Moonlight Swim – Elvis Presley

About the song

If you are a fan of Elvis Presley, you probably know his classic song “Moonlight Swim” from the movie “Blue Hawaii”. But do you know the history behind this romantic tune? In this blog post, we will explore the origins and the impact of this song on Elvis’ career and pop culture.

“Moonlight Swim” was written by Ben Weisman and Sylvia Dee in 1957. Weisman was a prolific songwriter who composed more than 50 songs for Elvis, earning him the nickname “The Mad Professor”. Dee was a lyricist who also wrote hits for artists like Johnny Mathis and Brenda Lee. The song was first recorded by Nick Noble, a pop singer who had a minor hit with it in 1957. Noble’s version reached #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

However, it was Elvis who made the song famous when he recorded it for his 1961 film “Blue Hawaii”. The movie was a huge success, becoming Elvis’ highest-grossing film and one of the top-grossing films of the year. The soundtrack album was also a smash hit, spending 20 weeks at #1 on the Billboard album chart and selling over 10 million copies worldwide. “Moonlight Swim” was one of the 14 songs on the album, and it showcased Elvis’ smooth vocals and romantic charm. The song also featured a Hawaiian-style arrangement with ukulele, steel guitar and backing vocals by The Jordanaires.

“Moonlight Swim” is one of Elvis’ most romantic songs, and it has been covered by many artists over the years, such as Tony Perkins, Connie Francis, Al Martino and Anne Murray. It is also a popular song for weddings and anniversaries, as it expresses the love and joy of being with someone special. If you want to listen to Elvis’ version of “Moonlight Swim”, you can find it on YouTube or on Spotify. You can also check out the lyrics on Genius or learn how to play it on guitar on Ultimate Guitar .

Watch the song video :