Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss, June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009) and Mary Ford (Iris Colleen Summers, July 7, 1924 – September 30, 1977) were introduced to each other by Gene Autry in 1946 and married in 1949.
They first appeared in the pop charts in 1950. Between the years 1950 and 1954, Les Paul and Mary Ford had 16 top-ten hits. They had five top-ten hits within nine months. "Tennessee Waltz", "Mockin' Bird Hill", "How High the Moon" (#1 for nine weeks), "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise" and "Whispering". From August 1952 to March 1953 they had five more top-ten hits; "My Baby's Coming Home", "Lady of Spain", "Bye Bye Blues", "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" and "Vaya Con Dios" (#1 for 11 weeks). Their 1954 version of "I'm a Fool to Care" went to #6, and was featured in a memorable Southern Comfort commercial in 2013 that got over 1 million views on YouTube.
In 2009, they were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Les Paul and Mary Ford are famous for creating a makeshift recording studio in their garage. In their garage studio, they used multitrack recording to record many of their hits including ‘Lover’, ‘Nola’, ‘Brazil’ and ‘Whispering' with only the two of them.
YouTube has a large selection of clips from their syndicated TV show "Les Paul & Mary Ford At Home" (1954-'55).
Les Paul and Mary Ford divorced acrimoniously in December 1964, which also ended the collaboration between the two.
The duo have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Les Paul had hosted a 15-minute radio program, The Les Paul Show, on NBC in 1950, featuring his trio (himself, Ford, and rhythm player Eddie Stapleton) and his electronics, recorded from their home and with gentle humour between Paul and Ford bridging musical selections, some of which had already been successful on records, some of which anticipated the couple's recordings, and many of which presented dazzling re-interpretations of such jazz and pop selections as "In the Mood," "Little Rock Getaway," "Brazil," and "Tiger Rag." Several recordings of these shows survive among old-time radio collectors today.
The show also appeared on television a few years later with the same format, but excluding the trio and retitled The Les Paul & Mary Ford Show (aka Les Paul & Mary Ford At Home) with "Vaya Con Dios" as a theme song. Sponsored by Warner Lambert's Listerine, it was widely syndicated during 1954–55 and was only five minutes long (one or two songs) on film and therefore used as a brief interlude or fill-in on programming schedules. Since Les created the entire show himself, including audio and video, he maintained the original recordings and was in the process of restoring them to up-to-date quality at the time of his death.
How High the Moon
Les Paul & Mary Ford 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
'Til it comes true
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 "How High The Moon" by Les Paul and Mary Ford speak about love, longing, and the power of music. The song begins with a sense of elusive music that can only be faintly heard, yet somewhere there is heaven, which is as high as the moon. The refrain echoes this sentiment, reaffirming that somewhere, there is music and heaven waiting.
The second stanza introduces the idea that the moon no longer exists in the presence of love. The lyrics express that when love is absent, it feels as though there is no moon to light the night sky. But, hope remains that one day the love will be returned, and until then the heart remains still and quiet.
The final stanza repeats the idea of hope, and that heaven can be found where the one you love is. The lyricist's use of imagery is notable in the song, such as the darkness of night shining bright when the person they're waiting for comes to them. Overall, the song is a beautiful expression of love and the role music plays in love and life.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere there's music
Music exists out there in the world, even if it is currently inaudible or hard to perceive.
How faint the tune
Despite the fact that music exists, it may not be easily heard or distinguishable from other sounds.
Somewhere there's heaven
There is a place or state of being that is incredibly beautiful, serene, and idyllic.
How high the moon
This beautiful place or state of being is impossibly elevated, as if soaring up to the moon and beyond.
There is no moon above
Without love, and the hope that it will be reciprocated, any sense of light, beauty or inspiration is missing.
When love is far away too
When love is absent, it creates a void or emptiness that can be difficult to bear.
'Til it comes true
However, the hope of love being returned someday can bring comfort and optimism that makes everything seem worthwhile.
That you love me as I love you
True love can only be achieved when it is mutual - when one person loves another as much as they are loved.
How near, how far
Love can be tantalizingly close, yet still feel frustratingly distant and out of reach.
It's where you are
Ultimately, the heaven that the singer seeks is wherever their loved one happens to be, as long as they are together.
The darkest night would shine
The power of love can make even the darkest, bleakest moments feel illuminated and hopeful.
If you would come to me soon
However, this brightness can only truly be achieved if the person the singer loves returns to them quickly.
Until you will, how still my heart
As long as the person the singer loves is absent, their heart will remain heavy and still, aching for the day they can be reunited.
How high the moon
The seemingly impossible height of the moon serves as an apt metaphor for the heights of ecstasy and beauty that can only be achieved through 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
@TheDejael
I love this tune! I remember hearing it on the radio in the 1950s when I was a boy.
I believe this was the very first pop music tune featuring an electric guitar. Les Paul's playing is wonderful and the rhythm of this song is fantastic!
@tartanredmgb
Old age brought me here.
@TheDiannel
One of my Moms 78s. She introduced me to her music and I thank her for that. She's gone(2006) but I play her music to keep it alive.
@johnbeckham1483
Sounds like rock and roll 101 in 1951! This music by Les Paul and Mary Ford is spectacular!
@Smedleydog1
I could listen to Mary Ford sing all day long. Such a beautiful voice.
And Les's guitar playing is alright too. : )
@eblackadder3
"My Favorite Year"!
@ChrisWilliams-bb2pc
This song goes hard AF for 1951
@geobiestallings3938
I was 18 when this was number one.
@Jwend392
Isn't this the first #1 single to use multi track recording? This must have blown minds in 1951.
@detroitjack0325
1948 was the year multi track recording was first used. Les Paul more or less gets credit for inventing this unique way of recording. In 1948, L-O-V-E-R by Les Paul, was the first muti track recording.