Harvest moon
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She talked in three dimensional
She held my lazy head when evening light was gone
She called the breaks
I ploughed the lower forty when
She called me plough boy
Say what paddock were you on
Chorus ~
Summer sun when my day is done
God help me just to shade my eyes
Harvest moon she'll be rising soon
God willing and the creek don't rise
She knows I'm right
She knows I'm so conventional
She knows I'm cultivated furrows on my brow
The land was mortified
The land was indivisible
I tell you someday we will reap what we might sow
Chorus
Don't rise x 3
She calls me Captain
She knows I'm so industrious
She fills my tea - cup when the window shades are down
We load the pick - up
We're making individual
We're making all that hay while driving into town
Chorus
Don't rise
Harvest moon she'll be rising soon
God willing and the creek don't rise
Don't rise ~ x 4
(fade)
The song encompasses the love between two farmers, ploughing and harvesting their crops together. The opening line "She talked in riddles, she talked in three-dimensional" hints that the woman is wise and enigmatic. She is not easily understood, yet the singer seems captivated by her words. In this relationship, both the individuals are unique; the woman talks in puzzles and the man is known as 'Captain ' who is diligent and hard-working. Despite their differences, both share a passion for farming and express that they will "reap what they might sow". The lyrics express the intimate moments shared by the couple during their farming routines where the woman is seen with "evening light" holding his head, and the man calling her "pluck boy" while ploughing the field.
The chorus mentions the 'Harvest Moon' that will rise soon. In ancient times, people referred to the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere as the Harvest Moon. During this period, farmers would plough and harvest their crops late into the night under the moon's bright light. The song's chorus reflects the farming life's uncertainty as the farmer waits for the moon's position, prays that the weather remains favorable, and the creek doesn't over-flood.
Line by Line Meaning
She talked in riddles
She spoke in a confusing and mysterious way
She talked in three dimensional
Her speech contained a depth of meaning and complexity
She held my lazy head when evening light was gone
She comforted and cared for me when I was tired and alone in the darkness
She called the breaks
She signaled when it was time to take a pause or rest
I ploughed the lower forty when
I worked hard in the fields to cultivate a large area of land
She called me plough boy
She affectionately gave me a nickname related to my work
Say what paddock were you on
Asking where I had been working, possibly to keep track or assist me
Summer sun when my day is done
Referring to the end of a long day of work under the hot sun
God help me just to shade my eyes
Asking for divine assistance to help cope with the intense sunlight
Harvest moon she'll be rising soon
Referring to the upcoming appearance of the moon during harvest season
God willing and the creek don't rise
Expressing hope that obstacles like flooding won't interfere with the harvest
She knows I'm right
She trusts my judgement
She knows I'm so conventional
She recognizes that I have a typical or traditional way of thinking
She knows I'm cultivated furrows on my brow
She observes that I have worked hard and have lines on my forehead to show for it
The land was mortified
The soil was depleted or degraded
The land was indivisible
The land was not able to be divided, either for practical or sentimental reasons
I tell you someday we will reap what we might sow
Predicting that our actions on the land will have consequences in the future
Don't rise
Don't flood, don't escalate
She calls me Captain
She affectionately gives me a nickname related to leadership
She knows I'm so industrious
She recognizes that I am a hard worker
She fills my tea - cup when the window shades are down
She takes care of me and brings me tea when I am resting in the shade
We load the pick - up
We put goods into a truck for transport
We're making individual
We are working to create something unique or special
We're making all that hay while driving into town
We are able to multitask and work while also traveling to our destination
Writer(s): Jay Joyce Copyright: Songs Of Polygram Int. Inc., Door Number One Music
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.