Indiana
Thelonious Monk Lyrics

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I have always been a wanderer
Over land and sea
Yet a moonbeam on the water
Casts a spell o'er me
A vision fair I see
Again I seem to be

[Chorus]
Back home again in Indiana
And it seems that I can see
The gleaming candlelight
Still burning bright
Through the sycamores for me
The new-mown hay sends all its fragrance
Through the fields I used to roam
When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash
How I long for my Indiana home

Fancy paints on memory's canvas
Scenes that we hold dear
We recall them in days after
Clearly they appear
And often times I see
A scene that's dear to me

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The song "Indiana" by Thelonious Monk is a nostalgic and emotional homage to the state of Indiana. The opening lines suggest that the singer of the song has always been a wanderer, both over land and sea, indicating a restless and nomadic spirit. However, the sight of a moonbeam on the water has a magical effect on the singer, transporting them spiritually and emotionally back to Indiana. The vision of Indiana that the singer sees is "fair," indicating a sense of beauty and purity associated with their home state.

The chorus of the song emphasizes this sense of nostalgia and longing. The singer imagines themselves back home in Indiana, where the candlelight still burns bright and the fragrance of new-mown hay fills the air. They dream about the moonlight on the Wabash River, which flows through Indiana, and long for their home. The final stanza of the song emphasizes the power of memory and imagination to bring back the scenes and emotions of the past. For the singer, these scenes include the fields they used to roam and the sycamores under which the candlelight still burns.

Line by Line Meaning

I have always been a wanderer
I have been traveling around aimlessly for a long time

Over land and sea
I have traveled by both land and sea

Yet a moonbeam on the water
Whenever the moon reflects off the water's surface

Casts a spell o'er me
I feel an enchanting pull towards it

A vision fair I see
A beautiful image appears in my mind

Again I seem to be
It feels as if I am transported there again

[Chorus]
Refrain

Back home again in Indiana
I am back in my home state of Indiana

And it seems that I can see
It feels like I am able to visualize

The gleaming candlelight
The shining and flickering of candles

Still burning bright
They are still lit up and luminous