The stories of Calaveras County are still being written. We’ve got gold mines, so much wine, and generations of Mi-Wuk tradition yearning to be discovered. Our societal contributions include a Nobel Prize winner, a UFC Champion, and an Obama Fellowship recipient. When a tree falls in our forest, it’s national news. (Literally.) So when we offer you Grover Anderson, our resident songwriter and storyteller, you might listen up.
At first glance, Grover looks like the kind of guy who’ll drip with earnestness and leave you aggressively “whelmed.” But, then you'll start listening to the stories he has to tell—the adventurers decimated by ambition, the desperate attempts by the broken to play it cool, the extended metaphors that aren’t as sweet as they initially seem. Sure, he’s got love songs—his signature one is called “Sick of You", and there’s another that’s probably not actually about bootleg liquor. Don't worry, he’s trying to lighten up on the murder ballads; his latest album All The Lies That I Have Told received rave reviews despite its relatively modest body count of 13. So, you're right that Grover’s quite earnest, but try to stay on your toes.
Whether you find his writing wicked or charming, there’s no denying Grover is a product of Calaveras County, following in the footsteps of Mark Twain and Bret Harte. He often performs with his band The Lampoliers, anchored by longtime collaborators Josh Certo and Marshall Henry. (A “lampolier” is a soul-devouring demon who dwells in abandoned mines and is probably not a word that Grover made up.)
You might have seen Grover at Alaska’s Salmonfest, the Tucson Folk Festival, or headlining Hermitfest in the Sierra Nevadas. Perhaps you caught him opening for Birds of Chicago, The Charlie Daniels Band, or America. Or maybe you’ve been to one of his sold-out shows in Calaveras County. No? Oh, that’s right, you’ve never heard of him. Well, it's about time to remedy that!
Moonshine
Grover Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Color me with moonshine
Makin' my eyes blind
Too blind to see
And I find
Even in the daytime
You and your moonshine
You're turning me into a night owl
I don't know how
You overtook my consciousness
And understood my loneliness
It's misapprehension
Often seen as condescension
But believe me when I say
I'm a fan of the direction
You've been taking your decisions
Sparing me deserved derision
You've rebranded all my faults
As "personality omissions"
You've eclipsed my inhibitions
Pulled me out of darkly driftin'
Never need to find another
'Cause I found someone to
Color me with
Moonshine
Color me with moonshine
Makin' my eyes blind
Too blind to see
And I find
Even in the daytime
You and your moonshine
Shine on me
To me it's enervating
What we've recreated
An acrylic piece
Over shadows painted
Watch the memories
Of gallows hanging
Can't seem to fathom
A day without your passion
Webbed in the dark
I feel it unraveling
I surf your bluesy waves
And my soul goes traveling
I found a well of fishes
That have granted me these wishes
In the darkest night
You heal me
With your
Moonshine
Color me with moonshine
Makin' my eyes blind
Too blind to see
That I find
That even in the daytime
You and your moonshine
Shine on me
It's almost painful how elegant
You look smilin'
I'm filin' it away
Into the back of my mind
Your stylin's are outdated
But you've somehow recreated
A spark inside a part of me
That's long ago sedated
Take me back to seventeen
Back to before
Your soul has lived a lifetime
Through peace and the war
Through perigees and blues
You've held temerity and truth
I'm alone in the dark
But I'm always with you
You're my moonshine
Color me with moonshine
Makin' my eyes blind
Too blind to see
And I find
Even in the daytime
You and your moonshine
Shine on me
The song "Moonshine" by Grover Anderson speaks about the power of love and how it can make a person feel alive and free. The lyrics use the metaphor of moonshine to signify the intoxicating effect of love on the singer. The first stanza begins with "Color me with moonshine," which could be interpreted as the singer asking their lover to fill their life with love and happiness. The following line, "Makin' my eyes blind," suggests that love has blinded the singer to the problems and challenges of their life. However, despite this blindness, the singer finds comfort in their lover's presence and sees them as the light that shines on them even in the daytime.
The second stanza continues with the theme of the singer being consumed by their lover's love. They are "turned into a night owl," meaning they are willing to stay up all night with their lover and revel in their love. The line "It's misapprehension, often seen as condescension" suggests that the singer's love for their partner may not always be understood by others. Their love is so all-consuming that it may seem condescending to those who do not understand it. However, the singer sees their partner's love as a good thing and is grateful for the direction they have taken in life. The final line of the stanza is "You've eclipsed my inhibitions," which means that the singer's lover has helped them overcome their fears and obstacles and become a better person.
Overall, "Moonshine" by Grover Anderson is a song about the transformative power of love. The lyrics are full of imagery that speaks to the intoxicating and all-consuming effect that love can have on a person. The singer is grateful to have found someone who has helped them overcome their fears and obstacles and become a better person.
Line by Line Meaning
Color me with moonshine
Fill me with your love, brightness, and joy
Makin' my eyes blind
Overwhelming me with your blessings and beauty
Too blind to see
Blinding me with your light and goodness
And I find
I realize
Even in the daytime
At any time
You and your moonshine
You and your love, kindness, warmth, and charm
Shine on me
Bless me with your presence and affection
You're turning me into a night owl
You're keeping me up all night thinking about you
I don't know how
I don't understand why or how you have such an effect on me
You overtook my consciousness
You've captured my thoughts and emotions
And understood my loneliness
And you know how it feels to be alone
It's misapprehension
It's a common misunderstanding
Often seen as condescension
Often viewed as arrogance or a negative attitude
But believe me when I say
But trust me when I tell you
I'm a fan of the direction
I'm amazed and impressed with the way
You've been taking your decisions
You've been making your choices
Sparing me deserved derision
Not judging or criticizing me for my mistakes
You've rebranded all my faults
You've turned my flaws into positive traits
As 'personality omissions'
As minor imperfections that don't define me as a person
You've eclipsed my inhibitions
You've helped me overcome my fears and doubts
Pulled me out of darkly driftin'
Pulled me out of a dark and depressing state of mind
Never need to find another
I don't need anyone else
'Cause I found someone to
Because I have found someone who can
Color me with
Fill me with
To me it's enervating
It's exhilarating and energizing for me
What we've recreated
What we've built together
An acrylic piece
A beautiful masterpiece
Over shadows painted
Overcoming past struggles and pain
Watch the memories
Remember the moments
Of gallows hanging
Of difficult and challenging times
Can't seem to fathom
Can't understand or comprehend
A day without your passion
Being without your love, energy, and enthusiasm
Webbed in the dark
Struggling in the darkness
I feel it unraveling
I feel my troubles and problems unraveling
I surf your bluesy waves
I ride your emotional highs and lows
And my soul goes traveling
And my spirit goes on a journey
I found a well of fishes
I found a source of abundance and prosperity
That have granted me these wishes
That have fulfilled my dreams and desires
In the darkest night
In the toughest times
You heal me
You give me strength and comfort
It's almost painful how elegant
It's almost unbearable how graceful and perfect
You look smilin'
You look happy and content
I'm filin' it away
I'm remembering it for later
Into the back of my mind
Into my long-term memory
Your stylin's are outdated
Your fashion choices are old-fashioned
But you've somehow recreated
But you've nonetheless rediscovered
A spark inside a part of me
A light in a dark place in my heart
That's long ago sedated
That's been asleep or numbed for a long time
Take me back to seventeen
Go back to when we were younger and carefree
Back to before
Before the worries and problems of adulthood
Your soul has lived a lifetime
You've experienced so much in your life
Through peace and the war
Through good times and bad times
Through perigees and blues
Through the highs and lows of life
You've held temerity and truth
You've held courage and honesty
I'm alone in the dark
I'm struggling in isolation and sadness
But I'm always with you
But you're always in my heart and mind
Contributed by William H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
M4gg0t
Discovered this song last year and am so in love with it. This song is what love feels like <3
Thank you for making such a beautiful song!
Grover Anderson
Thank you so much! Grateful that it found you :)
Rodger Orman
One of Grover’s many great songs.
TrinityLynn
been listening to this song for a year and everytime I go back to it it makes me happy. love this song so much.
Jade Tyde
The lyrics of this lovely song speak to my soul. So beautiful
Cynthia Madrid
I played this alot at the cabin...... it is perfect cozy cabin music!
Krishna Choudhary
Liked the lyrics as well as the music. Good job. :)
Oli A
is there anywhere I can find tabs for this?
Grover Anderson
i have a chords sheet on my website groveranderson.com/moonshine-chords/…no tabs set up (yet!) but there's a video of a live version that might help
Melody R
thank you