Did you know the expression "Blue Moon"
dates back to the time of Shakespeare? I wasn’t aware it had been around
that long, but after doing some research, I learned one theory for that
expression is because particles from things such as forest fires and
volcanic eruptions sometimes interfere with light, causing a bluish tint
to the moon’ s appearance from earth. To say that something would happen
when the moon turned blue, such as "once in a blue moon", was like
saying it more than likely wouldn’t take place.
There are several songs that have been written about a blue moon. In
1989, the General Assembly passed a bill designating the song "Blue Moon
of Kentucky" as Kentucky’ s official state bluegrass song. It was
written in 1947 by William Smith "Bill" Monroe, a native of Rosine,
Kentucky. That song has had many adaptations since its original
performance by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys. A young Elvis Presley
chose to sing his version of "Blue Moon of Kentucky" when he auditioned
for the Grand Ole Opry in 1954. This was the song he recorded for his
first Sun Records single. It was told that Presley later apologized to
Bill Monroe for changing the arrangement of his song. Other entertainers
that have included in as repertoire on their albums include Patsy Cline,
Patty Loveless, and Ricky Skaggs.
The song entitled "Blue Moon" has been recorded by many performers. Just
some of those are: Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Vaughn
Monroe, Dean Martin, Frankie Laine, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis
Armstrong, and Dizzy Gillespie. Mel Torme’s version was the only one
that actually reached the Billboard magazine charts. The version that
really stirred things up came from The Marcels, a doo-wop group. Who
could forget those lyrics ...
"Bom ba ba bom ba bom ba bom bom ba ba
bom ba ba bom ba ba dang a dang dang
Ba ba ding a dong ding Blue moon moon blue moon dip di dip di dip
Moo Moo Moo Blue moon dip di dip di dip Moo Moo Moo Blue moon dip di dip
Bom ba ba bom ba bom ba bom bom ba ba bom ba ba bom ba ba dang a dang
Ba ba ding a dong ding 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."
But just exactly what is a "Blue Moon?" Here’s what I learned: During
the month of May, 2007, a full moon will appear twice. When this rare
occurrence happens, about once every two to three years, the second is
called a "Blue Moon." The Farmers’ Almanac says that for the longest
time, nobody knew exactly why the second full moon of a calendar month
was designated as a Blue Moon. One explanation connects it with the word
"belewe" from Old English meaning " to betray." Perhaps, then, the moon
was "belewe" because it betrayed the usual perception of one full moon
To make matters even more confusing, here is a list from the Farmers’
Almanac that lists the full moons in 2007. Check out these names:
January 3 - Full Wolf Moon
February 2 - Full Snow Moon
March 3 - Full Worm Moon
April 2 - Full Pink Moon
May 2 - Full Flower Moon
May 31 - Full Blue Moon
June 30 - Full Strawberry Moon
July 29 - Full Buck Moon
August 28 - Full Sturgeon Moon
September 26 - Full Harvest Moon
October 26 - Full Hunter’s Moon
November 24 - Full Beaver MoonDecember 23 - Full Cold Moon
The Farmers’ Almanac goes on to say that full moon names date back to
Native Americans. The tribes kept tract of the seasons by giving
distinctive names to each recurring full moon. The following is an
explanation of why the various names were given:
1. Full Wolf Moon - January - Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter,
the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. Thus, the name
for January's full Moon. Sometimes it was also referred to as the Old
Moon, or the Moon After Yule. Some called it the Full Snow Moon, but
most tribes applied that name to the next Moon.
2. Full Snow Moon - February - Since the heaviest snow usually falls
during this month, native tribes of the north and east most often called
February's full Moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to
this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in
their areas made hunting very difficult.
3. Full Worm - March - Moon As the temperature begins to warm and the
ground begins to thaw, earthworm casts appear, heralding the return of
the robins. The more northern tribes knew this Moon as the Full Crow
Moon, when the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter; or the Full
Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day
and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping
maple trees, is another variation. To the settlers, it was also known as
the Lenten Moon, and was considered to be the last full Moon of winter.
4. Full Pink Moon - April - This name came from the herb moss pink, or
wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of
the spring. Other names for this month's celestial body include the Full
Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes the Full
Fish Moon, because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to
5. Full Flower Moon - May - In most areas, flowers are abundant
everywhere during this time. Thus, the name of this Moon. Other names
include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.
6. Full Strawberry Moon - June - This name was universal to every
Algonquin tribe. However, in Europe they called it the Rose Moon. Also
because the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries comes
each year during the month of June . . . so the full Moon that occurs
during that month was christened for the strawberry!
7. The Full Buck Moon - July - July is normally the month when the new
antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety
fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that
thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Another name for this
month's Moon was the Full Hay Moon.
8. Full Sturgeon Moon - August - The fishing tribes are given credit for
the naming of this Moon, since sturgeon, a large fish of the Great Lakes
and other major bodies of water, were most readily caught during this
month. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the Moon
rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze. It was also called
the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.
9. Full Harvest Moon - September - This is the full Moon that occurs
closest to the autumn equinox. In two years out of three, the Harvest
Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. At the
peak of harvest, farmers can work late into the night by the light of
this Moon. Usually the full Moon rises an average of 50 minutes later
each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon
seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes
later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of
Canada and Europe. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice the
chief Indian staples are now ready for gathering.
10. Full Hunter's Moon - October - With the leaves falling and the deer
fattened, it is time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters
can easily see fox and the animals which have come out to glean.
11. Full Beaver Moon - November - This was the time to set beaver traps
before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another
interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the
fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is
sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.
12. The Full Cold Moon; or the Full Long Nights Moon - December - During
this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and nights are at their
longest and darkest. It is also sometimes called the Moon before Yule.
The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the
midwinter night is indeed long, and because the Moon is above the
horizon for a long time. The midwinter full Moon has a high trajectory
across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun.
I’ve always heard odd things happen when the moon is full. Do you
suppose occurrences might be even stranger when we have a Blue Moon? May
31 this year will be an excellent time to find out.