ANGELA BOFILL / “Under The Moon And Over The Sky”
Usually, I write about an entire album or about a group of related songs but for this week’s classic I want to talk about just one song. It’s Angela Bofill’s “Under The Moon And Over The Sky” – one of the best pop vocal performances I’ve ever heard. The arrangement’s not half-bad either.
Before getting into the song itself, here’s some quick bio info on Angela. I knew she was from New York and I’d always assumed she was black. Well, she is black (obviously) but not in the way I thought. She’s actually a black Latina – according to Angela’s website, her father is Cuban and her mother is Puerto Rican. Born in the Bronx, New York City on May 2nd, 1954, Angela Bofill studied music throughout her early years, eventually becoming a classically-trained pop and jazz singer with a three-and-a-half octave vocal range.
After a string of successful pop/jazz albums in the late seventies and throughout the eighties, Angela’s career as a recording artist fizzled, but she continued to perform successfully around the world until 2006, when she suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed on one side of her body. Angela recovered and began to perform again, even recording a well-received live album on her own label, Black Angel Productions. (The album, Live In Manila, was recorded before a rapturous Filipino audience; apparently, Angela is big in the Philippines – who knew?) Tragedy struck twice however and in 2007 Angela suffered a second stroke, one from which she is still recovering.
If you’d like to support Angela Bofill’s recovery you can click here to buy the live album, all proceeds from which go to Angela, or you can donate directly by going to her website.
So that’s the back story. Let’s talk about this record.


This entry was posted on Sunday, August 24th, 2008 at 11:58 pm and is filed under Classic. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
9 Responses to “ANGELA BOFILL / “Under The Moon And Over The Sky””
August 25th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I agree with you Kalamu on the “I Try” song. Couldn’t hurt to check out Will Downing’s version of this song. Probably gives Angela’s version a run for the money!!!
August 29th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I had never heard of her before. The Style is reminiscent of a jazz-percussion-woodwind-opera-like fusion, not at all dissimilar from the music made popular by Andreas Vollen Weider, well at least this song audibly feels like that to me.
Thanks for the very interesting listen.
February 15th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Interesting discussion on this beautiful song. I had never head of Ms. Bofill till two weeks ago, when I heard “Over the Moon…” in Starbucks of all places. I loved it, so asked the assistant for the name of the singer and song. It came from an inhouse compilation they were using. The song sounds so fresh that I assumed she was a new artist–what a surprise to learn it was from 1978 and one of her earliest recordings. A major talent, a gorgeous song. (She is no longer singing, but is touring in a show, apparently, as os 2011. After her stroke, she can no longer walk but can talk. She tells her life story and another woman sings the songs. Sounds like one courageous lady to me.)
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:56 am
Those were real vocalist with a real agenda and purpose to there singing which captivated an appeeal of a real heartfelt love songs.They do maje them like angela bofill nor phyllis hyman i would know i waas one of her percussionist. She was gorgeous and too talented my boricua sister. I love you much..
August 21st, 2011 at 11:18 pm
Love Angela Bofill, Listening to the record album Angie. On the A side love Under the Moon and Over the Sky. On the B side love Summer Days. And yes, Will Downing’s Version of “I Try” is so good and so is Angela’s Version. Thanks for posting an awesome article!
May 10th, 2013 at 11:06 am
I was so young when this came out. I forgot about it and then the opening line had me again. SMH. Beautiful. You can tell she was classically trained. Wished we had more quality music like that now.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
Under the moon and over the sky is a beautiful art piece. When I play this song, I am lifted( like a bird in flight), like a angelic being returning back home to Yah. So many visions of perfect peace enter my mind. With the afro-Latin beat that gresonates as the tune crescendos thru the break I feel the her strength as a proud black queen that everyone stops to adore. This tune goes down in history as one of the great ones. Bless you Angela.
February 3rd, 2016 at 12:24 pm
[…] guys from the “Kiss of Life” state it best: There was something about that song that captured the whole raw outpouring of […]
November 3rd, 2016 at 10:46 pm
Please, if anybody can help me obtain the Piano/Vocal sheet music or transcription in lead sheet form of Angela Bofill’s song called ” Under The Moon And Over The Sky,” I’d be extremely grateful.”
I’m not having any luck tracking it down and I really must have it, ASAP!
A nice precise PDF of this beauty would really make my day. I’m willing to
send payment if the music is accurate and complete, also! Again, please
direct me to how and where I can get this song now. Thank You! George.
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