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.

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