Moon Music: Country vs. Bluegrass (MP3s)

Today we celebrate the 39th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 11 mission, which blasted off on July 16, 1969.  The Apollo 11 was the first manned flight to land on the moon.  Among those on board the rocket ship were astronauts Neal Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, who stepped out of their spacecraft and onto the surface of the moon four days later on July 20.  At the time, I was a five-year-old with a mild case of Space Fever and I still remember getting special permission from my parents to stay up late to watch the television coverage.  I also recall being bitterly disappointed after gazing moonward from the front yard and finding the whole affair completely invisible to the naked eye on the ground.

The Space Fever virus was not necessarily confined to impressionable five-year-olds, however, and I submit the following MP3s as evidence.  Oh, and as for the main event touted above featuring a bare-knuckled  moon brawl between Country and Bluegrass?  Well, it really wasn't much of a contest.  Country kicked the butt of Bluegrass, just like it always does.

MP3s

Jack Broadwell  -  Country Music On The Moon  (2:12)

Poteet Brothers  -  Bluegrass On The Moon  (3:02)

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BONUS LUNAR EXCURSION TUNES

Art Pettibone  -  Moon Rocket  (2:45)

Eddie Dee & The Sputnicks  -  Journey To The Moon  (1:48)

Ginny Millay  -  Jukebox On The Moon  (2:54)

Ginny Millay  -  Jukebox On The Moon #2  (2:17)

Joey Dixon  -  Moon Buggy  (1:13)

Rocky Porter  -  I Talked To The Man In The Moon  (2:30)

Norm Burns  -  God Is On The Moon  (2:31)

Ole Moon Daddy  -  Moon Daddy  (2:52)

My thanks to reader John M. for his contribution of the "other" Ginny Millay version of Jukebox On The Moon, which is discussed in the comments.

Comments

[Jonny]

How about "Rock On the Moon" by Jimmy Stewart (no, not thee Jimmy Stewart) from the second Born Bad album.

[Irwin Chusid]

Greg: This is an alternate version of "Jukebox." The other (probably earlier) version lacks the spoken intro and features electric guitar accompaniment. Were they both on the same label? They sound like they were recorded years apart.

[Listener Greg G.]

Irwin, I'm not sure who did the other version of Jukebox On The Moon you're referring to, but I am 99% sure I recall hearing it on Rex's Fools Paradise show a few years back. Don't know what label that other version is on either.

[mırc]

Very Good.

[john m]

I have the "other" Jukebox on the Moon on a compilation called "The Girls are Rockin". The liner notes say it's on "The Jacksonville, Fl based Saucer label, which was operated out of the 'Cup and Saucer Club' in that city". There's an image of the Saucer label for this 45 on the back of the compilation.

To me the version on my record (let's call it the electric version) sounds like a different performer than what's posted here, which I've never heard. The singer on the electric version is way more twangy and cute in her delivery, which seems more appropriate and effective for the song.

If I'm right that it's a different performer, then there's one problem: the electric version is also credited to "Ginny Millay". I wonder if Greg knows what label his version is on, if he has an image of the record. Seems like someone along the line may have mistakenly attributed different versions of the song to the same performer.

The version I'm familiar with is terrific, haunting, great. I used to perform this song for my bandmates when I was in a band.

[john m]

Oh, I just noticed the "trip" record label for "jukebox" included in this post. So it's two different labels, supposedly the same artist.

I just listened to the electric version again. It almost sounds like the version here could be the same person some years later with a huskier voice.

I transferred my version to itunes a while back and forgot that til now. I could post it somewhere if there's interest (someone ought to), though I don't know what the best place/way would be to do that.

[Listener Greg G.]

John was kind enough to send me an MP3 of Ginny Millay's "other" version of Jukebox On The Moon and it's now been incorporated into the MP3 lineup above. Thanks, John!

[Irwin Chusid]

The Lost Patrol recorded a version of "Jukebox" on their album Scattered, Covered and Smothered; you can hear it in the WFMU archives on various programs. TLP also performed it live on my December 29, 2004 show.

[john m]

Here's a theory: if we're right that a number of years separate the two versions, maybe the second one was recorded in '69 in an attempt to capitalize on the moon landing.

The differences between the two versions are interesting: the first one seems like it's from a teenage perspective--the singer expresses her own hopes; in the second version the singer is older, more sober--she's an adult expressing her hope for teenagers, which she used to be.

[Kevin Killion]

Let's not forget the remarkable "American Moon" (Bobby Dimple, Lunar Ladies Chorus, Lipple Kutie Kids, Hutch Davie Diggers Band - American Moon (from The Heart's Delight Follies '69)) which was included in the last "365 Days" project. It's on the WFMU website at:

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/11/365-days-315---.html

[Red Neckerson]

Great little bunch of forty fives! I posted a "Moon Song" on my blog in April 08 "Junk Yards On The Moon" by Peter Sayles produced by country music icon Roy Drusky. Check it out!
http://redneckerson.blogspot.com/2008/04/all-alone-in-room-by-myself.html

[Ed Colavito]

Lost Patrol also re-recorded "Jukebox" with their new singer, Mollie Israel for the 2008 release "Midnight Matinee."

[cinsel sohbet]

How about "Rock On the Moon" by Jimmy Stewart (no, not thee Jimmy Stewart) from the second Born Bad album.

[Lauren Richardson]

I just spoke with Ginny Millay's daughter this morning, and yes, she re-recorded it in '69 for the moon landing. It is her on both recordings, and she is just older with a huskier voice.