I have been pondering the strange dichotomy the moon presents us in the realm of the love. Let's look at two men attempting to woo their women, and doing so by promising them the impossible.
First, we have Jimmy Stewart's George Baily in the 1946 film "It's A Wonderful Life". He is walking Ms. Mary Hatch (portrayed by the beautiful Donna Reed) home after a school-dance-gone-pool-party. And my, how he waxes eloquent in that quiet neighborhood.
"What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey, that's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary... then you could swallow it and it would all dissolve, see? And the moonbeams would shoot out of your fingers and your toes, and the ends of your hair and..."
He then pauses in that way only Jimmy Stewart can, and asks Mary if he's talking too much. Well, apparently Tom Waits thought he was. In fact, Mr. Waits thought his whole plan was just way too involved. Sure, it's poetic but let's just cut the crap, honey! At least that's what I understand from his notable "Black Rider" album.
"I'll shoot the moon right out of the sky for you, baby."
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