Following the dissolution of Red House Painters after the tumultuous release of their last album Old Ramon, Kozelek released a handful of solo recordings before forming Sun Kil Moon in 2002. Their debut album, Ghosts of the Great Highway, was written entirely by Kozelek, and released by Jetset Records in 2003. It is an album centered around the theme of memory, connecting Kozelek's haunting memories with the true-life stories of deceased boxers, such as featherweight champion Salvador Sanchez and flyweight Pancho Villa. Kozelek's music with Sun Kil Moon spans genres such as the simple acoustic country-folk of "Glenn Tipton" to the heavy, Crazy Horse-esque rock of "Salvador Sanchez" and the light-hearted "Lily And Parrots," onto the fourteen minute psychedelic tour de force, "Duk Koo Kim" (another homage to a deceased boxer) and the beautiful and haunting "Gentle Moon" and "Carry Me Ohio." Kozelek's voice is now more flexible and less downcast than in his work with Red House Painters, resulting in a resonant and often beautiful album.
The band's follow-up Tiny Cities was released on November 1st 2005 on Kozelek's own Caldo Verde label. The album covers eleven songs by the indie/alternative group Modest Mouse and, in its sparse production and spare instrumentation, is more or less a solo work by Kozelek.
Kozelek is known for covering songs from bands not normally associated to his genre of slow, introspective music. They are more than traditional covers, as they are extensively re-worked and re-interpreted to the point that they are often not recognizable to the originals, and take on a different meaning despite the lyrics remaining intact word-for-word. Kozelek's 2000 solo debut Rock 'n' Roll Singer featured covers of songs by AC/DC and John Denver.
His solo 2001 follow-up, What's Next to the Moon was an entire album of AC/DC songs done in his typically languid, hypnotically melancholy acoustic style. Even further back, Songs For A Blue Guitar, the 1996 Red House Painters album, featured covers of Yes's Long Distance Runaround, Paul McCartney & Wings's Silly Love Songs and The Cars' "All Mixed Up". Tiny Cities is very much in this tradition, taking the often frenetic, noisy songs of Modest Mouse and transforming them into haunting, acoustic guitar-dominated midtempo ballads filled with a deep-seated, haunting melancholy.
Gentle Moon
Sun Kil Moon Lyrics
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When things come undone
All animals lead, us to light
When we can't see
Stars, saturn and moon, glow for those
Who cannot get through
Rain fall and voice sound for those of whom
Still are not found
Gentle moon, find them soon
Gentle moon, find them
Black sky and black sea, lighten up
When we can't breathe
All dreams escape fire, over worlds
Fly but won't tire
Slow down on us wind, hold us still
When everything spins
All secrets and lies, let them out
Dreams escape fire, they won't tire
Dreams escape fire, they won't tire
Gentle moon, find them soon
Gentle moon, find them soon
All calendars pass, days die off
And hope cannot last
But if love was like stone, then yours was mine
Through to my bones
But how can we give back to those
With whom we can't live
When will the flame break
And spare the good people it takes
Souls escape fire, they rise higher
Souls escape fire, they rise higher
Gentle moon, find us soon
Gentle moon, find us soon
The lyrics of Sun Kil Moon's song "Gentle Moon" are about finding hope and comfort in times of darkness and uncertainty. The song begins with a plea for the sun to shine down and guide us through difficult times. Animals are seen as symbols of this guidance, leading us towards light when we are unable to see it ourselves. The stars, Saturn, and moon are similarly comforting, providing a glow for those who are lost or struggling.
The title of the song, "Gentle Moon," reflects this idea of finding solace in the natural world. The moon specifically is seen as a gentle presence that can help to find those who are lost. The second verse continues this theme, with the black sky and black sea being described as lightening up when we can't breathe. Dreams are also seen as a way to escape the fire of difficult circumstances, providing a way to keep going without tiring out.
The final verse of the song focuses on the idea of love and its ability to sustain us through even the darkest times. The lyrics acknowledge that hope can be fleeting and that even love can't always save us, but it provides a spark of light in the face of overwhelming darkness. The final line about souls escaping fire and rising higher speaks to the idea of perseverance in the face of adversity, of rising above the flames to find a better place.
Overall, "Gentle Moon" is a song about finding hope in times of darkness, about finding solace in the natural world, and about the power of love to sustain us through even the most difficult of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Smile down on us sun, show your rays
We ask for strength and warmth from the sun during tough times.
When things come undone
During difficult times when things aren't going as planned.
All animals lead, us to light
Nature can guide us out of darkness and towards hope.
When we can't see
When we're struggling and can't find our way forward.
Stars, saturn and moon, glow for those Who cannot get through
The beauty of the night sky can bring comfort to those who are struggling.
Rain fall and voice sound for those of whom Still are not found
Rain and other natural sounds may provide solace to those who are lost and struggling.
Gentle moon, find them soon Gentle moon, find them
A plea to the moon to guide and help those who are struggling.
Black sky and black sea, lighten up When we can't breathe
Even in the darkness, there is hope and light.
All dreams escape fire, over worlds Fly but won't tire
Our dreams may face obstacles, but they never truly fade.
Slow down on us wind, hold us still When everything spins
During chaotic and stressful times, we ask for a moment of peace.
All secrets and lies, let them out
A desire for honesty and transparency in relationships and life.
Dreams escape fire, they won't tire Dreams escape fire, they won't tire
Reiteration that our dreams are resilient and can withstand adversity.
All calendars pass, days die off And hope cannot last
Time moves forward, and sometimes hope can be difficult to hold onto.
But if love was like stone, then yours was mine Through to my bones
A deep and enduring love between two people.
But how can we give back to those With whom we can't live When will the flame break And spare the good people it takes
We struggle with how to help those we care about who are struggling, and question why bad things happen to good people.
Souls escape fire, they rise higher Souls escape fire, they rise higher
The human spirit can overcome and transcend even the toughest challenges.
Gentle moon, find us soon Gentle moon, find us soon
A plea for guidance and hope for ourselves as well as those around us.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Edward Kozelek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind