Judy Collins – The Moon's a Harsh Mistress

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What I'll give you since you asked
Is all my time together;
Take the rugged sunny days,
The warm and Rocky weather,
Take the roads that I have walked along,
Looking for tomorrow's time,
Peace of mind.

As my life spills into yours,
Changing with the hours
Filling up the world with time,
Turning time to flowers,
I can show you all the songs
That I never sang to one man before.

We have seen a million stones lying by the water.
You have climbed the hills with me
To the mountain shelter,
Taken off the days one by one,
Setting them to breathe in the sun.

Take the lilies and the lace
From the days if childhood,
All the willow winding paths
Leading up and outward,
This is what I give,
This is what I ask you for;
Nothing more.

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Lyrics submitted by Tethys

Track duration: 03:05

"The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" as written by Jimmy Webb

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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The Moon's a Harsh Mistress song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:just to add some tid bits, Joe Cocker's "I can stand a little rain" album came out in 1974, a year prior to judy collins' "Judith" album. His arrangement was just as influential in exposing Jimmy Webb's love song because it was at the height of Cocker's career.
    Additionally, Judy lifted the piano arrangement from Cocker.
    Flag mrultraman86on July 21, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Judy's first recording of this song was in 1975 on her "Judith" album, not 1989. But yes, it wasn't written by her. She's mainly known as a great interpreter of other people's songs, but she does have a few compositions of her own (which are brilliant).
    Flag lastoftherockstarson May 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:crap i ruined my whole nerdiness...i meant Judy on the first line! hehehehe - (for a long time)
    Flag ~just~a~dream~on June 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Firstly this song was not written by Joan Collins or even first performed by her. i know for a fact it was performed and made famous by Linda Ronstadt in 1982 before Judy - which was in 1989. It was written by the excellent songwriter - Jimmy Webb in 1974. He said himself that - ''The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress” was a song that became a standard without ever becoming a hit and was symbiotic of that decade of my life, my struggle, my failure, my angst, my pride and even scorn.... and ultimately my crash''
    The title ''The Moon is a Harsh Mistress'' is taken (i'm guessing) from the 1966 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein about a lunar penal colony's revolt against rule from Earth. It received the Hugo Award for best novel. I have not read it but i know that it was as extremely influential book dealing with social upheavals, revolution, democracy. I am not sure if this is relevant to this song but i am sure there must be some sort of connection.
    Flag ~just~a~dream~on June 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:dream on.....no i love u really
    Flag Tethyson June 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:like me tethys!!
    Flag ~just~a~dream~on June 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:really just a dream i think that is pathetic...this song is sooo tragic and beautiful it is impossible to phrase into mundance syntax. suffice to say that it is about one whom you cannot love and their beauty is so powerful u find urself enraptured, ensnared only to lose ur place and fall.....someone whom you cannot call you own....
    Flag Tethyson June 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:tethys i'v just realised i spelt your name wrong. damn.
    Flag ~just~a~dream~on June 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:thethys you are a loon.
    Flag ~just~a~dream~on June 14, 2005   Link

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