Side A
The Listening Room
Twenty-Five Years /
Moanin’ Low
Elizabeth Bougerol
Headphones recommended.
Twenty-Five Years / Moanin’ Low
Elizabeth Bougerol
Side B
Moanin’ Low
Choose a side. Lower the needle.
Program Notes
Twenty-Five Years
Music & lyrics Elizabeth Bougerol, 2026
Elizabeth Bougerol — vocals
Matt Ray — piano
Paul Brandenburg — trumpet
Jen Hodge — bass
David Berger — drums
J. Walter Hawkes - trombone, everything else
Moanin’ Low
Music Ralph Rainger & lyrics Howard Dietz, 1929
Elizabeth Bougerol — vocals
Jen Hodge — bass
Matt Ray — piano
J. Walter Hawkes - trombone
Twenty-Five Years
I’ve always loved the jazz-driven sound of classic film noir, so when Noir City founder Eddie Muller asked me to perform at and co-host his film festival, I wrote “Twenty-Five Years” as its theme. This was a fantastic collaboration with my music director J. Walter Hawkes: I wanted to tell the song’s very noir story of love and revenge, but also pay homage to great moments in noir soundtrack history. I especially love how Walter arranged the instrumental section; eagle-eared listeners will no doubt hear where all these influences came into play.
Moanin’ Low
Rarely has there been a more vulnerable, incandescent moment of music in film than the scene in noir classic Key Largo where Claire Trevor sings “Moanin’ Low.” Director John Huston knew she was nervous about singing, told her there was plenty of time to rehearse, then suddenly shot the scene on the spot with only a starting note — her very real embarrassment and anger came through in the take, and she won the 1948 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Lyrics — Twenty-Five Years
Twenty-five years she tried for you
And took the fall
And cried for you
No-one else would have lied for you
And now she’s dead and gone
I watched you take a heart so pure
And play with what
It could endure
For twenty-five years I wasn’t sure
But now I see it all
You opened the door to life beyond her dreams
Then took away the key
How could she fit inside a world so small
Where nothing’s what it seems
You were the one she thought would never give
A girl like her
A chance to live
You might forget but I won’t forgive
The life you stole from me
Clear is the eye that sees beyond the heart
When longing comes to call
Sick is the soul that stays once love is gone
And fear consumes it all
Twenty-five years she lied for you
And withered on the vine for you
All of those tears that she cried for you
I’ll come for every one
Every one
Lyrics — Moanin’ Low
Moanin’ low, my sweet man, I love him so
Though he’s mean as can be
He’s the kind of man
Needs the kind of a woman like me
Gonna die if my sweet man should pass me by
If I die, where’ll he be
He’s the kind of a man
Needs the kind of a woman like me
Don’t know any reason why he treats me so poorly
What have I gone and done
Makes my trouble double with his worries, when surely
I ain’t deservin’ of none
Moanin’ low, my sweet man is gonna go
When he goes, where I’ll be
He’s the kind of a man
Needs the kind of a woman like me
Credits
Produced by Elizabeth Bougerol
Arranged by Elizabeth Bougerol & J. Walter Hawkes
Recorded at Blue Frog Studios & Blatboy Studios, Long Island City, NY
Recording engineered by J. Walter Hawkes
Mixed by Teddy Tuthill
Photography by Angela Cholmondeley
Design by Elizabeth Bougerol