June Moon Top Ten: Moonlight Gambler (#6)

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A “hokey weather fact” from our local meteorologist (his name is Ryan Hoke, so he calls these “Hokey weather facts” as a play on his name): most home AC units can only cool the house to at most 20 degrees below the outside temperature. It’s the time of year to actually appreciate having Raynaud’s! It’s also the time for another moon song…and another one from the 100 favorites lists. #6: Moonlight Gambler - Frankie Laine We had Frankie Laine’s greatest hits album when I was a kid, and this was the only song I knew on it. I’d play it (I was usually in charge of the stereo when we were playing games on Sunday afternoon), but this was the only song I actually listened to. The other songs on that side of the album I totally tuned out. I so love this song. Frankie Laine had a great voice that was somewhere between country and pop. That’s where his songs were, too: he recorded “That Lucky Old Sun” with an arrangement straight out of the Sinatra playbook, then he covered “High Noon,” a big hit by yesterday’s artist, Tex Ritter. I have listened to a few more Frankie Laine songs since my childhood, but this is the one I’ll always come back to. Moonlight Gambler Written by Bob Hilliard and Phil Springer Recorded by Frankie Laine Released as a single, 1956 The stakes may be heavy or small: