Ruth was born in David City, Nebraska. Her mother died when she was 5, and her father left her with her grandparents, George and Hannah Etting, who owned a roller mill. Her father remarried and moved away, seldom visiting his daughter. When she was 17 she moved to Chicago to attend art school, and got a job designing costumes at a night club. One night the tenor got sick and since she was the only one who could sing low enough, she took his place, and landed a job in the chorus. By 1918 she was one of the club's featured vocalists. It was there she met Moe "The Gimp" Snyder, a wanna-be gangster who took over management of Ruth's career and married her in 1922.
After her New York sucess, she moved to Los Angeles and had roles in a number of films including Roman Scandals with Eddie Cantor. There are conflicting stories about the scandal that virtually ended her career. The marriage between Ms. Etting and The Gimp was virtually loveless from the beginning, and he was a demanding and controlling manager who would not let other men near his wife. They were divorced in 1937. While in Los Angeles she began spending time with Myrl Alderman, a pianist who had played with her earlier in her career. In 1938, The Gimp forced his way into Ruth's house, and shot Alderman, wounding him. The subsequent trial put a halt to her career, although she did make some appearances in 1947. Ruth and Myrl married and retired to Colorado Springs, where she died in 1978. The academy award nominated movie version of her life story, Love me or Leave Me, with Jimmy Cagney and Doris Day, was apparently highly fictionalized.
Shine on Harvest Moon
Ruth Etting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I ain′t had no lovin' since January, February, June, or July
Snow time ain′t no time to sit outdoors and spoon
Shine on, shine on harvest moon for me 'n' my gal
C′mon, shine on harvest moon way up there in the sky.
Don′tcha know I ain't had no lovin′ since January, February, June, AND July?
Now, looka here—don't you know better than to set out there in the snow ′n' spoon?
Oh, won't you shine on, shine on harvest moon (shine on, shine on)
Up in the sky? (shine on)
I ain′t had no lovin′ since January, February, June, or July
(Ah-ooba, ah-ooba, ah-ooba, ah-ooh)
Don't you know you′re gonna freeze to death
Settin' out there in the snow tryin′ to spoon?
So shine on, shine on harvest moon for me 'n′ my gal
The classic song, Shine on Harvest Moon, describes the yearning for love and affection during wintertime from two people in a romantic relationship. The lyrics depict the singers' longing for the moon to shine brightly while resiting their past year and the months they have gone without being together. The first few lines convey the absence of intimacy throughout the year, and it appears that the changing seasons have been unfavorable to the singer and his lover's relationship. They implore the moon to illuminate the night sky to bring about fruitful and affectionate moments.
The following lines reinforce the urgency and need for the moon to shine brighter than ever as the winter months approach. The singer insists that the half-moon won't suffice - they need a full moon to create an ideal and amorous atmosphere. The last verse depicts a warning of possible health risks from being out in the cold, suggesting that they move back indoors to continue their romantic endeavors.
Line by Line Meaning
Shine on, shine on harvest moon up in the sky
Requesting the moon to emit light for visibility and atmosphere.
I ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June, or July
It has been a while since the person has felt loved.
Snow time ain't no time to sit outdoors and spoon
The current outdoor conditions are not conducive to intimate activities.
Shine on, shine on harvest moon for me 'n' my gal
A hopeful plea for a romantic and memorable evening.
Writer(s): Jack Norworth, Nora Bayes
Contributed by Carter E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Алла Пашова
Snow time ain't no time to stay outdoors and spoon
So shine on, shine on harvest moon for my 'n' my gal
The night was mighty dark so you could hardly see
For the moon refused to shine
Couples sitting underneath a willow tree
For love they pine
The little maid was kinda 'fraid of darkness
So she said, "I guess I'll go"
Boy began to sigh, looked up at the sky
Told the moon his little tale of woe
Oh shine on, shine on harvest moon way up in the sky
I ain't had no lovin' since April or January, June or July
Snow time ain't no time to stay outdoors and spoon
So shine on, shine on harvest moon for me and my gal
adie diaz
The night was mighty dark so you could hardly see
For the moon refused to shine
Couple sitting underneath the willow tree
For love, they pined
Little May was kinda 'fraid of darkness
So she says "I guess I'll go."
Boy began to sigh, looked up to the sky
Told the sky his little tale of woe
So shine on
Shine on harvest moon
Up in the sky
I ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June or July
Snow time ain't no time to stay outdoors and spoon
So shine on
Shine on harvest moon for me and my gal
Snow time ain't no time to stay outdoors and spoon
So shine on
Shine on harvest moon for me and my gal
Jim Drake
Despite the tragedies she endured, Ruth Etting was accessible by letter, and remained in touch with Ben Selvin, who directed many of her Columbia discs. It’s a mystery why Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth never recorded a satisfactory “take” of their best song. The two “takes” they recorded for Victor in 1910 were rejected and the masters were destroyed according to the Victor logs.
Quacker NUMBER 1# RARIJACK ENTHUSIAST
Tragedies???
Jim Drake
@Quacker NUMBER 1# RARIJACK ENTHUSIAST: Her first husband, Moe “The Gimp” Snyder, a small-time Chicago mobster who claimed to have been Al Jolson’s personal bodyguard (true only briefly during Jolson’s performances at a club), began voluntarily acting as Ruth Etting’s bodyguard and manager, and eventually pressured her into marrying him. When his abuse became intolerable and she filed for a divorce, he threatened to kill her if she went through with it. In 1937, at the crest of her fame, she succeeded in divorcing Snyder and began openly dating her pianist, Mryl Alderman. A year after the divorce, Synder began stalking her and then kidnapped Alderman and her. He also held his daughter Edith at gunpoint in Etting’s home, saying he intended to kill them in front of each other, then kill his daughter, and afterward kill himself. He shot and wounded Alderman, but Ruth Etting ran to her bedroom and retrieved a pocket revolver, which Snyder wrested from her. When the revolver fell to the floor, Synder’s daughter retrieved it and shot at her father, but missed. He told Etting, “I’ve had my revenge [on Alderman], so call the police and I’ll turn myself in.” During his trial, Etting and Alderman were married, and Snyder’s daughter lived with them for a year until she (Edith Snyder) died of a heart attack. Etting and Alderman lived quietly on a farm in Colorado Springs until his passing in 1966 and hers in 1978.
Steve Smith
Some 50 years ago my grandpa sat a kitchen table and started singing. He'd been drinking and all I remember at eight years old was his chorus of "January, February" then "June and July." That was it. This morning I heard the song here for the first time in a half century. It gave me chills.
cindycox57
Funny I was singing Jan Feb june or july but it’s jan Apr june and julyI am too young for this song my it was my grandparents time
Pistodog
What a wonderful memory - I grew up hearing it and our Midwest family always sang Jan Feb June or July
dr robert Ling
Wow..what a great story...music is locked up in your cerebral cortex all these years..some elements of metabolic chemical electrical synapses were triggered again by that song..so wondrous.
Edward Keiley
I remember my grandfather singing this when I was a kid in the 50s.
Ginger Pinks
Played this for my 93 year old Mom and eyes lit up and she started to sing with the song! Sweet moment!!
Mia
please make a video and upload it to youtube :)