He has recorded and performed several times with Claire Martin, and appeared with her on the BBC Radio 2 show Big Band Special, a show that he has also presented. He also presents a jazz show on BBC South with Charlie Crocker.
Shaw performed in Jerry Springer: The Opera in 2002, Richard Thomas created the part of the warm-up man/devil for Shaw.
He won Best Jazz Vocalist at the BBC Jazz Awards in 2004
I Wished On The Moon
Ian Shaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
shadows gathered in the air
no one ever listened to me
no one wondered, "should I care?"
none in all the world to love me
none to count the stars at night
then the moon came out above me
and I saw that was young
I wished on the moon
For something I never knew
Wished on the moon
For more than I ever knew
A sweeter rose, a softer sky
On april days that would not dance by
I begged on the stars
To throw me a beam or two
Wished on the stars
And asked for a dream or two
I looked for every loveliness
It all came true
I wished on the moon for you
Ian Shaw's "I Wished On The Moon" is a song about finding someone to love in a world where no one seems to care. The first verse describes the singer's sense of loneliness and isolation, with every night feeling long and gloomy and shadows gathering in the air. No one seems to listen to the singer, and there is no one to count the stars at night with. However, when the moon comes out, the singer is able to see that they are still young, and this sparks a wish for something more.
The chorus then describes the singer's wishes on the moon and stars for something they didn't even know they needed. They long for a sweeter rose and softer sky on April days that won't dance by too quickly. They beg the stars for a beam or two and ask for a dream or two. And in the end, all of these wishes come true when the singer finds the person they were wishing for.
Line by Line Meaning
every night was long and gloomy
Every night felt like it lasted forever and was filled with darkness and sadness.
shadows gathered in the air
The darkness felt so overwhelming that it felt like it was suffocating the air around the singer.
no one ever listened to me
The singer felt ignored and alone, as if no one cared about what they had to say.
no one wondered, "should I care?"
The artist felt like no one was ever curious about their well-being or whether they needed help.
none in all the world to love me
The artist felt like nobody cared for them, as if they were completely unloved and unwanted.
none to count the stars at night
The singer felt like they had nobody to share their experiences with, to count the stars in the sky with.
then the moon came out above me
Suddenly, the moon rose and shed light upon the singer's life.
and I saw that was young
The moon's light made the artist feel youthful and alive again.
I wished on the moon
Feeling hopeful for the first time in a while, the artist wished upon the moon for something good to happen.
For something I never knew
The artist didn't know what they wanted, but they hoped the moon would bring something new and exciting into their life.
A sweeter rose, a softer sky
The singer wanted the beautiful things in life to be even more beautiful - like roses and the sky - as if the world was softer and kinder.
On april days that would not dance by
The artist wished for time to move slowly, to savor every moment and make every day feel precious.
I begged on the stars
Feeling desperate, the singer begged the stars to bring their dreams to life.
To throw me a beam or two
The singer hoped that the stars would send a glimmer of hope their way.
And asked for a dream or two
The singer wished for dreams to come true, for their life to be filled with possibilities and good things.
I looked for every loveliness
The artist searched for beauty and happiness in all aspects of their life - in people, things, and experiences.
It all came true
The artist's wishes were granted, and their life was filled with the beauty and love they had hoped for.
I wished on the moon for you
The singer wished for someone special to come into their life, someone to share their happiness and love with.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dorothy Parker, Ralph Rainger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leocorno50
Oh you glorious and sizzling hot Sarah-Jane!!! And Ian with hair...
Thanks for posting this, it made me smile.
@bobito8997
This was the performance that made me a fan of Sarah Jane Morris. My jaw hit the floor as I watched this for the first time. Such a shame that she didn't record it. Thanks for uploading.
@sarahjanemorris1279
I must do that sometime
@bobito8997
@Sarah Jane Morris You just made my day :D