After gaining a following as a popular live act on college campuses, the band has gained popular success since signing to Lava Records in 2005, with their singles "Love and Memories" and "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" gaining mainstream radio airplay. Speaking with Songfacts in an interview, Roberge explained "Love and Memories" was inspired by the Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet movie, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The members of O.A.R. first came together in Rockville, Maryland in the basement of drummer Chris Culos' childhood home in 1996. As a young group of musicians, they were the prototype of the modern, self-starting band--taking charge of their fate by working the internet and building an identifiable sound. The band’s music, a rock/reggae fusion, consisted of songs that were fully accessible, yet teasingly elusive. Attracting fans all across the country, the band members toured relentlessly, pushing their album sales through boundless dedication and word-of-mouth appeal, never waiting for the industry to catch up. O.A.R. owes much of their success to piracy and Napster, the mp3 sharing engine. Around 2000, O.A.R.'s popularity greatly increased among college students because their song "Crazy Game of Poker" was a huge hit on Napster.
By the time the band had reached their 10 year anniversary together, they had sold over 1.2 million albums and performed in front of over 1 million people. Their studio record, Stories of a Stranger, produced radio favorites “Love and Memories” and “Heard the World” as well as mtvU’s Most Downloaded Video of 2006, “Lay Down.” The band followed up the successful release with a live double disc CD and DVD set, Live From Madison Square Garden, recorded during the band’s second sold-out performance at the prestigious arena.
Early in 2008, the band members holed themselves up in a studio in Los Angeles to work on their next project, All Sides. The album was released on July 15th.
The Heaven Songfacts reports that the first single from O.A.R.'s seventh studio album, King was released on June 7, 2011 on Wind-Up Records.
. For more information about O.A.R., go to www.ofarevolution.com.
Mr. Moon
O.A.R. Lyrics
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And the moon is his castle late tonight.
Smiling down upon our war,
It's funny when
you're far away.
But Mr. Moon why you laughing at me?
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
Why you laughing at me, Mr. Moon?
The wiser man roams the world.
Looks back upon his days
The moon is a wonder late tonight.
Smiling from above our world
It's easy when you're far away.
But Mr. Moon why you laughing at me?
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
You cannot blame us for crying to you.
Why you laughing at me, Mr. Moon?
You don't need me.
You don't want me.
Leave me be while I sleep.
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
And you run away, you run away.
Daytime.
But, the night just brings us back together.
You cannot blame us for crying to you no, no.
It's time we laughed at you, Mr. Moon.
The lyrics of O.A.R.'s "Mr. Moon" suggest a theme of loneliness and longing for escape. The song starts with a little boy who's alone, and he relies on fairytales to escape reality. The moon is his castle, a place where he can feel safe and protected. However, as the moon smiles down upon the world during war, his laughter contrasts with the boy’s sadness- it seems as if even the moon mocks his dreams of escape. The chorus of the song then asks Mr. Moon why he’s laughing at the boy, highlighting how the boy’s reliance on the moon and his belief in its safety is being questioned.
The song then progresses to talk about an older man who roams the world, looking back on his days, and the moon acts as a wonder to him too. The moon is described as smiling from above our world, creating a calm and peaceful view. The difference, however, is that the older man understands that the moon and its safety are an illusion; it's easy to hold onto when you're far away from reality. Again, the song questions why Mr. Moon is laughing at the man. Despite this, in the last verse, the song suggests that we no longer need to blame ourselves for lying and crying to the moon. Rather than rely on the illusion, it's time to laugh at it and embrace the challenges of our reality.
Overall, "Mr. Moon" is a song that delves into the human desire for escape and how we often use illusions to provide a sense of safety and protection. The lyrics suggest that while seeking to escape is normal, we must recognise when we're holding onto illusions and how it's okay to laugh at them.
Line by Line Meaning
A little boy, alone, he relies on fairytales.
A young boy, with no one to confide in, turns to make-believe stories for comfort.
And the moon is his castle late tonight.
At night, the boy imagines the moon as his own personal fortress.
Smiling down upon our war,
The moon appears content while observing the conflict happening below it.
It's funny when you're far away.
It's easy to find humor in a situation when you're at a distance from it.
But Mr. Moon why you laughing at me?
The singer questions why the moon seems to be ridiculing him.
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
The singer asserts that he and others cannot be held responsible for keeping secrets from the moon.
You cannot blame us for crying to you.
Similarly, the singer believes that he and others cannot be blamed for confiding in the moon their sorrows and frustrations.
The wiser man roams the world.
Mature individuals explore various parts of the planet to gain wisdom and perspective.
Looks back upon his days
In hindsight, the wise person contemplates their life experiences.
The moon is a wonder late tonight.
Late at night, the moon appears to be a beautiful marvel.
Smiling from above our world
The moon seems to be beaming down on the earth below it.
It's easy when you're far away.
Just like before, a distance from a challenge makes it seem more manageable.
But Mr. Moon why you laughing at me?
The singer again queries as to why the moon finds amusement in his struggles and hardships.
You don't need me.
The moon does not rely on humans for survival.
You don't want me.
The singer feels as though the moon is indifferent towards him and has no desire for his company.
Leave me be while I sleep.
The artist requests that the moon let him rest peacefully at night without any disturbances.
And you run away, you run away. Daytime.
During the day, the moon is out of sight and cannot be seen.
But, the night just brings us back together.
At nightfall, the moon once again returns to the sky and unites the singer with it.
You cannot blame us for crying to you no, no.
The singer reiterates that he and others cannot be at fault for shedding tears in front of the moon.
It's time we laughed at you, Mr. Moon.
Finally, the singer decides that it is fitting to laugh at the moon for its supposed amusement of human suffering throughout the song.
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JOHN ALAGIA, MARC ANDREW ROBERGE, RICHARD JOE ON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind