“Fly Me to the Moon,” originally titled “In Other Words,” was written in 1954 by Bart Howard as a cabaret ballad. Howard, then working as a piano accompanist, wrote it in response to his publisher's request for a simpler lyric. The song was first commercially recorded by Kaye Ballard in 1954, while a 1954 recording is also credited to Nat King Cole and the George Shearing Quintet. Initially circulating among cabaret and jazz singers, it became officially known as “Fly Me to the Moon” in 1963 after Peggy Lee persuaded Howard to change the title.
Originally composed in 3/4, the song has a graceful waltz character in its early versions. Quincy Jones later recast it in 4/4 for Frank Sinatra's 1964 recording with Count Basie, turning it into a brisk swing arrangement. Sinatra's version became closely associated with the Apollo missions and was played on Apollo 10 and Apollo 11. Joe Harnell also had a successful 1962 bossa nova instrumental version, while Bobby Womack recorded an R&B-influenced rendition in 1968.
