One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded: “Moonlight Bay” by The Drifters!!!

For as long as I’ve been on the radio, and definitely for as long as I’ve been writing a blog, I will occasionally make a reference to a song being “One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded!” (GSER)

I would usually follow that by saying that I would eventually start a category for it, but then never get around to it.

Well, now I’m getting around to it!

My radio show, “Theme Attic,”  is on Wednesdays 12PM-4PM ET.

The show can be heard on WHFR 89.3 FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area of Michigan, or it can be streamed with this link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!

The Greatest Songs will pretty much follow the pattern of The Most Awesomest Song of the Day.

I’ll select a song to celebrate and then give my thoughts about it. Nothing really brand new here that hasn’t been done before. But since I have a website, I can collect them and lay out what my own greatest songs are.

Here’s a link to have a look at “The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded”: https://philmaq.com/the-greatest-songs-ever-recorded/! Occasionally, an “awesome song” crosses over to become a “Greatest Song!”

Even though I always emphasize new music and artists, it’s always fun to take a short drive through the legendary artists, since they influenced those other artists!

But a song doesn’t have to be old or done by a legendary Theme Attic Hall of Fame member to be thus honored.

I can think of several songs that are only a few years old or less that I could identify as One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded.

This will be fun, and hopefully you will join me on my journey!

If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!

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When I started thinking about this month’s Full Moon, “Moonlight Bay” by The Drifters popped into my head!

This is a perfect example of how it happens when I say, “I don’t pick the songs. The songs pick me!”

I don’t think I own a copy of this version of “Moonlight Bay,” but it’s not because I don’t have any Drifters‘ collections.

I happen to have at least two or three anthologies of their songs.

It’s because the companies releasing the collections don’t usually put it in with the other songs when putting together a compilation.

And there have been many of those over the years!

Probably the reason why it’s usually missing is because it was a B-side.

Another reason why it’s often missing is because “Moonlight Bay” is an old standard–a song that has been covered by countless numbers of artists since it was published in 1912.

The Drifters’ version was released as the flip side of the 45 single, “Drip Drop,” a fine song on its own!

That was the hit, and I liked it, too!

However, “Moonlight Bay” is what’s imprinted on my brain!

Going back even further than what I own(ed), I don’t remember the record even being in my house as a kid.

That means it had to be a neighbor up the street, which makes my memories of the song even more amazing because I had neither access, nor control of hearing it!

Certainly, most people in charge of the music would probably rather listen to “Drip Drop.”

The single was released in 1957, which means it was several years afterwards that I heard it for the first time.

That’s would be odd, too.

All I can think of, is when someone put a stack of 45s on the spindle, “Moonlight Bay” was put on accidentally.

It happened occasionally.

I remember many times where one of my brothers, sisters, or whomever would say, “Whoops. I put on the wrong side.”

And since it was a standard song, Doris Day even starred in a “Moonlight Bay” movie, it probably was covered on a variety show or two where I at least heard a version of it.

Maybe I even heard it at a wedding or a party played by a live band.

I’ve always been interested in music!

So, I’m pretty sure I knew the neighbor had it and “Moonlight Bay” was probably my first song request.

And for me, all of the reasons why I liked the song, others probably didn’t.

Give it a listen!

It doesn’t sound like a Drifters‘ song!

Well, at least it doesn’t sound like any of their hit songs!

“Moonlight Bay” by The Drifters sounds like it’s sung by a fairly hip Gospel choir instead of the group.

Yeah, there’s sax on the song, but it’s not an incendiary solo like there normally would be.

In fact, it sounds like several of them playing in harmony, almost, but not quite, like a take on Billy Vaughn’s “Sail Along Silv’ry Moon.”

They did deliver a very jive sounding instrumental section!

But that wasn’t released until the next year, so, maybe The Drifter’s arrangement was an inspiration for that song, which is also One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded!

I’m going to include it for a comparison listen, but that song desrves its own post.

Not until the fade out does the song even resemble a Drifters’ song, with a doo wop vocal on “Blip blip blip blip/blip blip blip blip…” until it’s gone.

I think my fascination with “Moonlight Bay” is the drumming!

First, it’s mostly on the hi-hat.

There weren’t many songs growing up that featured that kind of playing.

I LOVE CYMBALS!

That’s pretty much why I got interested in playing drums.

Also, the rhythm was different!

Although “Moonlight Bay” was an old standard, the rhythm on The Drifters recording was like an island beat, or maybe even an early version of rocksteady!

Truly amazing and fascinating to a certain perceptive toddler!

At least someone heard my request back then and paid attention because it got played!

It may have actually affected my life, and I thank that person for doing so!

One last thing: I looked at Wikipedia to verify my memory that “Moonlight Bay” was the flip side of “Drip Drop.”

They have a page for “Moonlight Bay” including memorable versions of the song.

That page does not include The Drifters’ version as being one of those.

Ha!

Little do they know that One of The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded is “Moonlight Bay” by The Drifters!!!

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I have plenty of other musical areas to explore:

Here’s a link for my weekly list of Fave Songs:

https://philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-songs!

Here’s a link for my weekly Fave Album lists:
philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-albums

My somewhat unusual Hall of Fame can be explored here: https://philmaq.com/hall-of-fame/!

Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for outstanding musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!