Song Story: Au Clair de Lune

The title means “By the Light of the Moon”.  The song was written by French composer Claude Debussy.

The songs originate from his Suite bergamasque piano suites written around 1890.  They were not published until around 1905.  Today, Claire de Lune is the most popular of these piano suites.

Another title is Au Claire de Lune, which is a French folk song from the 18th Century.

By the Light of the Moon

The composer and lyricist of this popular piece is unknown.  However, the song is an early favorite for beginners learning an instrument. This  folk song is often sung as a lullaby for children, although the lyrics would not be a lullaby commonly sung to children and should not be confused with Debussy’s Claire de lune.