“The Moon Will Sing” by The Crane Wives is a touching indie-folk song that delves into the story of a woman who lost sight of herself in pursuit of a romantic life but found it unfulfilling.
The lyrics describe the pain of one-sided love, likening it to the moon’s relationship with the sun. The song poignantly captures the narrator’s yearning for a better relationship, even if it means sacrificing her own identity in the process.
In this article, we’ll delve into the profound meanings embedded in the song.
“The Moon Will Sing” Lyrics Meaning
Verse 1
Tell me once again
I could have been anyone, anyone else
Before you made the choice for me
My feet knew the path
We walked in the dark, in the dark
I never gave a single thought to where it might lead
(Ooh, ooh)
In the opening lines, “tell me once again,” someone is pleading for clarity with a sense of regret. The question arises: is this someone a man or a woman? It appears that the narrator is a woman.
Traditionally, women are often expected to follow their partner’s path in a relationship, sacrificing their own pursuits. The narrator expresses, “I could have been anyone, anyone else/ Before you made the choice for me,” suggesting that before her partner/husband dictated her societal role, she had the freedom to choose any path.
While her specific career aspirations remain unknown, she asserts that her “feet knew the path.” The lines “We walked in the dark, in the dark” strike me as ironic because if both were in the dark, how could the man decide the course of the woman’s life? Life itself is full of uncertainties, and our intuition guides us. The narrator emphasizes that her “feet knew the path.” However, in the realm of romantic love, she becomes blind and “never gave a single thought” to where the man might lead her.
Verse 2
All those empty rooms
We could have been anywhere, anywhere else
Instead I made a bed with apathy
My heart knew the weight
Ten years’ worth of dust and neglect
We made our peace with weariness and let it be
(Ooh, ooh)
In the second verse, the narrator opens up about her unfulfilled romantic life, singing “All those empty rooms/We could have been anywhere, anywhere else.” It seems like she’s expressing regret for not putting in the effort with her partner to build a more fulfilling relationship. Instead, they settled into what was convenient, missing out on exploring the wonderful world together. The term “empty rooms” refers to their undecorated living space, highlighting how they rarely spent time together at home.
When she mentions “a bed,” typically an intimate place for a couple, she conveys that she only “made a bed with apathy,” signifying the decline of their love. The line “Ten years’ worth of dust and neglect” metaphorically stresses that this issue has persisted for a long time, weighing heavily on the narrator’s heart.
Moving on to the lines “We made our peace with weariness and let it be,” it becomes evident that the couple worked hard to avoid conflicts but ultimately chose to ignore their issues. They decided to let everything be, indicating a surrender to the status quo and a reluctance to put effort into improving their relationship.
Chorus
The moon will sing a song for me
I loved you like the sun
Bore the shadows that you made
With no light of my own
In the lyrics, “The moon will sing a song for me/I loved you like the sun,” the narrator likens herself to the moon, expressing love for a partner as profound as the moon’s affection for the sun. She believes the moon can assist in articulating her emotions through a song.
The sun is usually depicted as a constant giver of pure light, radiating energy, warmth, beauty, and sustenance without receiving anything in return.
In contrast, the moon receives and reflects light. Even in its brightest moments, there’s a shadowed side. The coexistence of these contrasting aspects—the shadowed and the reflective—embodies a perfect balance in life.
Traditionally, the moon is associated with femininity, symbolizing cycles, change, and mystery. The sun, conversely, represents masculine qualities such as light, warmth, and power.
In this context, the narrator parallels her male partner with the sun and herself with the moon. Her deep love leads her to sacrifice her own light, indicating a willingness to forego personal pursuits. She also expresses readiness to “bore the shadows,” living in her partner’s shadow and accepting potential overshadowing or dominance. This reflects a profound devotion in the relationship.
Post-Chorus
I shine only with the light you gave me
I shine only with the light you gave me
In the post-chorus, the narrator underscores her reliance on her partner for a bright and joyful life. She explicitly sings, “I shine only with the light you gave me.” This lyric suggests that the brightness, warmth, and comfort associated with light symbolize the genuine love she craves from her male partner. Her radiance, metaphorically, is solely fueled by his love.
Verse 3
Name your courage now
We could have had anything, anything else
Instead you hoarded all that’s left of me
Swallowing your doubt
Like swords to the pit of my belly
I want to feel the fire that you kept from me
(Ooh, ooh)
When the narrator urges in the lyrics, “Name your courage now/We could have had anything, anything else,” she’s urging both herself and her partner to muster the bravery needed to elevate their relationship and create a more fulfilling romantic life.
The lines “Instead you hoarded all that’s left of me” convey a sense of loss, depletion, or exhaustion. They hint that the narrator has given so much or faced numerous challenges that only fragments or remnants of her remain. However, her partner only focuses on these “fragments” without recognizing her true worth.
In her plea, she encourages her partner to overcome doubts about her capabilities. Yet, she acknowledges the difficulty in doing so. She illustrates the weight of “doubt” as akin to “swords” that, when swallowed, pierce deep into the pit of one’s belly, emphasizing its harshness. However, this doubt, in the partner’s perception, keeps the “fire” away from her—where “fire” symbolizes passion. The narrator longs to experience the passion her partner has withheld, expressing in the lyrics, “I want to feel the fire that you kept from me.”
Deeper Meaning Behind “The Moon Will Sing”
“The Moon Will Sing” by The Crane Wives is a heartfelt love song filled with introspection, sorrow, and longing. It recounts the story of a woman who, despite being able to succeed—possibly in her career—chooses to prioritize her partner’s path over her own.
Regrettably, her sacrifice doesn’t result in the genuine love and fulfilling romantic life she yearns for. Despite the challenges and frustration, she maintains hope that her partner will reassess her worth and work towards improving their relationship.
In a broader context, the song resonates with the experiences of many women. Despite possessing admirable qualities and excelling in their fields, they may find themselves prioritizing romantic relationships over their own careers.
The song reflects the common narrative where women seek happiness through a relationship, often discovering that this dependence doesn’t always lead to the realization of their desires.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.