man casts with his silvery net, fashioned from moonbeams three,
And some folks say when the net lies long, and no one else is there,
The moon man fishes for the silvery comb that falls from a mermaid's hair.

This was a signature song of Walt Robertson, THE WANDER. B. Buck Ritchie was a radio, stage character in the Seattle area in the 1940 - 50's. I believe he adapted this song from a Eugene fields poem. CHEERS

Subject: Lyr Add: MOON SONG (Mildred Plew Meigs)
From: Alice
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 01:53 AM

MOON SONG

Zoon, zoon, cuddle and croon--
Over the crinkling sea,
The moon man flings him a silvered net
Fashioned of moonbeams three.

And some folk say when the net lies long
And the midnight hour is ripe;
The moon man fishes for some old song
That fell from a sailor's pipe.

And some folk say that he fishes the bars
Down where the dead ships lie,
Looking for lost little baby stars
That slid from the slippery sky.

And the waves roll out and the waves roll in
And the nodding night wind blows,
But why the moon man fishes the sea
Only the moon man knows.

Zoon, zoon, net of the moon
Rides on the wrinkling sea;
Bright is the fret and shining wet,
Fashioned of moonbeams three.

And some folk say when the great net gleams
And the waves are dusky blue,
The moon man fishes for two little dreams
He lost when the world was new.

And some folk say in the late night hours,
While the long fin-shadows slide,
The moon man fishes for cold sea flowers
Under the tumbling tide.

And the waves roll out and the waves roll in
And the gray gulls dip and doze,
But why the moon man fishes the sea
Only the moon man knows.

Zoon, zoon, cuddle and croon--
Over the crinkling sea,
The moon man flings him a silvered net
Fashioned of moonbeams three.

And some folk say that he follows the flecks
Down where the last light flows,
Fishing for two round gold-rimmed "specs"
That blew from his button-like nose.

And some folk say while the salt sea foams
And the silver net lines snare,
The moon man fishes for carven combs
That float from the mermaids' hair.

And the waves roll out and the waves roll in
And the nodding night wind blows,
But why the moon man fishes the sea
Only the moon man knows.

By Mildred Plew Meigs
-----------

Alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Alice
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 02:17 AM

Mildred Plew Meigs wrote poetry for children.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Night Owl
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 02:52 AM

Any chance of locating the tune for this Alice??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Alice
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 11:24 AM

I searched some Jean Redpath CD's and didn't find it at CD Now. If she recorded it, I would really like to hear it. There is a singer on mp3.com, Terry Grosvenor, who has written childrens music, adapting poems from Lewis Carroll, James Whitcomb Riley, and others. She includes the poem "Johnny Fife and Johnny's Wife", by Mildred Plew Meigs. I didn't see Moon Song on her page. I searched CD Now for Moon Man and Moon Song. Didn't find anything that matched the poem, yet. Maybe we need to track down the Seattle performer?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Deckman
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 04:24 PM

Hi, I'm probably the 'Seattle performer' you're referring to. I'm Bob Nelson, Everett. My e-mail is [e-mail]. I REALLY think this was taken from Eugene Fields work. "Buck Ritchie" was an early T.V. character in Seattle. He was a western singer, mostly cornball, except for this magnificant song he put together for his children. I got to know him when I was a teenager. Walt Robertson, legendary singer from these parts, performed on his show several times, and got the song from B. Buck Ritchie (the "B" stood for butterfat!) To my knowledge, it's not been recorded by Walt, but maybe Don Firth can jump in here and correct me. This is a precious lullaby. CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: StillyRiverSage (inactive)
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 07:15 PM

Bob,

An advanced search at http://www.google.com locates the site http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0688081606/ at which the page says MOON SONG was by Mildred Plew Merryman.

The site at http://www.wenaus.com/poetry/moonsong.html says it is written by Mildred Plew Meigs. A search on the name Meigs brings up lots of poetry sites.

Many of Field's poems were put to music, and I think Bob is thinking of "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod", which is by Eugene Field. Lots of sites have that poem also, including http://users.sedona.net/~imboo/poetry/field1.html.

John Dwyer put Field's "The Little Peach" to music many years ago. Another bedtime favorite is Field's "Little Boy Blue."

Maggie

Links fixed. --JoeClone, 21-Feb-05.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Deckman
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 07:40 PM

Yee Gawds and Littles Fishes, Maggie ... YOU GOT ME! I did some more digging in my musty files, and guess what I came up with! I have it as written by Mildred Plew Merryman. And of course I found Winken .... written by Eugene Fields. I hate to be found incorrect, but I couldn't be corrected by a better person. I'll bet your Dad is laughing right now! And, he's reaching for his trusty guitar to sing us ALL versions and perversions. CHEERS and HUGS, Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Don Firth
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 07:45 PM

Being totally clueless, I am therefore an expert.

'Twould appear that the poem was written by By Mildred Plew Meigs (I probably followed Maggie through cyberspace, stepping on her heels without being aware of it) and subsequently discovered by B. Buck Butterball Ritchie, who put it to music. I don't really know, but it seems logical. That sort of thing happens a lot.

The tune, at least the one I learned from Walt Robertson, was written by B. B. B. Ritchie. I would be most curious to know if the tune Jean Redpath sings is the same one. If not . . . that sort of thing happens occasionally, too. Two diffent people discover the same poem, each one writes a tune for it, and there you are. I think that's what may have happened with William Butler Yeats's Song of the Wandering Aengus. I learned it from a fellow named Dick Adams back in the late Fifties, then Judy Collins (I think it was Judy Collins) recorded it some years later, and credits the tune to someone other than Dick Adams. The tunes are awfully close, but especially with that poem, it's likely that more than a couple people have taken a crack at it.

Here's to confusion. It leads us to rummage through the resources and learn.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Don Firth
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 07:49 PM

Jeez! Beat me by that much! Merryman it is!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Alice
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 08:59 PM

Deckman, Maggie, and Don, I posted the poem and noted that it was by Mildred Plew Meigs last night (1:53 AM Mudcat time). It's the third message in this thread. Just need the tune now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: StillyRiverSage (inactive)
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 10:23 AM

Alice,

It looks like Mildred had a name change at some point, hence some confusion. And Eugene Field added to the mix. What a subversive field we're discussing, lullabies--gentle songs with the message "be quiet and go to sleep!"

(Second try--the browser seems a tad touchy this morning).

Maggie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Don Firth
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 07:16 PM

Alice,

I'll try to put the tune I learned from Walt Robertson into a MIDI file. I'm still in the process of learning to use NoteWorthy Composer, and I'll need to check with Bob (Deckman) Nelson to make sure I have it right, so it might take awhile (few days, maybe). Someone may have it ready to go and can get it to you before I can, but if not, have no fear, it's coming.

I'm curious to know what tune Jean Redpath uses.

Thanks for your post of 1:53 a.m., Jan 8th. I was so dead-sure that Buck Ritchie had written the whole thing that I just had to check it for myself. Sorry. You were right.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Barbara
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 02:12 AM

Y'know, I think that the tune is on Ed Trickett's first recording, The Telling Takes Me Home, on Folk Legacy. I'll check in a minute. I'm sure I heard Ed sing it, and it was on the same album as Sea Fever.
Now, I knew and loved the poem from when I was too small to know the words and what they meant. It was in the Childrens golden Book of Poetry (with the author listed as Mildred Plew Meigs) and with a lot of wonderful poetry, including my all time favorite, Custard the Cowardly Dragon, by Ogden Nash.
When I heard the tune Ed sang, I didn't like it. It was too major, and the poem to me was always mysterious. So I wrote my own. If any of you are interested in that one, I can post it. It's more modal.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Barbara
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 02:30 AM

Well, shoot. I can't find it on his recordings. Maybe I heard him sing it in concert. I'll keep looking.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: mg
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:50 PM

you can call me if you'd like and I think I remember John et al singing it...360-695-5443 mg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:52 PM

Thanks much for the Lyr., Mates!

These are more than I recall Jean REDPATH singing, although I have no problem remembering the lovely 3/4 tune, in a minor key I think.

If memory serves me correctly, she sang this live on a "Prarie Home Companion" Public Radio show with Garrison Keioller. I don't know if she ever recorded it or not.

"Wynken" et al. is another of my favorites, which I don't get to sing much any more; Daughter grew up!

I have a book of kid's songs somewhere from my "Ed Tech / Special Ed" days - a lot of fun stuff there. Performing that sort of thing for a bunch of little crumb-crunchers can be a hoot for sure, God Love 'em!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan / Zoon Zoon
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Feb 05 - 10:34 PM

So, did we ever find a recording of this song?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan / Zoon Zoon
From: georgeward
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 01:00 AM

Thanks to everyone!!

This thread solves a mystery for me (wish Vaughn was here to read it).
Lawrence Older - Adirondack traditional singer and incorrigible song sponge - learned this song from Jean Redpath. Both frequented Caffe Lena regularly many years ago. We learned it from Lawrence and his wife Martha, and taught it our own kids and to generations of kids and parents at Pinewoods Camp as a "going to bed song". It is now in our grandkids' repertoires.

I'll do a midi tonight or Monday. No guarantee that it is anything but our version, but I think it may be close to Jean's. Heck, it was only forty years ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lullaby; The MoonMan / Zoon Zoon
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 21 Oct 07 - 05:56 PM

A friend of mine recently linked to this thread from his blog. Did anyone ever dredge up a MIDI/MP3 or find an available recording?

-- Gary

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,dwahl
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 06:16 PM

Here is the original poem from which "Only the Moon Man Knows" was taken.


                      MOON SONG


Zoon, zoon, cuddle and croon—
Over the crinkling sea,
The moon man flings him a silvered net
Fashioned of moonbeams three.

And some folk say when the net lies long
And the midnight hour is ripe;
The moon man fishes for some old song
That fell from a sailor's pipe.

And some folk say that he fishes the bars
Down where the dead ships lie,
Looking for the lost little baby stars
That slid from a slippery sky.

And the waves roll out and the waves roll in
And the nodding night wind blows,
But why the moon man fishes the sea
Only the moon man knows.

Zoon, zoon, net of the moon
Rides on the wrinkling sea;
Bright is the fret and shining wet,
Fashioned of moonbeams three.

And some folks say when the great net gleams
And the waters are dusky blue,
The moon man fishes for two little dreams
He lost when the world was new.

And some folk say in the late night hours
While the long fin-shadows slide,
The moon man fishes for cold sea flowers
Under the tumbling tide.

And the waves roll out and the waves roll in
And the gay gulls dip and doze,
But why the moon man fishes the sea
Only the moon man knows.

Zoon, zoon, cuddle and croon—
Over the crinkling sea.
The moon man flings him a silvered net
Fashioned from moonbeams three.

And some folk say that he follows the flecks
Down where the last light flows,
Fishing for two round gold-rimmed "specs"
That blew from his button-like nose.




And some folk say while the salt sea foams
And the silver net lines snare,
The moon man fishes for carven combs
That float from the mermaids' hair.

And the waves roll out and the waves roll in
And the nodding night wind blows,
But why the moon man fishes the sea
Only the moon man knows.

By Mildred Plew Merryman
from:
"One Hundred Best Poems for Boys and Girls"
Whitman Publishing Company
Racine Wisconsin Ó 1930


This children's poem was set to music by Buck Ritchie
Sung by Bonnie Guitar, it became a popular hit in the 1950's.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,ruralurl
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 12:55 AM

I heard Buck Ritchie himself sing this song on KVI, Tacoma numerous times between late 1942 and mid 1944, when my family moved away from the Pacific Northwest as WWII defense jobs began winding down. I was in my early teens at the time and have a clear memory of the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: Barbara
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 01:54 AM

Actually, after I heard someone sing it long ago, I sat down and wrote my own tune to it, because I loved this poem as a kid, and the other tune didn't evoke for me what the poem did.
Give me a bit and I'll see if I can write it out and post it.
The poem is in The Golden Treasury of Children's Verse, and was written by Margaret Pliew Miegs, if I recall right.
Blessings,
Barbara

---

Click to play (tune by Blessings Barbara)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: Barbara
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 01:59 AM

Oops, the correct author is already posted above, Mildred Plew Meigs,
B,
B

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 06:00 PM

Barbara's tune posted today.
-Joe-

---

Click to play (tune by Blessings Barbara)

---

Anybody know wheere I can find the Walt Robertson recording of this song? The only Walt Robertson album I could find was this one (Sings American Folk Songs). What about the Jean Redpath recording?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,Dave Church
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 12:06 AM

I remember hearing Buck play a recording of himself singing "The Moon Man" several times late at night on KVI when I was about 12 or 14 years old. I am 65 now so that must have been about 1955-57 or so. I still remember the tune and have sung it to my children and grandchildren over the years. There was a full moon tonight when I saw it I remembered the song and started singing it again. I never knew all the words exactly so I thought I would look on the internet and found this site. I also thought Buck wrote it. He had another of his songs he would also play but I can't remember it right now.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 12:34 AM

The great Michael Hurley recorded it and you can buy an MP3 of the track for 99 cents. It is track 12 and has a superfluous 's' on the end of 'moon song'.

Click.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,Rbartels
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 02:11 PM

My Dad used to sing this song to us at bedtime. He found the lyrics for it in a magazine called Child Life published in November 1923. Dad had a copy of the original lyrics sent to him before the publisher went out of business and shared them with us as my sisters and I began our families. I am now going to share the lyrics and melody with my daughter, her husband and my first grandchild to carry on the tradition. I don't know where my Dad got the melody but he sang it to us when I was less than 5 in 1953, but it sounds somewhat like the recording Barbara has shared with us all.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 02:05 PM

Buck Ritchy did have this on a 45 record. I just looked through my small stack, but couldn't find it. Hope I didn't lose it. I am another who grew up with Buck Ritchy. My dad had KVI on all the time. This was one of my favorites!
Sheilah in Lynnwood WA

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,Bridget
Date: 28 Jul 09 - 10:36 AM

Hello, just a note from northern Minnesota. My father, Dean Looper, and B Buck Ritchie collaborated together to write ''Only the Moon Man Knows.'' My dad does give full credit to the fact that B Buck finished it up and wrote most of the chords for it. I have one of only 54 records made by B Buck, himself, and one recording of Bonnie Guitar singing it in my father's studio in Seattle. Unfortunatley it's in litigation now and noone can record it legally--which I must say is a shame for children.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: Deckman
Date: 29 Jul 09 - 10:24 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Aug 09 - 05:10 PM

Would anyone know where i could find an MP3/WMA version of the Buck Ritchie song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,Guest, Larry
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 10:30 PM

Mad Man Moskowitz used to play this song occasionally. His collection of novelty songs was taken over by Nathan Detroit who has a segment on the KSER-FM public radio program Academy of Comedy Saturday mornings about 8am. I am seldom awake then so I don't know if our song has shown up there yet, but I know that he solicits requests.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,earl
Date: 10 Apr 10 - 08:21 PM

I have an old 78 of this somewhere in the pile. I forget the label, but it's a multicolor record in red, yellow and black.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,Linda
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 12:23 PM

Jean Redpath recorded the Moon Man on her lullabye album, "The Moon's Silver Cradle", in 1996. The whole album is fabulous.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: mg
Date: 17 Nov 12 - 12:36 AM

would love it for the lullaby cd but assume there are insurmountable copyright issues..right?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moon Song / Moon Man / Zoon Zoon
From: GUEST,Paddy Hernon
Date: 27 Mar 15 - 01:23 PM

I learned this song from Walt Robertson in Vancouver BC around 50 years ago. Walt said he had learned it from Bonnie Guitar. Jean Redpath was also around about that time and she may well have learned it from Walt. I still sing the song occasionally. Last time was at me son's daycare a few years ago.