Cat Stevens "Moonshadow": what's it mean?

Cafe Society
1

I just heard it for the first time in 20 years, and started singing along. But then I stopped and thought “HUH?” “What’s this all about?”
'Cause it just don’t make no sense…
Quick summary,… with my reactions in parentheses:
**“I’m being followed by a moonshadow” ** (=nice poetic imagery, but doesnt mean much…there’s no hint about where the poem is heading)
“If I ever lose various body parts , I won’t use them” (=-uh, yeah,…thanks for telling me)
“But the moon beam will still be shining on me” ( =repeat the imagery, but don’t explain why, and still reach no conclusion.)
So what am I missing here? Because I just don’t get it…

(You can read the complete lyrics here )

p.s.:
the rhyme about “lose my mouth/ teeth north and south” is terrible, terrible, TERRIBLE poetry

And now , class, for homework, write an essay in which you compare and contrast Cat Steven’s imagery of a moon+ shadow , with Bob Dylan’s imagery of sun+shadow:

Now that’s poetic imagery!
And no lost body parts, either :slight_smile:

2

He never actually says “But the moon beam will still be shining on me”

But what does it mean to you? You can’t be told what poetry means. It’s personal and if it means nothing, that’s OK.

3

It’s about being an optimist- looking on the bright side and enjoying life whatever misfortunes may befall you. Seems pretty straightforward to me.

4

AND: He doesn’t say that he won’t *use *the lost body parts. He says that he won’t have to do the more objectionable aspects, e.g., “Won’t *have *to cry/work/etc…”

hh

5

Exactly. Glass is half full.

No hands? Hey, at least I won’t have to work!

No legs? Hey, at least I won’t have to walk!

Etc.

6

Whenever I hear that song anymore, my mind immediately calls up the opening to that old Jack Webb TV show Adam-12. And i mentally hear the radio dispatcher:
*One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12. we have a report of Someone being followed by a Moonshadow. repeat – Moonshadow. Moonshadow.

They’re being followed by a Moonshadow – Repeat – Moonshadow, Moonshadow. *

7

You find Moonshadow confusing, yet the lyrics of Tamborine Man make perfect sense?

Anyway, the question has been answered . . . I kind of always pictured a pan-like nomad, traipsing across the countryside under the full moon singing this song, care-free and philosophically unattached to his body. It’s not just glass half full, but more spiritually free from his corporeal existence.

What I find baffling/annoying is the short refrain:

Did it take long to find me? I asked the faithful light.
Did it take long to find me? And are you gonna stay the night?

. . . in a booming, aggressive voice. It’s tonally completely different than the rest of the song, sounds like it’s supposed to mean something more significant, or be some sort of twist, but I’m not sure it actually is. It takes me out of the song completely. When ever I’ve played it, I always cut that part out.
*And if I ever loose my mouth,
all my teeth, North and South,
yes if I ever loose my mouth,
awaaaaay, I won’t have to talk . . . *

8

I heard he had been diagnosed with a serious illness, multiple sclerosis, I think, and the song was about that. But I Googled it and Snopes said nope.

9

It’s my favorite line line in the song.
All my teeth, north and south.

10

Here’s the cartoon from “The Fantastic Animation Festival” (1977):