Pratt was raised by her mother, who exposed her to a broad range of artists, including Tim Buckley, X, and the Gun Club. She learned to play the guitar around the age of 15, after her older brother gave up playing his Stratocaster. She took his guitar and started practising with the T. Rex album, Electric Warrior. She was soon able to play the guitar parts of the whole record. She eventually began recording songs at the age of 16, using her mother's Fender guitar amp and microphone.
After she moved to San Francisco, she was introduced to Tim Presley's solo project, White Fence, through Presley's brother, who was her roommate for three years. In the following years, Presley heard Pratt's demo songs through her then-boyfriend, who had posted her songs on Facebook. He eventually contacted her to release her music.
Pratt's self-titled debut album was released in 2012 through Presley's label, Birth Records. Produced by Craig Gotsill, the album featured the songs that were originally recorded in 2007 over analogue tape. The initial 500 pressings of the sold out in less than two weeks. It received attention from many music websites and magazines, including Pitchfork (website), Consequence of Sound[3] and PopMatters.
In January 2014, she revealed the studio version of a new track, "Game That I Play."
In October 2014, Pratt announced her sophomore album, On Your Own Love Again.
In October 2018, she announced her third album, Quiet Signs, and released a video for a new track, "This Time Around." Pitchfork reviewed the song, giving it the Best New Music designation and noting a stylistic shift, comparing it to "a Tropicalia version of a Christmas song, or a ’60s jukebox standard playing in a beach town diner during the off-season."
According to Philip Cosores of Consequence of Sound, Pratt's music "displays a lyrical and musical range without straying from a palette of picked acoustic guitar and raw, bending vocals" and nods to "60′s folk, California classic rock, and the early 2000′s freak folk." She is compared to various folk artists, including Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Sibylle Baier, David Crosby and Karen Dalton. She also expressed admiration for Ariel Pink.
Moon Dude
Jessica Pratt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In outer space and time
You can cast a gaze on our planet lines, ta-da
You're on the outside, you're looking in
To the escalators humming
They are pulling you from nothing but your loneliness
I know you're searching all the time
But you can't turn this planets 'round
But, boy, don't you want me now?
Moon dude, you can try the weight of your pulley now
In outer space and time
You can cast a gaze on our planet lines, ta-da
You're on the outside, you're looking in
To the escalators humming
They are pulling you from nothing but your loneliness
I know you're searching all the time
Through the corners of your mind
But you can't turn this planet 'round
Oh don't let me down
Boy, don't you want me now
[?] geranium blue
They are looking for you there
With rotations in the air
They can't see you
Lest you be shining
Lest you be shining
The song "Moon Dude" by Jessica Pratt speaks to a person who feels a sense of separation from others and is searching for a deeper connection. The song starts with the titular "Moon Dude" who is exploring outer space and time, looking upon Earth from afar. Pratt uses the image of the "escalators humming" to showcase how Moon Dude feels isolated and disconnected from everything around him. Despite his exploration, he is still consumed by loneliness.
Pratt then shifts the focus to the listener, telling them that she knows they are also searching for something but they can't change the world on their own. The chorus repeats several times, asking the question: "Boy, don't you want me now?" Here, Pratt is making the case that the answer to feeling disconnected is to connect with others. Moon Dude may be exploring space, but that exploration ultimately leaves him empty, longing for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon dude, you can try the weight of your pulley now
You, Moon dude, can now experiment with your pulley's weight in outer space and time.
In outer space and time
You are currently situated in outer space, outside the confines of time.
You can cast a gaze on our planet lines, ta-da
Looking from a distance, you can observe the outlines of our planet with great ease.
You're on the outside, you're looking in
You are currently positioned outside the planet you are observing, looking in from a distance.
To the escalators humming
You can hear the escalators making a gentle humming sound from where you are.
They are pulling you from nothing but your loneliness
The sound of the escalators is the only thing that breaks the silence of your lonely state.
I know you're searching all the time
I am aware that you are constantly searching for something.
In the corners of your mind
Your search is happening in the deeper, unexplored corners of your mind.
But you can't turn this planets 'round
You cannot influence the planets' movements or their order of being.
But, boy, don't you want me now?
But, do you not desire me at this very moment, Moon Dude?
[?] Geranium blue
Unknown
They are looking for you there
Someone or something is searching for you in the geranium blue location.
With rotations in the air
Whoever or whatever is looking for you is making rotations in the air, possibly searching from a height.
They can't see you
Despite their search, they are unable to locate you.
Lest you be shining
It is only if you are shining that they will be able to locate you.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: JESSICA PRATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tessynuc
[verse]
Moon dude, you can try the weight
Of your body now in outer space
In time, you can cast a gaze on our planet lines, ta-da
You're on the outside, you're looking in
To the escalators humming
They are pulling you from nothing
But your loneliness
[Chorus]
I know you're searching all the time
In the corners of your mind
But you can't turn this planet round
But, boy, don't you want me now?
[Verse]
[Chorus 2]
I know you're searching all the time
Through the corners of your mind
But you can't turn this planet 'round
Oh don't let me down
Boy, don't you want me now?
[Outro]
My true geranium blue
They are looking for you there
With rotations in the air
They can't see you
Lest you be shining
Lest you be shining
rallokkcaz
Exquisite music, for lonely nights and drunken dreams.
Bretta Walker
ugh I want this on vinyl so badly. listening to Jessica is like floating slowly downward in a sea of molasses. love it.
I'm Ok
truly captivating album, never gets old and so enjoyable to sing along to and integrate with... Eternally grateful for Jessica Pratts' efforts
Natalie
Efforts not where this comes from. Being captivating isn't a sport.
tessynuc
[verse]
Moon dude, you can try the weight
Of your body now in outer space
In time, you can cast a gaze on our planet lines, ta-da
You're on the outside, you're looking in
To the escalators humming
They are pulling you from nothing
But your loneliness
[Chorus]
I know you're searching all the time
In the corners of your mind
But you can't turn this planet round
But, boy, don't you want me now?
[Verse]
[Chorus 2]
I know you're searching all the time
Through the corners of your mind
But you can't turn this planet 'round
Oh don't let me down
Boy, don't you want me now?
[Outro]
My true geranium blue
They are looking for you there
With rotations in the air
They can't see you
Lest you be shining
Lest you be shining
Jump Ugly
Just beautiful...haunting. Keep it up young lady!
Vicious Badger
Not sure about you guys but I have never heard anything quite like Jessica's music. Hits me right in the soul
clara 🌙
@MsCygnusX1 jessica and joni are my bread and butter
MsCygnusX1
Try Joni Mitchell's first 3 or 4 albums.
Fantastic Situation
absolutely