Sad Little Moon
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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The saddest brown eyes I'll ever know.
You gave crying so long ago,
But come outside and watch the snow
Softly falling.

Sad Little Moon in the big black sky.
All alone, hang your head and cry.
Sad Little Moon in the timeless night.
You may sleep, but you will never die.

You didn't need them, your Sunday friends.
And so you watched them like grains of sand




Running one by one out of your hands
Softly falling.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Magnetic Fields's song Sad Little Moon convey a sense of profound loneliness and loss. The opening lines describe the eyes of a person who has given up on crying a long time ago, suggesting a deep sadness and perhaps resignation to their fate. The invitation to come outside and watch the snowfall is a poignant gesture, offering a small moment of beauty and connection in an otherwise lonely existence. The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Sad Little Moon" emphasizes the isolation and vulnerability of the singer.


The second verse continues this theme, describing the moon as alone and weeping in the vast expanse of the night sky. Yet, there is also a sense of comfort in the idea that even though the moon may sleep, it will never die - a reminder that some things endure even in the face of immense sadness and loneliness. The final verse is perhaps the most heart-wrenching of all, as it speaks to the loss of friends and the passing of time. The image of grains of sand slipping through the singer's fingers is both tragic and beautiful, underscoring the fragility of human relationships and the fleeting nature of life itself.


Overall, Sad Little Moon is a powerful expression of the human experience of loneliness and the search for connection and meaning in a world that can feel vast and indifferent.


Line by Line Meaning

The saddest brown eyes I'll ever know.
I have seen many pairs of brown eyes, but none quite so desolate as yours.


You gave crying so long ago,
You have been crying for so long that you cannot remember when it began.


But come outside and watch the snow Softly falling.
If you come outside with me, we can watch the snow fall gently.


Sad Little Moon in the big black sky.
You are a melancholic moon in a vast, lonely sky.


All alone, hang your head and cry.
There is nobody there to comfort you, so you must cry alone.


Sad Little Moon in the timeless night.
You are a dejected moon in an endless, eternal night.


You may sleep, but you will never die.
Despite your despair, you will never truly die.


You didn't need them, your Sunday friends.
Your acquaintances who only spent time with you on Sundays were not necessary for you.


And so you watched them like grains of sand Running one by one out of your hands Softly falling.
You observed them slipping from your grasp, like grains of sand, as they disappeared one by one from your life.




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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