The Beatles recorded a version of the 1934 classic ‘Blue Moon’ during a session for the White Album in September 1968.
It featured just three of the band – Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Ringo Starr – who were attempting to record the song ‘I Will’.
During the 16 September 1968 session they played several additional songs, including ‘Step Inside Love’, ‘Los Paranoias’, ‘Can You Take Me Back?’, and ‘The Way You Look Tonight’.
Although ‘Blue Moon’ dated from the 1930s, it became a rock ‘n’ roll standard after Elvis Presley recorded it in 1954. In 1961 it became an international hit for the doo-wop group The Marcels, which sold more than a million copies and topped the Billboard Pop chart for three weeks.
The Beatles’ recording of ‘Blue Moon’ was included on the super deluxe 50th anniversary box set of the White Album, which was released on 9 November 2018.
Lyrics
Blue moon
You saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Blue moon
You saw me standing alone
Without a love in my heart
Without a dream in my own
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one I ever wanted to hold
And then you said you’d come and then you’d adore me
Blue moon you went and turned to gold
Blue moon
No no no no no…
