This sort of song is leaned on heavily by the Fallout video game series to populate their radio soundtracks. So much so, that I was convinced that it was part of the Fallout 4 soundtrack.
Although it wasn’t, Ella Fitzgerald does feature heavily on that series. She simply fits the distinctive vibes of that environment so well.
To get the sort of sweet, wholesome melodies this era of music has, just think of a warm fire, a cup of baileys coffee or something of the sort, and some fluffy slippers. It’s basically hygge in song form.
The song is about the old school photography craze of people sitting on paper moons for photos. The idea is that all these things in the song are superficially pretty but fake, whereas love is real. Or something like that. It’s all very nice.
Ella Fitzgerald sings in a way that has sadly dropped off the map as far I know. It’s slower and measured, and high pitched without the sort of screechy auto-tuned falsettos prevalent today. She is ably backed by the Delta Rhythm Boys, a vocal group.
The song was published first in 1933, having been used in a failed Broadway play called The Great Magoo. The lyrics are by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose. Ella Fitzgerald’s version was released in 1945.
Lovely as ever!