[10] The poem is also used prominently in the second episode of HBO's series Lovecraft Country. Gil Scott-Heron stated that he was inspired to write "Whitey on the Moon" by a statement from writer and activist Eldridge Cleaver, who argued that the space program was distracting the US from internal problems. And what did it cost our nation to put whitey on the moon? It tells of medical debt and poverty experienced during the Apollo Moon landings . (Hmm! Loam5. [4] The first lines of the poem run as follows: A rat done bit my sister Nell. Home Thoughts2. New York, NY 10158-3650 Was all that money I made last year The forum appropriated the 1980s McDonald’s restaurant chain mascot “Mac Tonight,” which featured a smiling crescent moon image wearing sunglasses. "Desert Moon" is a song written and performed by Dennis DeYoung, a former member of Styx, from his debut solo album of the same name in 1984. Non-lyrical content copyright 1999-2020 SongMeanings, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display, Evolution (And Flashback): The Very Best of Gil Scott-Heron. Log in now to tell us what you think this song means. (with Whitey on the moon) "Desert Moon" is a song written and performed by Dennis DeYoung, a former member of Styx, from his debut solo album of the same name in 1984. This is an explanation of A Bad Moon on the Rise explained to me years ago. It anchored the flight into the heavens, tethering it to the persistence of racial inequality, and pulling it out of the abstract, universal realm in which we like to place our technical achievements. For her by the window tonight Keep a little of your beauty Dear friends, Thank you for helping us build a comprehensive online archive of American song. [6][8] This criticism of the space program has been described as reaching its epitome in "Whitey on the Moon. Scott-Heron's mother suggested the refrain and the closing line.[1]. All Rights Reserved. We want to hear what you think about this article. The “Moon Man” is an Internet meme originally popularized on the now-defunct Internet forum You’re the Man Now Dog. [4] Though the album has been frequently described as being recorded live in a nightclub in New York City, it was in fact recorded in a studio, with an audience present to simulate a live crowd. Shines and glimmers against gnarled shadows, "Whitey on the Moon" is a 1970 spoken word poem by Gil Scott-Heron. [11], "Gil Scott-Heron Small Talk at 125th and Lenox", "Why 'First Man' prominently features Gil Scott-Heron's spoken-word poem 'Whitey on the Moon, "Gil Scott-Heron's Poem, 'Whitey on the Moon, "First Man Considers Glory, Grief And A Famous Walk On The Moon, "On Lovecraft Country, "Whitey's On The Moon" and we're in love", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Whitey_on_the_Moon&oldid=981648919, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 October 2020, at 16:34. All rights reserved. "[7], Writing for The Atlantic after Scott-Heron's death in 2011, Alexis Madrigal stated that "Whitey on the Moon" had taken spaceflight out of the "abstract, universal realm in which we like to place our technical achievements." (and Whitey's on the moon) [6] It was performed by Leon Bridges, and included on the movie's soundtrack album. Y'know I just about had my fill The price of food is going up, Anti-Defamation League (for Whitey on the moon?) [4] The poem identifies neglect by the government as the reason for poverty, an argument also made by Marvin Gaye's 1971 song "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)",[4] and questioned who benefited from the space program. View by: Highest Rated; Most Recent; Oldest First +2. "Whitey on the Moon" as written by Gil Scott-heron. "White Moon" is the second song of Ruth Crawford Seeger's Five Songs, which sets the texts of Carl Sandburg. (with Whitey on the moon) Her face and arms began to swell. Your gift is greatly appreciated. I think I'll send these doctor bills, [6][7] The connection that Scott-Heron implies between capitalism in the US and poverty, environmental destruction, and militarism were themes that were found in many other of his works. Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. (while Whitey's on the moon)[5], "Whitey on the Moon" has been described as exemplifying afrofuturism, or "Black social thought concerning 'culture, technology, and things to come'. (of Whitey on the moon) For a time, hundreds of offensive “Moon Man” songs existed online. TheAtlantic.com Copyright (c) 2020 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. (and Whitey's on the moon) (while Whitey's on the moon) White Moon by Carl Sandburg. Keep a little of your beauty And some of your flimmering silver [9] A 2014 biography of Scott-Heron described "Whitey on the Moon" as a "gem of a prose poem" that was well-received critically, and that it was a strong counterpoint to "reverent coverage" of the Moon landings. By 2015, the Moon Man meme spread to other forums such as 4chan and 8chan, where it became associated with alt right language and imagery, including explicit white supremacist imagery. Markham (on Antarctica's Pacific coast, somewhat east of New Zealand). A version of the meme that contains no racist or white supremacist elements should not be automatically construed to have such a meaning. All silver to slow twisted shadows Joy4. That's about two-hundred billion in today's money. 14, December 08 1984 - RPM", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Desert_Moon_(song)&oldid=959547618, Pages using infobox song with unknown parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 May 2020, at 09:20. No hot water, no toilets, no lights. (and Whitey's on the moon) suzzelon July 15, 2010 Link. [4] During the 1970s, the view that the country was spending too much on its space program was widespread in the US, and was shared by politicians including President Richard Nixon. The man just upped my rent last night. It then talks of medical debt that is incurred for her treatment, and rising costs of basic necessities as a result of the Moon landings. soldiers in the Vietnam war just before a big battle. Ten years from now I'll be paying still. Exploring the meanings of songs since 2003. The single reached the #10 position in the US Billboard Hot 100[1] during the fall of that year, and ended up at #97 on the Billboard top 100 hits for the year 1984.[2].