As glamorous as it seems from the outside looking in, life on the road can be a little disorienting–at least that’s how it seems in the Rolling Stones’ “Moonlight Mile.” This ballad from 1971 is one of the Stones’ most atmospheric. The meandering melody is hypnotizing, which is probably why it has become one of the band’s most beloved songs among fans. Uncover the meaning behind this plaintive road ballad, below.
Videos by American Songwriter
Behind the Meaning of the Rolling Stones’ Road Ballad, “Moonlight Mile”
When the wind blows and the rain feels cold
With a head full of snow, with a head full of snow
In the window, there’s a face you know
Don’t the nights pass slow, don’t the nights pass slow
One can nearly see themselves looking out a bus window on a long stretch of highway while listening to the Rolling Stones’ “Moonlight Mile.” This slow-burning track is tailor-made for a quiet, introspective night. Whether you’re a touring musician or not, this song resonates due to the powerful emotions present.
The sound of strangers sending nothing to my mind
Just another mad, mad day on the road
I am just living to be lying by your side
But I’m just about a moonlight mile on down the road
“In a songbook I carried around when we were on tour in the summer of 1970,” Mick Jagger once said of this song. “I was growing road-weary and homesick then. I’m sure the idea for the song first came to me one night while we were on a train and the moon was out.”
It is a simple enough origin, but the band made the most of it. As this song treks on, the emotion builds. It finally erupts at the end of the bridge, when a swell of instrumentation kicks in. It stings of loneliness, which Jagger was no doubt feeling while wanting for home.
Revisit this Rolling Stones classic, below.
Made a rag pile of my shiny clothes
Gonna warm my bones, gonna warm my bones
I got silence on my radio
Let the air waves flow, let the air waves flow
Oh, I’m sleeping under strange, strange skies
Just another mad, mad day on the road
My dreams is fading down the railway line
I’m just about a moonlight mile down the road
(Photo by John Minihan/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.