Fly Me to the Moon (Frank Sinatra) Kalimba Sheet Music

Do you love jazz and want to learn how to play Fly Me to the Moon, one of American singer Frank Sinatra’s greatest classics, on your kalimba? Perfect—because in just a moment, you’ll find the sheet music and tablature for this melody so you can play it on your 17-tine thumb piano.

Let’s reach for the moon together by learning this kalimba-friendly arrangement.

Get ready before playing this song on the kalimba

If you haven’t checked your instrument in a while, it’s essential to make sure the tines are in tune before attempting any melody. To do this, use an electronic tuner and follow the method explained in this guide to tune your kalimba. That way, your thumb piano will produce the right notes, giving you a beautiful final sound.

Next, it can be helpful to refresh your memory so you’re sure you understand all the signs and symbols you’ll find in the musical documents below. To this end, we provide a free tutorial on reading sheet music and tablature for kalimba. This will make sure you understand everything you’ll be asked to do with your African instrument.

Learn more easily with a video of Fly Me to the Moon on the thumb piano

The song Fly Me to the Moon is over 50 years old, so you might not know its tempo by heart. To help you really get a feel for it, we highly recommend watching this video—it shows what you should aim for when playing the sheet music or tablature provided below.

And to introduce this jazz classic to as many people as possible, you’ll also find Frank Sinatra’s version below.

Play Frank Sinatra's hit with a simplified score for kalimba

Made up only of numbers and very simple symbols, the sheet music presented below will allow you to quickly play the song Fly Me to the Moon on your 17-tine kalimba, as long as you already know the rhythm and note values.

The kalimba sheet music with letters: an interesting alternative

If you’re not familiar with number notation in simplified sheet music, no worries—we also offer a letter-based version, which can feel more natural for many players.

Kalimba tablature for Fly Me to the Moon

If you want to level up your playing, it’s important to move beyond sheet music and focus on tablature. It’s slightly more complex, but much more precise, helping you consistently play each note for the correct duration.

Save the Fly Me to the Moon music documents as a PDF file

Want to print one or more of the documents above? Or save them on your computer to share with friends or keep for later? Download the PDF file of the sheet music and tablature for Fly Me to the Moon for kalimba—it’s completely free.

Who sings Fly Me to the Moon?

The song Fly Me to the Moon was written by American composer Bart Howard, born on 1 June 1915. He wrote the song in 1954 and made the first recording that same year with singer Felicia Sanders, accompanying her on piano. The song was later covered countless times, notably by Peggy Lee in 1960, before Frank Sinatra released his version in 1964. That recording became one of the biggest hits of his career as a crooner—a smooth, romantic vocalist. After that, dozens of artists recorded their own takes, including Judy Garland, Tom Jones, and Michael Bublé.

Frank Sinatra, the artist most closely associated with this song, was born on 12 December 1915, in the United States. He began his music career in the 1930s, singing in small clubs despite being born with a perforated eardrum. His career started to take off in 1940 when he joined Tommy Dorsey’s jazz band. He went on to make television appearances and release several major hits, such as "Strangers in the Night" in 1966 and "My Way" in 1969. After achieving international fame, he died on 14 May 1998, at age 82, in Los Angeles.

What is the meaning of the lyrics to Fly Me to the Moon?

Fly Me to the Moon is a metaphorical love song in which the singer expresses how he feels when he’s with the person he longs for. The first verse leans into space imagery, saying he wants to “play among the stars” and “see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars,” before making it clear that, underneath it all, what he really means is “I love you.” In other words, it’s a beautiful ode to love.

Get yourself a quality instrument for sumptuous melodies

A jazz classic from the 1950s and 1960s, Fly Me to the Moon was a cornerstone of Frank Sinatra’s career and helped build his worldwide reputation. It’s also the perfect melody for declaring your love—and now you have the sheet music and tablature you need to play this beautiful piece on your 17-tine kalimba.

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Are you familiar with the romantic comedy Kimi no Na wa? It’s a Japanese animated film with a magnificent soundtrack. Learn to play one of its songs with our sheet music and tablature for Mitsuha's Theme for kalimba. Success is guaranteed thanks to the precision of all the sheet music for 17-tine kalimbas that we offer.