The Moon Will Sing | The Crane Wives Lyrics, Meaning & Videos

The Moon Will Sing
The Crane Wives Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴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
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

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

I shine only with the light you gave me
I shine only with the light you gave me

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

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

I shine only with the light you gave me
I shine only with the light you gave me
I shine only with the light you gave me
(I could have been anyone, anyone)

I shine only with the light you gave me
(I could have been anyone, anyone)


Overall Meaning

The Crane Wives’s song “The Moon Will Sing” is a haunting, introspective ballad about a relationship that started with potential but ended with the harsh reality of unfulfilled dreams and apathy. The singer reflects on the past, on the choices they made, and wonders where things could have gone differently. They suggest that they could have been anyone else, but the other person made a choice for them, and they followed without much thought. The imagery of “walking in the dark” suggests that they didn’t have much visibility or direction, and they were likely not actively involved in making decisions.


As the song progresses, the singer’s regrets become more pronounced. They lament the “empty rooms” and wonder what might have happened if they had chosen a different path. They acknowledge that they “made a bed with apathy” and let “weariness” dominate their lives until it became acceptable. They also admit that they loved the other person “like the sun” but didn’t have any light of their own, suggesting that the other person’s love and attention was crucial to their identity.


The chorus uses the metaphor of the moon to suggest hope and renewal. The singer acknowledges that the other person gave them light, and they shine only with the light that was given to them. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer wants to find their own light, to feel the fire that they’ve been denied so far. The song suggests that it’s never too late to take charge of your life and make a change for the better.


Overall, “The Moon Will Sing” is a powerful exploration of regret, identity, and hope. It captures the pain of a relationship that failed because of inaction and the potential for growth and renewal that exists even in the darkest moments.


Line by Line Meaning

Tell me once again
Request to be reminded once more


I could have been anyone, anyone else
Reflecting on the potential for being someone else


Before you made the choice for me
Acknowledging that the decision was not their own


My feet knew the path
Recognizing a sense of direction subconsciously


We walked in the dark, in the dark
Traversing through unknown terrain


I never gave a single thought
Not pondering upon the consequences


To where it might lead
Not considering the outcome


All those empty rooms
Spaces devoid of meaning


We could have been anywhere, anywhere else
Contemplating alternatives


Instead I made a bed with apathy
Choosing to settle for indifference


My heart knew the weight
Sensing the heaviness of the situation


Ten years worth of dust and neglect
Accumulation of time and inaction


We made our peace with weariness
Accepting tiredness and exhaustion


And let it be
Allowing it to persist


The moon will sing a song for me
Finding solace in the moon's eradiance


I loved you like the sun
Emphasizing the extent of affection


Bore the shadows that you made
Enduring the darkness caused by the other


With no light of my own
Having no individual luster


I shine only with the light you gave me
Depending on the other for radiance


Name your courage now
Challenging the other to reveal bravery


We could have had anything, anything else
Contemplating missed opportunities


Instead you hoarded all that's left of me
Feeling exploited and disregarded


Swallowing your doubt
Suppressing uncertainty


Like swords to the pit of my belly
Feeling a deep sense of pain


I want to feel the fire that you kept from me
Desiring to experience passion withheld by the other


Writer(s): Emilee Jade Petersmark

Contributed by Luke E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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