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Moon River

"A lazy stream of dreams, where vain desires forget themselves in the loveliness of sleep." A program aimed to aid in sleep, broadcast late at night with WLW station Cincinnati.

Moon River

39 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 9 hours, 30 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
10 Audio CDs


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"Excerpts from the Rubieat"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Moon River OrganOut of WLW in Cincinnati, Moon River was a local old time radio show that was heard worldwide due to WLW's powerful transmitter (500,000 watts).  During the broadcast of Moon River in the 1930s, WLW earned its nickname, "The Nation's Station".

During the Great Depression, Powel Crosley, Jr., owner of WLW had his producers sign-off program that would be relaxing and induce sleep (it still works). Moon River program included a hypnotic narrator (sometimes yawning), soothing female vocal trio, violin, and the Moon River organ. Rumor has it that the Moon River organ and original transmitter still exist. 

A late night old time radio show, dreamy and relaxing, the poems often seem nonsensical perhaps drifting listeners further into the kingdom of sleep.  Fittingly sponsored by Southern Cross Spring Mattress Company, the advertisement blend seamlessly into the show. 

For more dreamy music see: Sammy Kaye Sunday Serenade, Enchanted Hour, The NEHI Program, Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Memories of Hawaii, Choose a Song Partner, and Words with Music. For more poetry, see Anthology, Edgar A Guest, and The King's Jesters.

The opening and closing song for each show follows:

(Opening)
Moon River...
A lazy stream of dreams,
Where vain desires forget themselves
In the loveliness of sleep
Moon River...
Enchanted white ribbon
Twined in the hair of night
Where nothing is but sleep.
Dream on... sleep on...
Care will not seek for thee.
Float on.... drift on...
Moon River, to the sea.
(Closing)
Down the valley of a thousand yesterdays
Flow the bright waters of Moon River.
On and down forever flowing...forever waiting
To carry you down to the land of forgetfulness,
To the kingdom of sleep... to the realm of...
Moon River...
A lazy stream of dreams,
Where vain desires forget themselves
In the loveliness of sleep.
Moon River
Enchanted white ribbon
Twined in the hair of night,
Where nothing is but sleep.
Dream on... sleep on...

For more Gentle Old Time Radio to Help You Fall Asleep, see also: Sleeping and Dreamers in OTR,  Moon River, Sammy Kaye Sunday Serenade, Enchanted Hour, Singin' Sam, NEHI Program, Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Strollin' Tom, Andre Kostelanetz, and At Ease.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

  • Show Rating

    4
    3     1


    COMMENTS

    This series is delightful. So relaxing and poetic, it helps me drift off to sleep so peacefully.

    Ulsa Verified Purchase

    I was on the WLW radio and Television announcing staff for many years. For the last dozen years that it was on the air, I frequently read the poems on "Moon River," which aired seven nights a week. If I may, I would like to offer a slight correction to your website, regarding the signature poem which we used each evening.

    It's fun once in awhile to recall those particular days of radio. We really enjoyed producing programs, never realizing how much it might change. So often today they open the phone lines and the listeners become the air product - a lot cheaper that way.

    By the time I came along, Moon River no longer had any commercials - just the music, vocals and poetry. When the program ended on February 24, 1968, they were going to discard the poems, so I took them home. About thirty years later, some of us WLW alumni - organist, vocalists and I - went to Cincinnati's Emery Theatre, where the former Albee Theatre organ was housed, and did some 90 Moon River half hour programs. They then aired on WMKV (FM), a Cincinnati station designed for older listeners. Those old poems came in handy!

    Meanwhile, during my 30 years at Crosley Square (1952-1982), in speaking with older engineers who "were there" when Moon River began, I never heard that an announcer yawned on the air. As to the Moon River organ - there was more than one over the years. The large organ in Studio A, most often associated with the program, went to the now long-closed Shady Noo k Restaurant near Milville in southwestern Ohio. I'm not sure of its present whereabouts. The famed WLW 500,000-watt transmitter still stands in the station's transmitter building in Mason, Ohio, but several missing key parts prevent it from being operable. I saw it again on a recent visit.

    Bill Verified Purchase

    Makes it easy to drift off to sleep.

    Gary r Verified Purchase

    I really love Moon River. Kind of mesmerizing and peacefull.

    Eveline Verified Purchase

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    39 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 9 hours, 30 min
    39 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 9 hours, 30 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 39 shows - total playtime 9 hours 30 minutes
    2. Moon River 01 Song.mp3
    3. Moon River 02 There Be None Of Beauty's Daughters.mp3
    4. Moon River 03 Love's Philosophy.mp3
    5. Moon River 04 Meeting At Night.mp3
    6. Moon River 05 When I Was One And Twenty.mp3
    7. Moon River 06 She Walks In Beauty.mp3
    8. Moon River 07 Sonet To Laura.mp3
    9. Moon River 08 My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose.mp3
    10. Moon River 09 To A D.mp3
    11. Moon River 10 All For Love.mp3
    12. Moon River 11 Love's Omnipresence.mp3
    13. Moon River 12 Proposal.mp3
    14. Moon River 13 The Memory Of The Heart.mp3
    15. Moon River 14 Sunum Bonum.mp3
    16. Moon River 15 Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day.mp3
    17. Moon River 16 Excerpts From The Rubieat.mp3
    18. Moon River 17 Verses For Margaret.mp3
    19. Moon River 18 Madragal.mp3
    20. Moon River 19 A Lover's Sonet.mp3
    21. Moon River 20 Sonet.mp3
    22. Moon River 21 The Token.mp3
    23. Moon River 22 The Arrow And The Sound.mp3
    24. Moon River 25 A Psalm.mp3
    25. Moon River 26 Song To The Evening Star.mp3
    26. Moon River 27 Jennie, Kiss Me.mp3
    27. Moon River 28 Go From Me.mp3
    28. Moon River 29 Thine Eyes Still Shine.mp3
    29. Moon River 30 Meeting At Night.mp3
    30. Moon River 31 To The Evening Star.mp3
    31. Moon River 32 A Son.mp3
    32. Moon River 33 Lady I Deem No Spot On Earth.mp3
    33. Moon River 34 Give Beauty All Her Right.mp3
    34. Moon River 35 White In The Moon.mp3
    35. Moon River 36 She Was A Phantom Of Delight.mp3
    36. Moon River 37 On The Sea.mp3
    37. Moon River 38 Jennie, Kiss Me.mp3
    38. Moon River 39 Thou Art Not Fair.mp3
    39. Moon River 42 A White Rose.mp3
    40. Moon River Thou Art Not Fair.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    39 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 9 hours, 30 min
    39 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 9 hours, 30 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 39 shows - total playtime 9 hours 30 minutes
    2. Moon River 01 Song.mp3
    3. Moon River 02 There Be None Of Beauty's Daughters.mp3
    4. Moon River 03 Love's Philosophy.mp3
    5. Moon River 04 Meeting At Night.mp3
    6. Moon River 05 When I Was One And Twenty.mp3
    7. Moon River 06 She Walks In Beauty.mp3
    8. Moon River 07 Sonet To Laura.mp3
    9. Moon River 08 My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose.mp3
    10. Moon River 09 To A D.mp3
    11. Moon River 10 All For Love.mp3
    12. Moon River 11 Love's Omnipresence.mp3
    13. Moon River 12 Proposal.mp3
    14. Moon River 13 The Memory Of The Heart.mp3
    15. Moon River 14 Sunum Bonum.mp3
    16. Moon River 15 Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day.mp3
    17. Moon River 16 Excerpts From The Rubieat.mp3
    18. Moon River 17 Verses For Margaret.mp3
    19. Moon River 18 Madragal.mp3
    20. Moon River 19 A Lover's Sonet.mp3
    21. Moon River 20 Sonet.mp3
    22. Moon River 21 The Token.mp3
    23. Moon River 22 The Arrow And The Sound.mp3
    24. Moon River 25 A Psalm.mp3
    25. Moon River 26 Song To The Evening Star.mp3
    26. Moon River 27 Jennie, Kiss Me.mp3
    27. Moon River 28 Go From Me.mp3
    28. Moon River 29 Thine Eyes Still Shine.mp3
    29. Moon River 30 Meeting At Night.mp3
    30. Moon River 31 To The Evening Star.mp3
    31. Moon River 32 A Son.mp3
    32. Moon River 33 Lady I Deem No Spot On Earth.mp3
    33. Moon River 34 Give Beauty All Her Right.mp3
    34. Moon River 35 White In The Moon.mp3
    35. Moon River 36 She Was A Phantom Of Delight.mp3
    36. Moon River 37 On The Sea.mp3
    37. Moon River 38 Jennie, Kiss Me.mp3
    38. Moon River 39 Thou Art Not Fair.mp3
    39. Moon River 42 A White Rose.mp3
    40. Moon River Thou Art Not Fair.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    39 recordings on 10 Audio CDs. Total playtime 9 hours, 30 min
    39 recordings on 10 Audio CDs
    total playtime 9 hours, 30 min

    Moon River Disc A001

    1. Moon River 01 Song
    2. Moon River 02 There Be None Of Beauty's Daughters
    3. Moon River 03 Love's Philosophy
    4. Moon River 04 Meeting At Night

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A002

    1. Moon River 05 When I Was One And Twenty
    2. Moon River 06 She Walks In Beauty
    3. Moon River 07 Sonet To Laura
    4. Moon River 08 My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A003

    1. Moon River 09 To A D
    2. Moon River 10 All For Love
    3. Moon River 11 Love's Omnipresence
    4. Moon River 12 Proposal

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A004

    1. Moon River 13 The Memory Of The Heart
    2. Moon River 14 Sunum Bonum
    3. Moon River 15 Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day
    4. Moon River 16 Excerpts From The Rubieat

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A005

    1. Moon River 17 Verses For Margaret
    2. Moon River 18 Madragal
    3. Moon River 19 A Lover's Sonet
    4. Moon River 20 Sonet

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A006

    1. Moon River 21 The Token
    2. Moon River 22 The Arrow And The Sound
    3. Moon River 25 A Psalm
    4. Moon River 26 Song To The Evening Star

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A007

    1. Moon River 27 Jennie, Kiss Me
    2. Moon River 28 Go From Me
    3. Moon River 29 Thine Eyes Still Shine
    4. Moon River 30 Meeting At Night

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A008

    1. Moon River 31 To The Evening Star
    2. Moon River 32 A Son
    3. Moon River 33 Lady I Deem No Spot On Earth
    4. Moon River 34 Give Beauty All Her Right

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A009

    1. Moon River 35 White In The Moon
    2. Moon River 36 She Was A Phantom Of Delight
    3. Moon River 37 On The Sea
    4. Moon River 38 Jennie, Kiss Me

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Moon River Disc A010

    1. Moon River 39 Thou Art Not Fair
    2. Moon River 42 A White Rose
    3. Moon River Thou Art Not Fair

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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