According to the Walking In Memphis Songfacts, Cohn was discovered by Carly Simon in the mid-'80s when he was with a 14-piece band called The Supreme Court. Atlantic Records signed him in 1989, but the first attempts to record his debut album with Tracy Chapman 's producer David Kerschenbaum failed. Ten months later, he tried again, producing the set himself with help from the little-known Ben Wisch, who had helped him with his demos. Finally released in 1991 when Cohn was 31 years old, his self-titled debut album was a huge hit, thanks to the massive success of "Walking In Memphis." Cohn won the 1991 Grammy for Best New Artist award, beating out both Boyz II Men and Seal. Cohn never matched the chart success of this song, but like his musical heroes Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne , he remained a critical and artistic success as a songwriter and performer.
He has issued two other studio albums to date, The Rainy Season (1993) and Burning the Daze (1998), both on Atlantic Records. A self-released live compilation, Live 04-05 (2005), is being sold at concerts on his current tour.
He is the most famous graduate of Beachwood High School in Beachwood, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb. He attended Oberlin College as well. In addition, Cohn is notably married to ABC News journalist Elizabeth Vargas whom he met at the 1999 US Open after being introduced by Andre Agassi. Cohn and Vargas have two sons: Zachary Raphael (born on January 31, 2003) and Samuel Wyatt (born on August 16, 2006). Cohn has two other children— Max and Emily—from a previous marriage.
On August 7, 2005, Cohn was shot in the head during an attempted carjacking, following a concert with Suzanne Vega in Denver, Colorado. He was hospitalized and released the next day. The remaining concerts on the tour were cancelled.
Cohn released The Very Best Of Marc Cohn in June 2006, and his 4th studio album, Join The Parade, was released on October 9, 2007. He continues to tour to this day. For photographs and additional information visit Marc's official website, www.MarcCohn.net.
Mama's in the Moon
Marc Cohn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't want to pull the shade tonight, I think I'm want to drown.
I'm sending out a message, or could I die too soon?
Cause I don't know where I'm going,
Since Mama's in the moon.
(REPEAT INTRO)
I can see her dancing somewhere in the sky.
I'm rising like the ocean, and I'm crazy as a loon.
And I don't know what I'm doing,
Since Mama's in the moon.
The dogs are barking and she's so high,
And she's never coming down.
The lyrics of the song "Mama's in the Moon" by Marc Cohn delve into the feeling of loss and longing for someone who is no longer there. The song talks about the impact of the absence of a loved one and how it can cause one to feel lost. The opening line talks about the barking dogs and the feeling of being high, which is probably an indication of the singer's mental state of being overwhelmed with feelings. The second line talks about not wanting to pull the shade, which could mean two things- the singer is either avoiding the light or trying to avoid seeing something. The line "I think I'm want to drown" indicates the singer's state of mind- he is lost and does not know how to cope.
The song's chorus, "I don't know where I'm going since Mama's in the moon" summarizes the whole song, indicating that the singer's life is directionless since his mother, symbolized by the moon, is no longer there. The second verse continues the theme, where the singer hears his mom's laughter and cries and sees her dancing, indicating that he is still in touch with her in his thoughts. The line "I'm rising like the ocean and crazy as a loon" indicates his mental state- he is unstable and erratic, which could mean that he is still struggling to come to terms with his mother's absence.
Line by Line Meaning
Dogs are barking and she's so high, she's never coming down.
The singer hears dogs barking and believes that someone is high on drugs and will never come down. This makes him feel like he might as well give up too.
Don't want to pull the shade tonight, I think I'm want to drown.
The singer does not want to close the blinds because he wants to see the darkness. This makes him feel like he wants to die.
I'm sending out a message, or could I die too soon?
The singer is unsure if anyone will hear his message before he dies. He wonders if he will die before he can make a difference.
Cause I don't know where I'm going, Since Mama's in the moon.
The artist feels lost and directionless because his mother is no longer alive to guide him. He searches for purpose without her.
Now, I can hear her laughing, and I can hear her cry.
Although his mother has passed away, the artist can still hear her voice and the range of emotions she experienced while she was alive.
I can see her dancing somewhere in the sky.
The singer imagines his mother being happy, free, and at peace in the afterlife. It brings him comfort.
I'm rising like the ocean, and I'm crazy as a loon.
The singer feels himself becoming more powerful, like a great force of nature, but he is also feeling insane and unpredictable.
And I don't know what I'm doing, Since Mama's in the moon.
The artist does not know what he is doing or where he is going in life, because without his mother's guidance, he feels aimless and lost.
The dogs are barking and she's so high, And she's never coming down.
The artist repeats the opening line, emphasizing the hopelessness and despair he feels without his mother. He sees someone else in a similar state of mind, and it only reinforces his own sadness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: COHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind