Key Takeaways

• Song Selection: The list includes 50 songs that explore various emotions associated with the Moon.
• Diverse Genres: Tracks span multiple genres, showcasing the Moon’s influence on rock ‘n’ roll.
• Iconic Artists: Features classics from renowned artists like Frank Sinatra and Pink Floyd.
• Emotional Range: Songs evoke feelings of joy, fear, and nostalgia, reflecting the Moon’s various representations.

The list below of 50 Songs About the Moon isn’t necessarily the top lunar tracks or even our favorites. Still, we believe it represents that incredible astronomical body orbiting our planet in all its shades and influences. They also evoke nearly every emotion you can think of: joy, fear, and sadness.

And they span all the different offshoots of rock ‘n’ roll out there, from early pioneers and British Invasion stars to metal and indie acts. We even made room for a Frank Sinatra classic, because, really, no list of songs about the Moon is complete without that one.

Plus, you’ll find the Moon represented by a galaxy of colors. Name one, and it’s probably been applied to the Moon in one form or another. It’s been black, blue, white, yellow, pink and lavender over the years. It’s also been the source for some magical happenings and some ominous chills. Basically, the Moon was there before people started writing songs about it, before they landed on it and before the day they’ll colonize it.

Pink Floyd, "Brain Damage" and "Eclipse" (1973)

Pink Floyd’s epic 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon isn’t actually about the Moon – it’s mostly about madness and greed and fame – but the orb plays a big part in its underlying concept and, duh, gives the LP its name. “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse” are nearly inseparable and close the album on a cathartic note, drawing to an end one of the most perfect records ever made.

Ozzy Osbourne, “Bark at the Moon” (1983)

Of course, the Prince of Darkness barks at the Moon. What else is he gonna do underneath it? Fall in love? Find inspiration for a new song about puppies? The Bark at the Moon LP cover and video for the title track feature Ozzy Osbourne in full monster makeup, driving home the horror theme and pretty much Osbourne’s career aesthetic.

Paul Simon, “Song About the Moon” (1983)

Closing out the first side of Paul Simon’s 1983 album Hearts and Bones, “Song About the Moon” is a wistful look at the songwriting process as well as a meditative love song. Simon’s advice for both? Keep it simple; no need to over-complicate things. Sometimes the answer is right above you. “Na na na na na na/Yeah yeah yeah,” he sings. “Presto, a song about the Moon.”

READ MORE: Top 100 Albums of the ’70s

The Rolling Stones, “Child of the Moon” (1968)

“Moonlight Mile” may be the more popular Rolling Stones song to mention the Moon, but we prefer the B-side to “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.” “Child of the Moon” was recorded at the very start of the Beggars Banquet sessions and, like its flip side, ended up on a single instead. In a sense, the song acts as a bridge between the hazy psychedelia of Their Satanic Majesties Request and the back-to-basics blues of Beggars Banquet.

Iron Maiden, “Moonchild” (1988)

The opening track on Iron Maiden’s 1988 concept album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, pretty much sets up the theme based on the old folk tale about the seventh son possessing special powers. The album has somewhat of a polarizing reputation among metal fans because of its use of keyboards, but they fit the record’s proggy shift. “Moonchild” serves as an appropriate introduction.

Cat Stevens, “Moonshadow” (1970)

Unlike many of the songs on this list, Cat Stevens’ “Moonshadow” was directly inspired by the Moon. The London-born singer-songwriter was in Spain and witnessed a clear night — free of streetlights and other big-city obstructions — for the first time. Seeing his shadow reflected by the glow, he wrote this Top 40 hit from 1970 that later appeared on his fifth album, Teaser and the Firecat.

Prince, “Moonbeam Levels” (2016)

“Moonbeam Levels” was recorded during the sessions for Prince’s 1999 album in 1982, but it sat in his vault until after he died in 2016. It was eventually released on his first posthumous album, 4Ever, a 40-track compilation of Prince’s most popular songs. It’s the only new track on the 2016 collection, and a worthy addition to his catalog, a scorching ballad from the artist’s peak period.

The Firm, “Midnight Moonlight” (1985)

The ’80s supergroup featuring Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers ended their self-titled 1985 debut album with this nine-minute slow-building rocker that started life in Page’s old band, Led Zeppelin. Back during the Physical Graffiti sessions, it was an instrumental known as “Swan Song,” but singer Rodgers worked some lyrics into it for The Firm LP and turned it into one of the album’s highlights.

Elvis Presley, “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (1954)

Like several artists here, Elvis Presley has more than one song about the Moon. There’s “Blue Moon,” “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again” and probably a couple of things recorded for those crappy ’60s movies. But we went with “Blue Moon of Kentucky” because of its significance: The Bill Monroe cover was the B-side of the King’s first-ever single, 1954’s “That’s All Right.”

Genesis. "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight" (1973)

Genesis was entering a peak progressive era when the band released its fifth album,Selling England by the Pound, in 1973. The album’s epic opening track runs eight minutes and bridges ancient English history with a look at the nation in the ’70s. The moonlit knight here represents a past that’s bound to repeat itself in the future … or something like that. Either way, it’s a great start to a great album.

Nick Drake, “Pink Moon” (1972)

Drake’s career consisted of three albums before he killed himself at age 26 in 1974.Pink Moon, from 1972, was his final LP and, like its predecessors, didn’t find much of an audience. By early ’90s his music was rediscovered and reevaluated to where Pink Moon‘s title song found new life in a popular Volkswagen commercial. It was by far the most exposure long-gone Drake ever received.

Van Morrison, "Moondance" (1970)

Van Morrison’s second solo LP,Astral Weeks, was a reaction against his former record company’s demands for more commercial appeal. Point made with that free-form classic; he returned in 1970 with more accessible Moondance, his only platinum-selling LP in States. It’s filled with timeless classics including jazz-kissed romantic title track —the song Morrison has played most often in concert.

The Waterboys, “The Whole of the Moon” (1985)

The Edinburgh-bred Waterboys have gone through several iterations over past three decades trying their hand at everything from folk and traditional Celtic music to post-punk and straight-up rock. “The Whole of The Moon” comes from period when they wanted to be U2 and is their big arena-sized single from 1985’s This Is The Sea, pinnacle of their long career.