 Show In football, terrace tunes are those familiar songs belted out by fans in stadiums, sometimes triumphantly and sometimes defiantly before matches or in a lull of form. Often started by a single wavering voice and spreading like wind across a sea of fans, the origins of these chants can be allusive, and their relevance over time almost impossible to predict. “Blue Moon” is one of those tunes. Began by and now synonymous with Manchester City fans, it’s a mainstay at the Etihad and rings laps around the ground during most games. “Blue Moon” - a composition by Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart, is first thought to have been first aired by the City faithful during their game against Liverpool at Anfield during the 1989/90 campaign. During the 80s, it wasn’t uncommon for football clubs to adopt hit songs onto the terraces of football grounds, no doubt with the hopes of some sort of osmotic transmission of good spirits. However, “Blue Moon” is different from many other club tunes in that it is uncharacteristically melancholy, which stands in contrast to the ripping and roaring anthems used to inspire a team to victory. It’s claimed that the song first played while fans were exiting the stadium, with an air of irony due to the team’s poor run of form. Since a blue moon is a rare astronomical event, wherein a full moon appears in the same calendar month twice, the song rang true to the era of frustration, when the team would only win “once in a blue moon”. The double irony of the song, now, is that Manchester City have gone on to become four-time Premier League Winners with the total inverse win-loss record as they had in the 80s. Nevertheless, “Blue Moon” remains a prominent part of Man City’s history, and the song is still wrangled from the subconscious of Man City fans and out into the wind every game, regardless of its despairing origins. See the full lyrics below: Blue moon, You saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own. Blue moon You knew just what I was there for You heard me saying a prayer for Someone I really could care for. And then there suddenly appeared before me The only one my arms will hold I heard somebody whisper please adore me And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold. Blue moon Now I’m no longer alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own. Blue moon, You saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own. Blue moon You knew just what I was there for You heard me saying a prayer for Someone I really could care for. And then there suddenly appeared before me The only one my arms will hold I heard somebody whisper please adore me And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold. Blue moon Now I’m no longer alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own. The anthem ‘Blue Moon’ originates from the great American song-writing partnership of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart. Over 60 different artists have recorded their own versions of ‘Blue Moon’, offering a list that is as diverse as it is dazzling. Django Reinhardt, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Julie London, Sam Cooke, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Supremes, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart and many more have also recorded their own take. The song has also featured in films including At The Circus, Viva Las Vegas, Grease and An American Werewolf in London. So, just how did those iconic lyrics become etched into so many City fans' subconscious? The eighties was a time when clubs started to adopt new songs on the then-terraces, rather than chants. Songs like ‘Delilah’ and ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’ are two that did stick around for a while, with ‘Delilah’ now remaining as Stoke City’s anthem of choice. ‘Blue Moon’ was originally sung by Crewe Alexandra's fans. It was only during the past couple of decades that the Blues adopted it and made it their own. City historical expert Gary James remembers the first time he heard it: “The first time I can ever recall it being sung was at the opening game of the 1989-90 season at Liverpool,” he said. “It had never been sung by fans during the seasons before that. “At Anfield, City fans were kept behind for a while after the match and a few lads started singing it as we started to make our way out. They sang a sort of melancholic version, but it caught on.” Different versions of ‘Blue Moon’, by Doves, Supra, The Marcels, Sha Na Na, and Beady Eye are played regularly at the Etihad Stadium throughout the course of a season. But undoubtedly the best and most popular version is when the chorus of Blues raise their arms in the air, hold their scarves aloft and sing the lyrics with all their heart during the 90 minutes of a game. It’s a spine-tingling, compelling demonstration of support and loyalty for the club. Who knows what other versions of ‘Blue Moon’ will lie ahead, but long may the anthem continue. Blue moon, You saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own. Blue moon You knew just what I was there for You heard me saying a prayer for Someone I really could care for. And then there suddenly appeared before me The only one my arms will hold I heard somebody whisper please adore me And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold. Blue moon Now I’m no longer alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own. Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, 1934 © Most read
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Why do Man City fans sing Blue Moon?
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