Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills. Much of his music employed unusual time signatures, a fact jokingly referred to by his greatest hits album 'Time Signatures: A Career Retrospective'. Upon his death, a number of commentators noted his crossover appeal to mainstream pop audiences, something putting him in the company of other jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong and Herbie Hancock among others.
How High The Moon
Dave Brubeck Lyrics
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How faint the tune
Somewhere there's heaven
How high the moon
There is no moon above
When love is far away too
Till it comes true
That you love me as I love you
Somewhere there's music
How near, how far
Somewhere there's heaven
It's where you are
The darkest night would shine
If you would come to me soon
Until you will, how still my heart
How high the moon
Somewhere there's music
How faint the tune
Somewhere there's heaven
How high the moon
The darkest night would shine
If you would come to me soon
Until you will, how still my heart
How high the moon
The song "How High the Moon" was written by Morgan Lewis (music) and Nancy Hamilton (lyrics) in 1940, and since then it has become a well-known jazz standard, covered by many artists. Dave Brubeck, a legendary jazz pianist and composer, recorded his version of the song in 1954 with his quartet, featuring Paul Desmond on alto saxophone. While the original lyrics were about a love that was still unrequited, Brubeck's version is instrumental, with the melody and improvisation being the centerpiece of the performance.
The lyrics in the song depict a sense of longing for love that is far away. The verses describe the elusive nature of music and heaven, both of which are just out of reach. The moon is a recurring motif that represents hope and happiness, but even that seems far away when love is not present. The lyrics suggest that only when the love is reciprocated will the darkness of the night give way and bring light to the situation. The final verse repeats the first two, emphasizing the theme of the inaccessibility of music and heaven, once again returning to the image of the moon as a symbol of unfulfilled desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere there's music
There exists a place where a beautiful sound is playing
How faint the tune
However, the sound is very quiet and hard to perceive
Somewhere there's heaven
In the same place, an idyllic setting is present
How high the moon
The sky in that setting has a crescent shape that is reaching high into the atmosphere
There is no moon above
In the absence of the heavenly object, life can feel incomplete and darker
When love is far away too
Particularly, when affection is not present in one's life
Till it comes true
That lack can be resolved only when love is reciprocated
That you love me as I love you
The person one desires should feel the same way towards them
How near, how far
This desirable person might be close or far away
It's where you are
But they occupy the idyllic setting, regardless of location
The darkest night would shine
When the person arrives, any situation would seem illuminated and full of hope
If you would come to me soon
The only thing that is needed to turn everything around is that the beloved person appears sooner rather than later
Until you will, how still my heart
However, until that moment, there may be a sense of emptiness inside oneself
How high the moon
The sky in that setting, with its crescent shape, takes on even more meaning when shared with someone special
Somewhere there's music
Returning to the beginning, the thought of a place where a beautiful sound is playing remains
How faint the tune
But, once again, it is just barely audible and difficult to grasp completely
Somewhere there's heaven
Still, in the same place as before, that idyllic setting exists
How high the moon
And the sky there, with its crescent shape, towers overhead
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind