John David "Moon" Martin (born October 31, 1950) is a singer and songwriter… Read Full Bio ↴John David "Moon" Martin (born October 31, 1950) is a singer and songwriter.

Originally a rockabilly artist from Altus, Oklahoma, Martin is best known for writing the songs "Bad Case Of Lovin' You (Doctor, Doctor)" made famous by English singer Robert Palmer and "Cadillac Walk" made famous by American singer Willy DeVille.

Martin gained recognition in the 1970s as a pop artist and composer. He was given the nickname "Moon" because many of his songs had "moon" in the lyrics. He also scored two minor hits of own with the song "Rolene" in 1979 and the song "Bad News" in 1980 in France

Witness
Moon Martin Lyrics

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On the borderline we run
Waiting for the night to come
I looked back and you were gone
I was searching all night long

Fires burning everywhere
People running scared

Witness
Witness
Witness, I need a witness

Slogans written on a wall
This country's gonna fall
I heard a shot come down the street
And my heart fell to my feet

I don't know where you are
Man, we let it go to far

Witness
Witness
Witness, I need a witness

In the shadows there's a man
A piece of metal in his hand
Tell me brother is your plan
To keep me here at your command

You say you're for the people now
But it's hard to believe somehow

Witness

Witness
Witness, I need a witness

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Moon Martin's song "Witness" depict a scene of chaos and confusion set on the borderline of a country that's on the brink of collapse. In the first verse, the singer and his companion are waiting for the night to come in order to escape, but when he looks back, he realizes she's no longer with him. He spends the rest of the night searching for her, in the midst of fires burning everywhere and people running scared. The repeated word "witness" is a plea for someone to bear witness to the atrocities being committed and provide some sort of validation to his experience.

The second verse is more focused on the political and social unrest that's led to this situation. Slogans are written on the wall declaring the country's impending fall, and the sound of a gunshot reinforces this sense of danger. The singer's despair is palpable as he admits he doesn't know where his companion is and acknowledges that they let things go too far. The final verse introduces a new character, a man in the shadows with a weapon. The singer questions whether this man's goal is to keep him under control, despite his claim to be working for the good of the people. Ultimately, the singer's plea for a witness is a desperate call for someone to acknowledge the truth of what's happening, to validate their experience, and to maybe even offer some hope for a way out of the chaos.

Line by Line Meaning

On the borderline we run
We are treading on the edge of danger

Waiting for the night to come
Anticipating an inevitable chaos

I looked back and you were gone
You disappeared without a trace

I was searching all night long
I spent the entire night looking for you

Fires burning everywhere
Chaos and destruction all around

People running scared
Panic and fear take control

Witness
I need someone to testify to what is happening

Witness
I need an account of the situation

Witness, I need a witness
I am desperate for someone to validate what I am seeing

Slogans written on a wall
Rebellion and anarchy in progress

This country's gonna fall
A nation on the brink of collapse