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Arrangement: Ian J. Watts / Mike Wilbury · Singalongasong Band / ClassicRocks
Lyrics
The moon is gently rising,
The twinkling stars surprisingly
Well and clear to see.
The trees all black and silent,
As moonlight keeps on shining,
The feel of peace and harmony.
The pale and distant moonlight,
To see it through the dark night
Seems wonderful to me.
To view the sun's reflection
In glorious perfection,
Now lay your head and go to sleep.
Traditional lyrics — public domain. Arrangement © Singalongasong Band / ClassicRocks.
History & Background
History & Origin
"The Moon Is Gently Rising" is a traditional bedtime song that describes the arrival of night with quiet attention to detail: the moon rising, the stars appearing, the trees going black and silent in the dark. These are the actual, observable phenomena of a clear night, described in language that makes them feel gentle rather than threatening.
The phrase "the twinkling stars surprisingly / well and clear to see" is a small piece of genuine wonder, the mild surprise of looking up on a clear night and finding the sky unexpectedly full. For a child at a window before bedtime, the night sky can indeed be surprising in its clarity and depth.
The lullaby builds to the request to "lay your head and go to sleep", but this instruction is earned through the preceding verses. The world outside the window is peaceful and beautiful; there is nothing to be afraid of in the dark; the moonlight is pale and distant but wonderful. Sleep, in this context, is not an ending but a transition into a world as beautiful as the one being left behind.
Our arrangement gives the moonrise the quiet grandeur it deserves.
