Climbing To The Moon
Eels Lyrics


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So I wrote in a letter
But I don't know if it came
The nurse she likes my writing
So she keeps it just like me
So that it won't get away

I won't be denied this time
'Fore I go out of my mind over matters
Got my foot on the ladder
And I'm climbing up to the room

Got a sky that looks like heaven
Got an earth that looks like shit
And it's getting hard to tell where what I am ends
And what they're making me begins

And I won't be denied this time
'Fore I go out of my mind over matters
Got my foot on the ladder
And I'm climbing up to the moon

Saturday in the yard
They'll bring you by
We'll lay down on the grass
And watch as the sky closes in

And I won't be denied this time
'Fore I go out of my mind over matters




Got my foot on the ladder
And I'm climbing up to the moon

Overall Meaning

In “Climbing to the Moon,” the singer, who is in a mental hospital, wrote a letter and sent it off but is unsure whether it was received. Although the singer is trapped in the hospital, he is determined to climb up to the moon, or overcome his mental illness and escape. The nurse at the hospital is a source of comfort, keeping his letter safe so that it won’t get misplaced. The singer also finds solace in the fact that although his physical environment is not ideal, nature can still be beautiful in his eyes. He acknowledges the difficulty of telling his own identity, or where he begins and where the treatment or “they” shaping him begins. This could suggest a sense of vulnerability or loss of control due to his mental state.


The singer’s determination to overcome his illness is evident in the repeated line “I won’t be denied this time,” showing a sense of resilience and willpower. The mention of laying on the grass and looking at the sky with someone special on a Saturday suggests that there is still hope for a brighter future, a return to normalcy, and being able to appreciate life’s simple pleasures again. The sense of optimism in the lyrics suggests that despite his struggles, the singer will overcome his mental illness.


Line by Line Meaning

So I wrote in a letter
I penned down my thoughts on a paper


But I don't know if it came
But I'm unsure if it reached the intended person


The nurse she likes my writing
The nurse appreciates my writing style


So she keeps it just like me
Thus, she preserves it the way it is


So that it won't get away
So that it won't get lost or discarded


I won't be denied this time
I'm determined to achieve my goal this time


'Fore I go out of my mind over matters
Before I lose my sanity over issues


Got my foot on the ladder
I've started climbing the ladder of success


And I'm climbing up to the room
I'm moving up towards my desired destination


Got a sky that looks like heaven
The sky above me appears beautiful and pristine


Got an earth that looks like shit
But the ground beneath me seems ruined and worthless


And it's getting hard to tell where what I am ends
It's becoming challenging to differentiate my true self from my surroundings


And what they're making me begins
And what others are shaping me into starts


Saturday in the yard
On an upcoming Saturday in the garden


They'll bring you by
They'll bring you along with them


We'll lay down on the grass
We'll recline on the green lawn


And watch as the sky closes in
And observe the sky's colours gradually blending into darkness




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK O. EVERETT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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