He is credited with being one of the first musicians to go to extreme lengths to create high-quality recordings that took full advantage of the technical capabilities of home audio equipment of the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly stereo effects that bounced the sounds between the right and left channels (often described as “ping-pong”).
The first of the albums produced on his record label, Command Records, Persuasive Percussion, became the first huge hit based solely on retail sales. His songs received little or no airplay on the radio, because AM radio, the standard of the day, was monaural. Light went on to release several albums in the Persuasive Percussion series, as well as a Command test record.
Enoch Light released myriad albums in various genres of music under a variety of names during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Some were released under Grand Award Records, a subsidiary label he founded earlier. The music was intended for older audiences, as opposed to most popular music of the time, which was usually aimed at teenagers. During this time, he pioneered many recording techniques, such as the use of 35 mm opical sound film instead of magnetic tape, thereby reducing the effects of “wow” and “flutter”. The recordings were released under the “35MM” series, starting from “Stereo 35-MM” released by Command Records. Musicians who appeared on Light’s albums include The Free Design, The Critters, Rain, Doc Severinsen, Tony Mottola, Dick Hyman, and arranger Lew Davies.
In 1965, Light sold the Command record label, which had released the Persuasive Percussion series, to ABC Records, which itself was subsequently sold to MCA Records. ABC continued the Command label, and launched an experimental rock label ABC Command Probe as part of the division. This label was the first home of the Soft Machine. When ABC Records issued quadraphonic records in the 1970s, they were issued on the Command label.
How High The Moon
Enoch Light and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 lyrics of Enoch Light and His Orchestra's song "How High The Moon" are both poetic and romantic. The first two lines create an image of distance, which is further emphasized in the third line: a heavenly realm that seems far away. The fourth line provides a striking contrast. It shifts from the ethereal to the earthbound, by referring to the absence of a moon that can be seen. This is followed by the statement that love can be just as absent as the moon.
However, the subsequent lines bring hope. The phrases "till it comes true" and "that you love me as I love you," suggest the arrival of the long-awaited love. It is important to note that this is not merely a physical reunion, but an emotional one. The following stanza reiterates the idea of distance, this time with the phrase "how near, how far." It also captures the notion of love being a bridge between worlds, as indicated by the statement "It's where you are."
The final stanza reiterates the idea from the first stanza about the moon's absence. The phrase "The darkest night would shine" goes one step further, however - it suggests that with the arrival of love, even the bleakest of times would become illuminated. The closing lines echo the sentiment of the whole song: love is powerful and can dispel darkness, but without it, the heart will remain still and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere there's music
There exists music at some unknown place
How faint the tune
The melody is barely audible
Somewhere there's heaven
There is a paradise-like utopia somewhere
How high the moon
The heaven is so high and unreachable
There is no moon above
When love is absent, there is no moon
When love is far away too
Distance between lovers makes the absence of the moon more profound
Till it comes true
Waiting for the love to become a reality
That you love me as I love you
Love should be reciprocated mutually
How near, how far
The music is at an unknown distance
It's where you are
The utopia exists where the loved one is
The darkest night would shine
Even the darkest times will be illuminated
If you would come to me soon
The loved one's arrival is awaited eagerly
Until you will, how still my heart
The absence of the loved one makes the heart anxious
How high the moon
The heaven is still out of reach
Somewhere there's music
The song reminds us of undisclosed melodies
How faint the tune
The melody is scarcely perceptible
Somewhere there's heaven
The song speaks of an unreachable utopia
How high the moon
The heaven is so high up above
The darkest night would shine
Even in the darkness, the light of love shines through
If you would come to me soon
The lover wants their beloved to be with them
Until you will, how still my heart
The lover is restless until their beloved reciprocates their love
How high the moon
The heaven is still out of reach, and the lover is still waiting for their beloved's love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Socratess2007
@hcrun Two very different styles, for sure. Thanks for letting me discover Lola Albright- she seems to sing with such ease (and she's gorgeous indeed !) Aaah.....why don't we hear that great music on the radio anymore ......(I often think I was born in the wrong era! ;-) ......
Ken Newell
After listening to the (gorgeous!) Lola Albright sing the song, it's quite odd to hear this tune as a Latin beat. I don't think I'm rapt in it, unfortunately. Incidentally, for Lola's version, just search Lola Albright Peter Gunn.
Steve Flor
Extremely nice... needs more cowbell. Why do cows wear bells?
'cause their horns don't work!
rsrtaipoo
nice..... :)
Ken Newell
@Socratess2007 (I often think I was born in the wrong era! ;-) You and me both, Walter. :)