Gillan was born in Hounslow, Middlesex, England. He joined the band Deep Purple in 1969. In 1970, he sang the part of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. After leaving Deep Purple in 1973, he went into brief retirement before forming the Ian Gillan Band. The early band sound had a distinct jazz-rock aspect which proved unpopular and was replaced by a more high powered hard rock sound as Gillan reformed the lineup and shortened the groups name to Gillan. With the release of Mr. Universe Ian Gillan was back in the UK charts and through several more line up changes released a string of hit singles and successful albums including Glory Road, Future Shock, Double Trouble, and finally Magic.
Then he announced the band would fold as he needed to rest his damaged vocal cords. In 1983 he joined Black Sabbath to record the Born Again album before rejoining a reunited Deep Purple shortly after completing the Born Again tour in early 1984. He left Purple again in 1989, but rejoined for good in 1992. He remains in the band today.
Gillan is now working on a project to document his 40-year career, tentatively called Gillan's Inn. Tony Iommi, Jeff Healey, various members of Deep Purple and many others will be featured on this 2006 DVD project.
Five Moons
Ian Gillan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bright yellow skies looking so strange
We're never going home
A million souls alone with
Five moons in the sky
Maybe we can have another chance
Starting again, a new circumstance
We've got some air to breathe
Five moons in the sky
I don't lie to my people
I don't pray for their sins
We've gone away, we've gone away
We're going to live another way
Give me green fields
Laughing and then maybe
Skies going through another change
To our surprise it's starting to rain
The clouds begin to cry
And we can only see
Four moons in the sky
I don't cry in the summer rain
It don't show anyway
The song "Five Moons" by Ian Gillan is a reflective and philosophical piece that envisions a world where humans have left their previous home and settled on a new planet with unfamiliar skies. The opening lines, "Skies going through another change, Bright yellow skies looking so strange," set the tone of the song, with the lyrics highlighting the difference between the old and the new world.
The repetitive line "Five moons in the sky" emphasizes the unfamiliarity of this new planet, where even the number of moons is different from Earth. Gillan hints at a feeling of loneliness with the phrase "A million souls alone," suggesting that despite the vast number of people who have made the move, they still feel disconnected from each other and are grappling with their new reality.
The final line "I don't cry in the summer rain, It don't show anyway" could be interpreted as a message of resilience and determination to push through the difficulties of a new beginning. Overall, "Five Moons" is a thought-provoking song that invites the listener to explore the idea of starting over, embracing change, and finding a new way of being.
Line by Line Meaning
Skies going through another change
The atmosphere is constantly changing and evolving.
Bright yellow skies looking so strange
The unusual color of the sky is surprising and unexpected.
We're never going home
The singer has no intention of returning to their previous life.
A million souls alone with
Many people are left to fend for themselves in this new world.
Five moons in the sky
The sky is very different from what it used to be, with multiple moons visible.
Maybe we can have another chance
There is hope for a fresh start or new beginning.
Starting again, a new circumstance
The singer has the opportunity to reinvent themselves and their life.
We've got some air to breathe
Despite the changes, there is still life and oxygen available.
And no desire to leave
The artist has adapted to this new world and feels at home.
Five moons in the sky
The sky is still very different and foreign compared to what was once considered 'normal'.
I don't lie to my people
The singer is truthful and honest with those around them.
I don't pray for their sins
The artist does not pass judgement or condemn others for their actions.
We've gone away, we've gone away
The singer has left their old life behind and moved on to something new.
We're going to live another way
The singer has embraced change and is willing to try a different lifestyle.
Give me green fields
The singer desires open and natural spaces.
Laughing and then maybe
There is still joy and happiness to be found in this world.
Skies going through another change
The world is always evolving and transforming.
To our surprise it's starting to rain
More changes are happening, even when least expected.
The clouds begin to cry
The singer anthropomorphizes the weather, giving it human emotions.
And we can only see
The visibility is limited due to the rain and cloud cover.
Four moons in the sky
Even further alteration to the sky's appearance, with one moon not visible anymore.
I don't cry in the summer rain
The artist is not affected by the rain and remains stoic throughout.
It don't show anyway
Their lack of emotion is not apparent on the outside.
Contributed by Leo E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tracymillard7427
Skies going through another change
Bright yellow skies looking so strange
We're nver going home
A million souls alone with
Five moons in the sky
Maybe, we can have another chance
Starting again, a new circumstances
We've got some air to breathe
And no desire to leave
Five moons in the sky
I don't lie to my people
I don't pray for their sins
We've gone away, we've gone away
We've going to live another way
Give me green fields,
Laughing, and then maybe
Skies going through another change
To our surprise it's starting to rain
The clouds begin to cry
And we can only see
Four moons in the sky
I don't cry in the summer rain
It don't show anyway
A city growing in the yellow sky
Putting out smoke making me cry
They've cutting down the trees
Now l can only see
Three moons in the sky
I don't lie to my lady
I don't lie to my woman
Grey mothers of a broken child
Come to my breast come to my arms
It's gonna rain tonight
We're gonna be alright with
One moon in the sky
@smokinjz
Skies going through another change
Bright yellow skies looking so strange
We're nver going home
A million souls alone with
Five moons in the sky
Maybe, we can have another chance
Starting again, a new circumstances
We've got some air to breathe
And no desire to leave
Five moons in the sky
I don't lie to my people
I don't pray for their sins
We've gone away, we've gone away
We've going to live another way
Give me green fields,
Laughing, and then maybe
Skies going through another change
To our surprise it's starting to rain
The clouds begin to cry
And we can only see
Four moons in the sky
I don't cry in the summer rain
It don't show anyway
A city growing in the yellow sky
Putting out smoke making me cry
They've cutting down the trees
Now l can only see
Three moons in the sky
I don't lie to my lady
I don't lie to my woman
Grey mothers of a broken child
Come to my breast come to my arms
It's gonna rain tonight
We're gonna be alright with
One moon in the sky
@canlowankiya
To me it's one of the very best albums Ian ever did!
@neilthompson5560
Awesome album. Why this didn't get higher acclaim is beyond me. The painting of the space ship is great. Pity that they didn't sell it in toy stores like "The yellow submarine"
@user-vl4rr7fn6k
Superbe comme toujours! Gillan est le meilleur!
@donlampard9961
Gillan nails it - I don't want another vocalist. Ian's the man.
@tracymillard7427
Skies going through another change
Bright yellow skies looking so strange
We're nver going home
A million souls alone with
Five moons in the sky
Maybe, we can have another chance
Starting again, a new circumstances
We've got some air to breathe
And no desire to leave
Five moons in the sky
I don't lie to my people
I don't pray for their sins
We've gone away, we've gone away
We've going to live another way
Give me green fields,
Laughing, and then maybe
Skies going through another change
To our surprise it's starting to rain
The clouds begin to cry
And we can only see
Four moons in the sky
I don't cry in the summer rain
It don't show anyway
A city growing in the yellow sky
Putting out smoke making me cry
They've cutting down the trees
Now l can only see
Three moons in the sky
I don't lie to my lady
I don't lie to my woman
Grey mothers of a broken child
Come to my breast come to my arms
It's gonna rain tonight
We're gonna be alright with
One moon in the sky
@mobilehalibut
Loved the whole album
@roryobrien2318
Love it.
@danieldeoliveiraneto1808
Beautiful
@flashback225
brilliant !!!
@thefreakyboutiki
So good. Gillan flirts with prog.