Moonchild

It is nice to see so many people appreciate this song It is probably easier to understand the song if you concentrate on the ‘Moon’ part of the it and ignore the ‘Child’ Call her Moonchild Dancing in the shallows of a river (The reflection of the Moon dancing in the surface ripples) Lonely Moonchild Dreaming in the shadow of the willow (Moonlight falling on the base of the willow) Talking to the trees of the cobweb strange (Light filtering through the trees and causing strange, cobweb like patterns to fall on the ground) Sleeping on the steps of a fountain (Bathing the base of a fountain in light) Waving silver wands to the night birds song (Using Moonbeams with which to conduct an orchestra of songs from night birds) Waiting for the Sun on a mountain (Standing in silhouette against a mountain backdrop) (the only direct reference to the Moon itself) She’s a Moonchild Gathering the flowers in the garden (The Moons shadow passing across flowers) Lovely Moonchild Drifting in the echo of the hours (Marking the passage of time) Sailing on the wind in a milk white gown (The Moons glare passing across your vision) Dropping circle stones on a Sundial (Causing circular patterns to appear when alighting on a sundial) Playing hide and seek with the ghosts of dawn (Changing and elongating the forms of shadows and light as the dawn rises) Waiting for a smile from a Sunchild (Waiting for the sunrise so that she can retire)

The shadows and light play have been used to create an imaginary female creature biding time in a garden and waiting for the Sun to come up. This creates the ‘child’ part of the song The combination of these elements and the deeper meanings and moods the song invokes (Loneliness, melancholy) give it the power to create what I call Art or poetry

whoa! excellent song. i first heard it while watching Buffalo '66 (good film in my opinion), and instantly fell in love with it, sooooo beautiful. if you've seen the film, you'll find the sound of Christina Ricci's dancing enhances the song, great scene

This is some dark dark shit man. bery cool and trippy though reminds me of old pink floyd meets old moody blues.

this song is my idol. im writting a book with main character moonchild. although i'm not sure dear peter sinfield actually wanted to give a deeper meaning than a fairytale to this song... maybe... Call her moonchild, dancing in the shallows of a river. Lonely moonchild, dreaming in the shadow of the willow.(...) waiting for a smile of a sunchild... waiting for a predestined love?

It's as simple as "malcolmg" said

The Moonchild is the moonshine Istead of imagining a person , you simply have to imagine moonshine in the river, on the willow ect. And the moon is waiting for the sund to rise.

It's a wonderfull way to describe the moon.

Very very true

this song is simply astonishing.... and the lyrics are so magical...

The yellow jester does not play But gently pulls the strings

That's how the LONG instrumental part sounds to me.

This song is life

this seems to be an introduciton to the "late man's" dream... wihich culminates in the title track. Maybe a fantastical representation of the late man? His thought is only recognized by few and out of society, htus in the night. And he is waiting for recognition from the people of society , or the "sun child".