I wrote Moonlight during a very active period of songwriting back in the late 80s. It’s one of the songs I included on my Older and Wiser album. I’ve always been fascinated by the moon; the way it appears and disappears each month. I like to make a game of tracking its movement about the night sky while reflecting the light of the sun down to us on Earth.
Poetry of Moonlight
I have appreciated poetry since I was young. There’s something mysterious about the flow of word imagery and the thoughts and feelings that are evoked in between the lines. I tried to create a certain feel with my song, Moonlight, through the interaction of lyrics and guitar chord structures. When I play it or listen to it, I experience a kind of nostalgia as in a pleasant daydream.
Speaking of the moon, I was a big Cat Stevens fan back in the 70s and one of his best tunes is Moonshadow. I like the playful nature of the lyrics with the counterpoint between lighthearted and serious; the light and the dark.
More Moonlight
I grew up hearing my father play classical tunes on the baby grand piano in the music room. One of my favorite classical piano pieces is the Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Sharp Minor, 1st Movement by Ludwig Van Beethoven. It’s also known as the Moonlight Sonata. I’ve always enjoyed the meditative moodiness of this piece, even though Beethoven may not have composed it with the moon in mind.
You can read the liner notes for Moonlight from the Older and Wiser CD Notes page on my website. And to see the full lyrics, click here.
