Well, moonshine is a term for homemade distilled alcohol. Maybe Roger's turning to strong alcohol to escape from the difficulties in his life: the verses imply loneliness, regret, and pain. He's overcome with regret, because he "lock[ed] [his] dreams away," dreams of being a minstrel, gypsy, or other such adventurous and fun childhood fantasy. Now that he's an adult, he drinks to escape. "Sister Moonshine" is his only friend.
Or, how about a completely different interpretation? Roger's simply personifying actual moonlight. That's essentially what moonlight is, a little sun in the middle of the night. Perhaps the darkness of the night symbolizes his sadness.
Meanwhile, sunlight symbolizes childhood's innocence and imagination, "see[ing] the magic in a day." Now that he's grown, he's lost sight of his dreams, and is shrouded in permanent nighttime. He knows he can't return to childhood entirely, but still he hopes to regain a small measure of imagination and ambition by asking Sister Moonshine to send them; to give him the secret to enjoying himself; to light up the sky and his life.
At any rate, I think this is a good song. Hopefully my post will start a discussion. Please feel free to disagree with me, or to add to my ideas.
Well, moonshine is a term for homemade distilled alcohol. Maybe Roger's turning to strong alcohol to escape from the difficulties in his life: the verses imply loneliness, regret, and pain. He's overcome with regret, because he "lock[ed] [his] dreams away," dreams of being a minstrel, gypsy, or other such adventurous and fun childhood fantasy. Now that he's an adult, he drinks to escape. "Sister Moonshine" is his only friend.
Or, how about a completely different interpretation? Roger's simply personifying actual moonlight. That's essentially what moonlight is, a little sun in the middle of the night. Perhaps the darkness of the night symbolizes his sadness.
Meanwhile, sunlight symbolizes childhood's innocence and imagination, "see[ing] the magic in a day." Now that he's grown, he's lost sight of his dreams, and is shrouded in permanent nighttime. He knows he can't return to childhood entirely, but still he hopes to regain a small measure of imagination and ambition by asking Sister Moonshine to send them; to give him the secret to enjoying himself; to light up the sky and his life.
At any rate, I think this is a good song. Hopefully my post will start a discussion. Please feel free to disagree with me, or to add to my ideas.
Well, I agree with the latter comments, but not the first one about drinking.
Well, I agree with the latter comments, but not the first one about drinking.