Moonshine
Michael Rutherford Lyrics


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And I feel like the night is closing - I know it is
Do you feel it burning in my blood
Burning in my blood like it's setting me fire.

And I feel like a cloud is closing in - I know it is
As I slip into a hazy crazy world - I know I am
Sooner or later moonshine in my brain
Turning me around till there's madness in the air.

Turning water into wine, till there's nothing left to burn
Courage deserted me tonight.

And in the moments that I have when peace is all around
I can see clearly now, and what I see
There's your world and there's mine
There's so little in between
But listen my love
We will never know which one of us has got it right.

Coz baby the things I do are hurting everyone
I know they are. I've got to try to find the door
Sooner or later it will turn me inside out
Begone all those who would torment me
I've an answer for you now.

And I'm glad it's not late to give it up - I know it's not
All I need's a year or two to rearrange - to rearrange
I can feel it burning in my blood
Turning me around till there's madness in the air.

Turning water into wine, till there's nothing left to burn
Courage deserted me tonight.

And in the moments that I have when peace is all around
I can see clearly now, and what I see
There's your world and there's mine
There's so little in between
But listen my love
We will never know which one of us has got it right.

Turning water into wine, till there's nothing left to burn
Courage deserted me tonight.





Turning water into wine, till there's nothing left to burn
Courage deserted me tonight.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Michael Rutherford’s song, Moonshine, speak about a person’s struggle with addiction and the internal turmoil it causes. The opening lines, “And I feel like the night is closing - I know it is,” create an image of despair and a sense of confinement. The singer then speaks about the burning feeling in their blood, indicating their desperation to quell their addiction. The second verse speaks about feeling like a cloud is closing in and slipping into a hazy world. The line, “Sooner or later moonshine in my brain, turning me around till there’s madness in the air,” clearly illustrates how the addiction to moonshine is affecting the person’s mental state.


The chorus, “Turning water into wine till there’s nothing left to burn, courage deserted me tonight,” suggests that the singer has reached a point where they feel like they have lost all control over their addiction. This is further emphasized in the lines, “Coz baby the things I do are hurting everyone, I know they are, I’ve got to try to find the door, sooner or later it will turn me inside out.” The last verse gives a small glimmer of hope as the singer says, “And I’m glad it’s not late to give it up - I know it’s not, all I need’s a year or two to rearrange - to rearrange, I can feel it burning in my blood, turning me around till there’s madness in the air.” This suggests that the singer has realized the need for change and is willing to put in the effort to get better. The song ends on a melancholic note with the chorus repeating, “Turning water into wine, till there’s nothing left to burn, courage deserted me tonight.”


Line by Line Meaning

And I feel like the night is closing - I know it is
I am aware that the night is coming upon me.


Do you feel it burning in my blood
Can you sense the excitement and energy I am feeling?


Burning in my blood like it's setting me fire.
This energy feels like it's engulfing me completely.


And I feel like a cloud is closing in - I know it is
I am aware that a fog is descending around me.


As I slip into a hazy crazy world - I know I am
I realize I am slowly losing touch with reality.


Sooner or later moonshine in my brain
Eventually, the alcohol will start to affect my thinking.


Turning me around till there's madness in the air.
The alcohol is causing my behavior to become erratic and possibly dangerous.


Turning water into wine, till there's nothing left to burn
I am consuming alcohol at a rapid pace, until I run out or become too intoxicated to continue.


Courage deserted me tonight.
I am no longer feeling brave or confident, possibly due to the effects of the alcohol.


And in the moments that I have when peace is all around
Occasionally, when things are calm, I can see things clearly.


I can see clearly now, and what I see
My perception is clearer and I am more aware of what's going on.


There's your world and there's mine
We have our own separate realities.


There's so little in between
The differences between our realities are minimal.


But listen my love
Please hear me out.


We will never know which one of us has got it right.
There is no way of telling who is correct in their viewpoint.


Coz baby the things I do are hurting everyone
My actions are causing harm to others around me.


I know they are. I've got to try to find the door
I am aware of the negative consequences of my actions and need to escape this situation.


Sooner or later it will turn me inside out
The situation will eventually cause me to lose control and unravel.


Begone all those who would torment me
I am calling for those who cause me trouble to leave me alone.


I've an answer for you now.
I am finally able to stand up for myself and face those who trouble me.


And I'm glad it's not late to give it up - I know it's not
It's not too late for me to stop and turn things around.


All I need's a year or two to rearrange - to rearrange
I only need a bit of time to reorganize my life and make changes.


Turning water into wine, till there's nothing left to burn
I continue to consume alcohol until there is none left or I am too drunk to continue.


Courage deserted me tonight.
I am feeling less brave or confident, possibly due to the effects of the alcohol.




Contributed by Blake L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Anthony Leone

The most underrated album period... Mike Rutherford’s superlative efforts here are sadly overlooked.

Vera Lehmann

Some of his best work, brilliant. love this

robert edwards

I'm of the same opinion Vera.

DARKKISS

This should have way more views 💖💖

Patricia Ilges

I definitely agree with you!! Genesis has been and will always be my favorite band in the world, them guys were simply geniuses. Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins have done great songs on their own as well and this is one of them.

thee great Simon Phillips on drums! ~ 👍

pmbinc

the sharing restrictions on this (Small Creeps Day) are almost as insane as how sensational it (Moonshine) is...if that makes any sense :-( :-)

malcolm godfrey

brilliant

luc pellerin

aaaaaaahh que j'adore cette toune ...

Verhasselt Thierry

Très bon album, mais pas très connus,à débusquer!

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