MOONLIGHT SAVING TIME

(by Irving Kahal and Harry Richman)

Verse 1:

Birdies fly with new ambition 
  spring is in their song
Soon you'll find yourself a wishin'
  days were not so long

    If my thought is not defined 
      listen while I speak my mind :

Chorus 1:

There ought to be a moonlight saving time
  so I could love that one so fine //                [orig: girl of mine]
Until the birdies wake and chime : 
  "Good morning !"

There ought to be a law in clover time 
  to keep that moon out overtime
To keep each lover's lane in rhyme 
  'til dawning

    You'd better hurry up, hurry up, 
      hurry up get busy to-day
    You'd better croon a tune, croon a tune 
      to the man up in the moon 
      and here's what I say :

There ought to be a moonlight saving time
  so I could love that one so fine //                [orig: girl of mine]
Until the birdies wake and chime : 
  "Good morning !"

Bridge

		In January, the nights are very long 
		  but that's all right
		In happy June, comes the honeymoon time 
		  days are longer than the night

		In love time's season, the moon's the reason 
		  for every cuddle and kiss
		When the days are longer the nights are shorter 
		  something should be done about this


Verse 2:

When the weather man is sleeping, 
  With the gay sunbeams
To his housetop I'll go creeping 
  In the land of dreams

    When the tardy moon comes out, 
      I'll stand there and bravely shout:

Chorus 2:

There ought to be a moonlight saving time
  to make the morning glories climb 
An hour later on the vine 
  each morning

You sort of need a moon to bill and coo, 
  an old back porch, a birch canoe
A parlor lamp in June won't do 
  I'm warning

    I've heard the farmer say : "I'll make hay 
      while the sun is shining so hot" //               [orig: above]
    But when the day is done, night begun, 
      join your friends and have some fun : //     [orig: you can ask the farmer's son]
      go sing at The Spot ! //                               [orig: It's time to make love]

There ought to be a moonlight saving time
  so I could love that one so fine //                [orig: girl of mine]
Until the birdies wake and chime : 
  "Good morning !"

recording: Annette Hanshaw (1931) note: V1,C1,Br,C2 (but omits V2) [YouTube]

recording: Blossom Dearie (1955) note: only V1,C1 [BandCamp]

recording: Ruby Laks (2025) note: only V1,C1 [Instagram]