Songs Of Moonlight

Introduction

This was inspired because the moon lit up the bedroom in the Alnwick apartment. My photographs are not very good, but you can get the idea. I am a bit scared of the dark, so it was nice to be able to see my way around the room when it was dark.

This playlist will contain a lot of different forms and styles, and there will probably be songs that you hate or detest, but here we go:

Beethoven - "Moonlight Sonata"

This is a mournful beauty that is quite easy to play, even for me. I have not included it on my YouTube channel yet, but I am not sure I could do the full version, which I think runs to fifteen minutes.

Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - "Moonlight On Vermont" from "Trout Mask Replica"

You probably weren't expecting this, were you? "Trout Mask Replica" is one of those albums that is like nothing else you have heard. Apparently, Captain Beefheart took the band out into the desert and taught them how he wanted them to play. He was also a confidante of Polly Jean Harvey and an artist as well.

The website is here, but insecure.

Thin Lizzy - "Dancing In The Moonlight" from "Bad Reputation"

A fairly low-key song from Thin Lizzy, with the brass taking the place of guitars (you do get an excellent guitar solo, though), but the bass line is superb. Phil Lynott's vocals never follow the music but always fit perfectly.

The Doors - "Moonlight Drive" from "Strange Days"

Although Jim Morrison could be so pretentiously annoying, this is a pop song that still carries some unknown, underlying threat. I wouldn't trust Mr Mojo Risin', would you?

The Rolling Stones - "Moonlight Mile" from "Sticky Fingers"

The song appears as the closing track on their 1971 album Sticky Fingers. The song features multiple musicians playing alternate instruments due to the frequent absence of Keith Richards during recording sessions of the period.

It was written while the band were on their 1970 European tour. Reportedly, a rough time for the band. Jagger was particularly affected by the alienation and fatigue of touring. The lyrics are elliptical and mysterious, but touch on the alienation of life on the road:

The sound of strangers sending nothing to my mind

Just another mad mad day on the road

I am just living to be lying by your side

But I'm just about a moonlight mile on down the road

Mike Oldfield with Maggie Reilly - "Moonlight Shadow" from "Crises"

This was composed by Mike Oldfield and was his most successful ever single, although he is best known for his instrumental works.

It has been suggested that the lyrics of the song are a reference to the murder of John Lennon, even though the events in the song do not correspond with those of Lennon's murder

Leo Sayer - "Moonlighting" from "Another Year"

I first saw Leo Sayer dressed as a clown singing the excellent "The Show Must Go On" (one of his own excellent compositions), and while this story of a young couple running away to get married may be a bit twee, it is still a favourite of mine.

Amon Düül II - "Chamsin: Stumbling over Meltedmoonlight" from "Tanz der Lemminge (Dance of the Lemmings)"

Amon Düül II's early work helped define Krautrock, and this is just relentless guitar and bears some relationship to the second song on this playlist. Again, you probably weren't expecting this to be the playlist closer, or maybe you were.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading and listening, and I hope you found something that you enjoyed.