How I love this song. I’ve heard it so many times and now I think of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles when Martin and Candy are singing it in a burntout car they were driving.
Elvis Presley recorded this song as the B-side to That’s All Right in 1954, marking his debut single with Sun Records. It was recorded during his second session with the label on July 6, 1954. Elvis, guitarist Scotty Moore, and bassist Bill Black reimagined the song in a faster, upbeat, rockabilly style. This transformation gave the song a fresh, raw feel that differed greatly from its bluegrass origins.
Presley’s recording became the best-known version of the song and is an early example of what was to become known as Rockabilly, a combination of Blues and Country together with an uptempo beat. The single was very popular locally, helping to build Elvis’s reputation in the Memphis area and laying the groundwork for his later success. DJ’s have said they would play the single multiple times over and over again when it was released.
Bill Monroe wrote this song in 1946 and recorded the first version playing mandolin backed by his band, the Blue Grass Boys. After the Presley version was released, Monroe recut the song and added both styles to it.
Elvis Presley got an invite to the Grand Ole Opry soon after this, and he was fearful of Monroe’s reaction to his version of the song. He sought out the older Opry star backstage and apologized to him for taking such liberties. Monroe reacted with generosity. Monroe later admitted Presley’s version of “Blue Moon of Kentucky” gave him very big songwriter royalty checks. This song is very important in history… celebrated as a groundbreaking moment where country music met rock and roll with a resounding success.
The state of Kentucky made this their official bluegrass song. Now let’s listen to the song and listen to the flip side performed by Elvis fan Paul.
Paul McCartney recorded the Arthur Crudup blues classic, That’s All Right, Mama, with Elvis Presley’s original band members, Scotty Moore (guitar) and DJ Fontana (drums).
Blue Moon of Kentucky
Blue moon, blue moon, blue moon,
keep shining bright.
Blue moon, keep on shining bright,
You’re gonna bring me back my baby tonight,
Blue moon, keep shining bright.
I said blue moon of Kentucky
keep on shining,
Shine on the one that’s gone and left me blue.
I said blue moon of Kentucky
keep on shining,
Shine on the one that’s gone and left me blue.
Well, it was on one moonlight night,
Stars shining bright,
Wish blown high
Love said good-bye.
Blue moon of Kentucky
Keep on shining.
Shine on the one that’s gone and left me blue.
Well, I said blue moon of Kentucky
Just keep on shining.
Shine on the one that’s gone and left me blue.
I said blue moon of Kentucky
keep on shining.
Shine on the one that’s gone and left me blue.
Well, it was on one moonlight night,
Stars shining bright,
Wish blown high
Love said good-bye.
Blue moon of Kentucky
Keep on shining.
Shine on the one that’s gone and left me blue.
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
Totally agree that this became an important version of the song. As you said it’s the way Elvis sang it that makes the difference. I also agree with your assessment of the application of a Rockabilly style to a Bluegrass/ Country song is as important as Elvis creating that connection with an R&B song. He may not have been the first to do these things but he certainly popularized the concepts and shaped Rock and Roll in in a huge way in the process.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes…the keyword is popularized it…he did. It was done before but not on this scale I would say. It kept growing weeks after it was released.
It’s crazy to read Memphis disc jockeys of the time. They just had marathons with this single because it was so unlike everyone else.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love this version best
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yea me as well…you can’t get much better than this.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Now you’re goin’ back to the roots Max…good stuff! Bill Monroe, Scotty Moore & a facet of the beginning of what was dubbed ‘Rock & Roll’ by Alan Freed when he was a ‘DJ’ in Cleveland in the early 50’s. Excellent work!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Carl…it’s always good to hear from the pioneers. Rock borrowed a lot… R&B, pop, jazz, country and kinda smashed them together.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree 100%…that’s the beauty of it & it’s a purely American art form.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great!
LikeLike
Jimmy Rogers was the first to record the song Thats Allright Mama.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was never a huge fan of Elvis Presley but I do like a lot of his early releases (like this one), before he became famous.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The Sun Records period I always liked the best as well.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh!! I love this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hadn’t listened to “Blue Moon of Kentucky” for many years and didn’t remember it very well. You’re right, Elvis’ recording has a neat rockabilly vibe. Scotty Moore and Bill Black were killer backing musicians. I rarely say this, you didn’t even need a drummer on this song!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea I agree…it makes it’s own rhythm.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Bill Black’s upright just sounds amazing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it does and Paul owns that same bass.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, I also recall reading that somewhere!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a cool-looking single there! Elvis did a good job on it & as you say was probably a big reason ’50s rock and country overlapped so well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always liked it but I still think of Martin and Candy lol…always. They changed a lot with this single.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent song!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for stopping by!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was never a huge Elvis fan, but I guess because I was younger and only knew the Vegas Elvis….the older staff, and when more songs than showman…..and yeah Scotty Moore
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea this is the era that I really liked the most. Scotty Moore lived around 20 minutes from me…great guitar player .
LikeLike
Those early pioneering days were seismic in their effect. This upbeat Elvis version could have really upset the good ol’ conservative Country boys!
LikeLike
Great classic sound. I think I’ve read where Bill Monroe could be prickly at times, so I’m glad he treated Elvis decently, especially when he was so apologetic. Did you ever meet Scotty Moore since he lived so close?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes he could…I’ve read that as well. No…I saw him but never got a chance to meet him. I played music with a friend that lived 2 houses down. We talked about going over…but we felt so stupid…Hey Scotty! We didn’t know what to say…I wish we would have now though
LikeLike
Not sure I ever heard the Elvis version of that song before. Seems a little awkward to my ears. I love the Macca video/song he meshes right in there and does it up right.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea Paul did great on that cover…with Elvis’s band.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The music of Elvis I liked was never a traditional country feel to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea me either.
LikeLike
No one does it better than Bill Monroe…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very cool! 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
If anyone wants to know the difference between bluegrass and rockabilly, listening to the Elvis and Bill Monroe versions of “Blue Moon of Kentucky” is a good place to start. The heir to Scotty Moore is in Chicago; a guy named Joel Paterson. Here is one of his Scotty Moore tributes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xXjM44skxI
And here is his home studio re-creation of Scotty’s famous Sun session solos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM6NPi3tSwU
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I’m still watching Joel Paterson…I love that style that Moore had. I wish I would have learned with a fingerpick like he did…at least Paterson and I asume Moore.
LikeLike