How High the Moon

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"How High the Moon" is a jazz standard written by Nancy Hamilton (lyrics), Morgan Lewis (music).

How High The Moon was the working title of the BBC World War II drama mini-series Seaforth, starring Linus Roach and Lia Williams.

The best-known recording was by Les Paul and Mary Ford, made on January 4, 1951. The record was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 1451, and spent 9 weeks at #1 on the Billboard chart. Another version was sung in various recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, becoming (with the Gershwin's 'Lady Be Good!') Ella's signature tune. Ella's most celebrated recording of 'How High the Moon' is on her 1960 album Ella in Berlin.

Another jazz standard, 'Ornithology' by Charlie Parker, was based on the chords of 'How High the Moon'. It was common among jazz musicians (Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton and others) to seamlessly include 'Ornithology' in the solo when performing 'How High the Moon'. Miles Davis' Solar is also based on part of the chord structure.

John Coltrane's composition 'Satellite' is also based on the chords of 'How High the Moon', which Coltrane embellished with the three-tonic progression he also used on his composition 'Giant Steps'.