Shine on Harvest Moon - Chords, Lyrics and Origins
Origins
I can't listen to the Flanagan and Allen version of 'Shine on Harvest Moon' without it bringing a smile to my face, and a tear to my eye (well almost, anyway). Flanagan and Allen were a famous British music hall double act who performed during the middle of the twentieth century. They were especially popular during the second world war. They remind me of my grandparents' generation, who, of course, lived through the war years. Sentimental, I know.
Shine on Harvest Moon is a Tin Pan Alley song. It was written by Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth in 1908. I personally first heard it when it was used as the theme tune of a British TV series, Shine on Harvey Moon, which aired during the 1980s and which was set in London's East End during the 1940s - but it has also fatured in a number of films.
The chord chart and lyrics on this page are for the Flanagan and Allen version of Shine on Harvest Moon that you can hear in the YouTube video. In America, the song was made famous by Ruth Etting. Her version - also quite wonderful - features a verse that does not appear in Flanagan and Allen's rendition.
You can listen to the Ruth Etting version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Mu9fh23dY
And here is the Flanagan and Allen rendition:
Chords
Capo at 1st Fret
Introduction
/ A6 – A7 - / A6 – A7 - / G6 – G7 - / G6 – G7 - /
/ C (STOP) - - C / B (STOP) - - B / A (STOP) - - - / A7 (STOP) - - - /
1st Refrain
/Gdim – B - / Gdim B B7 - / E7 – - - / E7 – - - /
/ A7 – - - / A7 – - - / D7 (STOP) - - / (STAY STOPPED) – - - /
/Gdim – B - / Gdim B B7 - / E7 – - - / E7 – - - /
/ A7 – - - / A7 – - - / D7 (STOP) – G7 (STOP) - / D7 (STOP) – - - /
2nd Refrain
/ Cdim – B - / Cdim B E7 - / A7 – - - / A7 – - - /
/ D7 – - - / D7 – - - / G7 (STOP) - - / (STAY STOPPED) – - - /
/ Cdim – B - / Cdim B E7 - / A7 – - - / A7 – - - /
/ D7 – - - / D7 – - - / G7 (STOP) – D7 (STOP) - / G7 (STOP) – - Ab /
Bridge
/ A - - - /A7 (STOP)- - - /
3rd Refrain
/Gdim – B - / Gdim B B7 - / E7 – - - / E7 – - - /
/ A7 – - - / A7 – - - / D7 (STOP) - - / (STAY STOPPED) – - - /
/Gdim – B - / Gdim B B7 - / E7 – - - / E7 – - - /
/ A7 – - - / A7 – - - / D7 (STOP) – G7 (STOP) - / D7 (STOP) – - B /
Bridge
/ C (STOP) - - C / B (STOP) - - B / A (STOP) - - - / A7 (STOP) - - - /
Instrumental Refrain
/Gdim – B - / Gdim B B7 - / E7 – - - / E7 – - - /
/ A7 – - - / A7 – - - / D7 (STOP) - - / (STAY STOPPED) – - - /
/Gdim – B - / Gdim B B7 - / E7 – - - / E7 – - - /
/ A7 – - - / A7 – - - / D7 (STOP) – G7 (STOP) - / D7 (STOP) – - - / Dmaj7
Lyrics
1st Refrain
Shine on, shine on harvest moon, up in the sky-y
I ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June or July
Snowtime ain't no ti-ime to stay outdoors and spoon
So shine on, shine on harve-e-est moon, for me and my gal.
2nd Refrain
Shine on, shine on harvest moon, up in the sky-y
I ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June or July
Snowtime ain't no ti-ime to stay outdoors and spoon
So shine on, shine on harve-e-est moon, for me and my gal.
3rd Refrain
Shine on, shine on harvest moon, up in the sky-y
I ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June or July
Snowtime ain't no ti-ime to stay outdoors and spoon
So shine on, shine on harve-e-est moon, for me and my gal.