Shoot the Moon
Norah Jones Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The summer days are gone too soon
You shoot the moon
And miss completely
And now you're left to face the gloom
The empty room that once smelled sweetly
Of all the flowers you plucked, if only
You knew the reason
Why you had to each be lonely
Was it just the season?

Now the fall is here again
You can't begin to give in
It's all over
When the snows come rolling through
You're rolling too with some new lover
Will you think of times you've told me
That you knew the reason
Why we had to each be lonely
It was just the season

Will you think of times you've told me
That you knew the reason




Why we had to each be lonely
It was just the season

Overall Meaning

"Shoot the Moon" is a song by Norah Jones that talks about the fleeting nature of life and how people often miss the opportunities that come their way. The song starts with the singer lamenting the end of summer, which has gone by too quickly. The phrase "shoot the moon" is an idiomatic expression that means to take a risk in order to gain a great reward. The singer refers to the notion of shooting the moon and missing it completely, which signifies that sometimes individuals take risks but end up with nothing.


The singer highlights the melancholy that comes with the end of a season and the emptiness that it leaves behind. She misses the scent of flowers that once filled the room, as it reminds her of the happiness that she once shared with someone special. The singer then asks a question about the reason behind loneliness. She wonders whether it is just the season that makes people feel alone, or whether there is a deeper meaning behind it.


Towards the end of the song, the singer predicts that when the winter snow arrives, it will bring with it a new lover for the person she is referring to. She wonders whether the person she is addressing will think back to the times they shared together and recall the discussion they had about the notion of loneliness. She reminds that the reason behind loneliness is just the season and nothing more. The song ends on a wistful and melancholy note, highlighting the fleeting nature of time and the inevitable changes that come with it.


Line by Line Meaning

The summer days are gone too soon
The warm season ends so abruptly


You shoot the moon
You aim for the impossible


And miss completely
But unfortunately always fall short


And now you're left to face the gloom
The sadness and depression sets in


The empty room that once smelled sweetly
The solitude that once felt refreshing now feels lonely


Of all the flowers you plucked, if only
All the good memories you once had


You knew the reason
If only you knew why things ended up this way


Why you had to each be lonely
Why both of us had to be lonely


Was it just the season?
Was it something beyond our control?


Now the fall is here again
A new season begins


You can't begin to give in
You can't surrender yourself to it


It's all over
It's time to let go of the past


When the snows come rolling through
When hardships come your way


You're rolling too with some new lover
You'll move on with someone else


Will you think of times you've told me
Will you remember the things we shared?


That you knew the reason
That you thought you knew why things were the way they were


Why we had to each be lonely
Why we had to go through our struggles alone


It was just the season
Maybe it was just a temporary phase




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jesse Harris

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Anonymous


on I Turned Your Picture to the Wall

Down by the Riverside - Noah Wall - Lyrics

I’m gonna lay down my heavy load,
Down by the riverside,
Oh yeah
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside
I’m gonna lay down my heavy load,
Down by the riverside,
I’m gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,
I ain’t a gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,
No I ain’t a gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,
I ain’t a gonna study war no more

I’m gonna put on my long white robe,
Down by the riverside
Oh yeah
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside
I’m gonna put on my long white robe,
Down by the riverside
I’m gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,
I ain’t a gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,
I ain’t a gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,
I ain’t a gonna study war no more

Musical Interlude


Well, I’m gonna lay down my sword and shield,
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside
I’m gonna lay down my sword and shield,
Down by the riverside
I’m gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,
I ain’t a gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,
I ain’t a gonna study war no more
I ain’t a gonna study war no more,

Anonymous


on The Nearness of You

The Nearness Of You - Camille Thurman -Lyrics

Its not the pale moon that excites me
That thrills and delights me, oh no
Its just the nearness of you

It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
Its just the nearness of you

When you're in my arms
And I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams do come true

I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you'll only grant me
The right to hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night
The nearness of you

Saxophone Musical Interlude

I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you'll only grant me
The right to hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night
The nearness, the nearness of you

More Versions