Rant #2,413: Fly Me To the Moon

Even 50 years after the first moon walk, that orb in the sky continues to captivate us.

It certainly did to Jackie Gleason, who put his face on the moon in the opening sequence of the classic "The Honeymooners" TV show, and that image has been etched in our memories forever.

Remember when many people described the moon as being made of Swiss cheese, because of all the craters in its surface?

And also remember that the cow jumped over the moon in a classic nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle."

We have had fictional characters named after the moon--"Moon Mullins" for one--and real personalities who have "moon" in their names--like Warren Moon, Wally Moon, and Soleil Moon Frye.

And the moon has always represented romance; and on the other hand, it also represents danger when it is in its full form. Just ask Lawrence Talbot what the moon means to him ... but get him before he turns into a werewolf.

Talbot: "When the moon turns full, I turn into a wolf!"

Lou Costello: "You and a thousand other guys!"

The moon has been the basis of hundreds of popular songs, including the one that this Rant is named after. The most popular version of this song during the rock era was by Joe Harnell, who in 1963 had a No. 14 hit with the tune, which has been recorded by many artists.

Let's name a few more:

"Moon Over Naples" - Bert Kaempfert (#59, 1965)

"Moon River" - Jerry Butler (#11, 1961); Henry Mancini (#11, 1961)

"Moon Shadow" - Cat Stevens (#30, 1971)

"Moon Talk" - Perry Como (#28, 1958)

"Moon Walk" - Joe Simon (#54, 1970)

"Moon Was Yellow" - Frank Sinatra (#99, 1962)

"Moondance" - Van Morrison (#92, 1977)

"Moonflight" - Vik Venus (#38, 1969)

"Moonlight Feels Right" - Starbuck (#3, 1976)

"Bad Moon Rising" - Creedence Clearwater Revival (#2, 1969)

And let's remember that the Earth is not the only planet to have a moon, or several moons. Jupiter has 79 moons, and Saturn has 62 moons.

Those aside, sometimes the moon, which is a noun, is used as a verb, and it is not a funny sight when someone takes down their pants and "moons" you.

But it is interesting that the same part of your body that you can moon with is actually the modern representation of the heart, which, of course, in actuality, looks nothing like the nice thing that some women wear around their necks.

But back to the moon ...

Yes, literally.

I hope that we have a chance, during the next 20 years or so, to go back to the moon in a manned expedition.

I don't think that people will galvanize around visiting that orb as we did as a civilization back in 1969, but I do believe that it will be a simply stupendous thing if we can visit the moon once again.

Perhaps it can be, literally, the jumping off point for a manned expedition to Mars, but even taken without that caveat, wouldn't it be great to have our astronauts back on the surface, doing experiments, surveying earth from that perch, and just having fun on the moon's surface ... while we all watched with utter glee?

I think it would be a great idea, something to bring all of us together as one once again.

And who would be this generation's Neil Armstrong? Would NASA stay with the status quo, or would a minority be the first one to walk on the moon, or maybe even a woman?

Who knows, and really, it doesn't matter at all.

As long as they represented our country, and our planet, really, does it make any difference?

Over the next 10 or 15 years, we are supposedly going to go back and visit our neighbor once again, and let me tell you, I am ready for such a thing to happen once again.

The excitement that I had all those years ago will be present once again, even though by the time it happens, I will probably be in my 70s or early 80s.

But it will make me feel like a kid again to see Americans on the moon ... and then maybe walking on Mars.

I really can't wait.

I might be older, but my sense of wonder remains intact.

Heck, I wish it was going to be me that was making this journey.

I would go in a heartbeat.

Sign me up!