I Wished On The Moon
Billie Holiday & The Teddy Wilson Orchestra Lyrics

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I wished on the moon
For something I never knew
Wished on the moon
For more than I ever knew
A sweeter rose, a softer sky
On April days that would not dance by

I begged on the stars

To throw me a beam or two
Wished on the stars
And asked for a dream or two
I looked for every loveliness

It all came true
I wished on the moon for you

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Billie Holiday's "I Wished On The Moon" immediately evoke the pangs of unrequited love. The singer's plaintive yearning is conveyed through the metaphor of wishing on the moon - an impossible and futile endeavor, yet one that captures the imagination and longing of those who feel they are living in a world of unattainable dreams.

The second verse continues to emphasize the magnitude of the singer's desire, this time invoking the stars as she begs them to "throw [her] a beam or two." The words convey a sense of desperation as the singer implores the heavens to bring her some semblance of hope or clarity. The third verse brings a moment of respite, as the singer finds solace in the beauty of the world around her - represented by the "sweeter rose" and "softer sky" of an idyllic April day that she wishes would never end.

Ultimately, however, the song returns to its central theme of unrequited love, as the singer confesses that all her wishing and dreaming has been for the one person who remains out of reach: "I wished on the moon for you." The final line captures the bittersweet nature of the song, as it suggests that even though the singer's wish may never be fulfilled, the act of wishing itself is powerful enough to sustain her in the face of disappointment.

Line by Line Meaning

I wished on the moon
I held on to hope and I wished on the moon

For something I never knew
For something that I am not aware of or something that has never happened to me

Wished on the moon
I placed all my hopes and dreams on the moon

For more than I ever knew
For something bigger and better than what I had envisioned

A sweeter rose, a softer sky
I wished for a world with more beauty and tenderness

On April days that would not dance by
Happiness is fleeting, I wished to make moments of joy last longer

I begged on the stars
I pleaded with the stars for something special

To throw me a beam or two
To grant me a little bit of light or hope

Wished on the stars
I placed all my wishes on the stars

And asked for a dream or two
I sought after my deepest desires and wild dreams

I looked for every loveliness
I searched for every last bit of beauty in the world