Songs About The Moon

View and Listen to the FIQL Playlist Here

The Moon has inspired mankind from the very beginning of our existence. Although the word “moon” can represent any natural satellite that orbits a planet, when we talk about “The Moon” we are speaking of the only Earth orbiting celestial body, sometimes called “Luna”. The Moon is about 384,500 kilometers (238,930 miles) from the Earth and has a diameter of 3,476 kilometres (2,160 miles).

It has a synchronous rotation with Earth, which means that one side of the Moon (the "near side") is permanently turned towards Earth. The other side is of course, “The Dark Side of The Moon”. I think we’re all familiar with the album of the same name by Pink Floyd, which also has the distinciton of being the album that has spent the most time on the Billboard charts. It has been on the “The Billboard 200” chart for over 25 years!

The fascination with the Moon started long before Pink Floyd. It has been the inspiration for poetry, paintings, songs and even whole religions over the history of man. Every human that’s ever lived has looked upon the moon and pondered it, as well as our own existence. Many believe that a 5,000 year old rock carving found at Knowth, Ireland represents the Moon, in which case, it is the earliest depiction yet discovered. Most certainly, songs were sung even then about this mysterious object in the sky.

Some ancient lunar dieties include Selene, Phobe, Artemis, Luna, Diana, Nana, Thoth, Tsuki-yomi and Tecciztecati. There is much folklore associated with the Moon including that it’s responsible for insanity. Thus the words “lunatic” or “loony”.

Even today, after we have walked on the Moon and know exactly what it is, the Moon continues to be and always will be, a great inspiration to songwriters across the world.

The following playlist contains great songs written about or inspired by the Moon:

1. Kiko And The Lavender Moon - Los Lobos
2. Moondance - Van Morrison
3. Whole Of The Moon - The Waterboys
4. Moonshadow - Cat Stevens
5. Blue Moon - Frank Sinatra
6. Moon Over Bourbon Street - Sting
7. Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival Featuring John Fogerty
8. Harvest Moon - Neil Young
9. New Moon On Monday - Duran Duran
10. Walking On The Moon - The Police
11. Pink Moon - Nick Drake
12. Yellow Moon - The Neville Brothers
13. Moon - Rusted Root
14. Mr. Moonlight - Clinic
15. Sisters Of The Moon - Fleetwood Mac
16. There's A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon) - The B-52's
17. Moon River - Louis Armstrong
18. Bark At The Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
19. Moon Rise Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins
20. Moon On My Shoulder - Lyle Lovett
21. Red Moon - David Gray
22. Cajun Moon - Ricky Skaggs
23. Havana Moon - Santana
24. Spidery Moon - The Minus 5
25. Climbing To The Moon – Eels
26. Bike Ride To The Moon – The Dukes of Stratosphear
27. Drunk on the Moon - Tom Waits
28. Eclipse - Pink Floyd

View and Listen to the FIQL Playlist Here

Read other columns in Buzzworthy.

You can see more of Robert's playlists at Rhapsody Radish.

Behind the Moon by Matt Costa would fit nicely in this list.

"Moon" by Dada would be a good addition.