Walking on the Moon by The Police Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Gravity of Love and Isolation

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for The Police's Walking on the Moon at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Giant steps are what you take
Walking on the moon
I hope my leg don’t break
Walking on the moon
We could walk forever
Walking on the moon
We could live together
Walking on, walking on the moon

Walking back from your house
Walking on the moon
Walking back from your house
Walking on the moon
Feet they hardly touch the ground
Walking on the moon
My feet don’t hardly make no sound
Walking on, walking on the moon

Some may say
I’m wishing my days away
No way
And if it’s the price I pay
Some say
Tomorrow’s another day
You stay
I may as well play

Giant steps are what you take
Walking on the moon
I hope my leg don’t break
Walking on the moon
We could walk forever
Walking on the moon
We could be together
Walking on, walking on the moon

Some may say
I’m wishing my days away
No way
And if it’s the price I pay
Some say
Tomorrow’s another day
You stay
I may as well play

Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up
Keep it up, keep it up

Beneath the deceptive simplicity of ‘Walking on the Moon’ by The Police lies a weightless landscape of poignant emotions, one where love and the feeling of isolation dance in a delicate zero-gravity waltz. The dreamy, sparse arrangements, coupled with Sting’s introspective lyrics, bring forth an ambiance that’s as vast as the lunar surface itself—a timeless backdrop for exploration, both external and internal.

The track, lifted from their 1979 album ‘Reggatta de Blanc,’ harnesses the metaphor of lunar ambulation to express the lightness of being in love and the haunted echoes of solitary reflection. While the title brings to mind a futuristic image, the song’s lyrical content keeps its feet firmly planted on the complexities of human emotions—a juxtaposition as stark as the moon against the night sky.

A Gravity-Defying Elation: The Bliss of Love’s First Steps

Much like the buoyant, almost surreal sensation of ‘Walking on the Moon,’ falling in love can imbue one’s experience with a kind of weightlessness. The song’s repetitive, floating refrain of ‘Giant steps are what you take’ encapsulates that feeling of newfound love—the dizzying heights where every stride feels magnified, and the heart flutters in a vast expanse of joy.

The Police render the thrill of this affection through the music itself: Stewart Copeland’s use of the hi-hat mimics the soft lunar dust kicked up by the protagonist’s gentle footsteps, while Sting’s bassline resonates with the slow, captivating pulse of a love-struck heart, setting the scene for a languid walk amongst the stars.

Echoes of Footsteps: The Symbiosis of Love and Loneliness

As much as ‘Walking on the Moon’ celebrates shared intimacy (‘We could live together/Walking on, walking on the moon’), there’s an underlying theme of isolation. The sparsity of life on the moon serves as a metaphor for the desolation one can feel even in a relationship—where each individual is an island, separated by the emotional vacuum of unshared thoughts and unspoken fears.

Sting’s words suggest a duality of kicking up moon dust with a loved one, while also musing on the unbreachable distances between people. This contrast imbues every verse with a bittersweet quality, a reminder of the simultaneous connection and disconnection possible within the human experience.

The Lyrical Dichotomy: Nostalgic Yearnings and Existential Musings

The song sees Sting veering between present contentment and pensive caution, encapsulated by the dialogue ‘Some may say/I’m wishing my days away/No way/And if it’s the price I pay.’ It speaks to an apprehension about getting too lost in the thrill of the moment, where the reality of transience looms ominously over the lunar high.

This theme reflects a self-awareness that any peak experience, such as being in love, can sway towards escapism. There’s a looming worry of the ephemeral nature of these feelings, captured by the juxtaposition of ‘I hope my leg don’t break’ with the song’s otherwise airy mood, suggesting that even in love’s leap, there’s fear of a fall.

Orbiting the Groove: The Persistent Pulse that Galvanized a Generation

It’s not just the lyrics of ‘Walking on the Moon’ that captivate the listener, but the delivery itself. The track’s minimalistic approach, with its spacious mix and clean echo-laden guitar riff, becomes a sonic void where Sting’s words float, uncluttered and poignant. Andy Summers’ ethereal guitar work provides a harmonic anchor, an audio illusion of walking on air.

The repetitive mantra of ‘keep it up’ towards the song’s conclusion transcends a simple chorus, embodying a mantra for both the constancy of the heart’s affections and the resilient act of moving through life’s adversities. It’s an urge to maintain the momentum, proverbially and literally.

Unpacking The Cosmic Riddle: The Song’s Hidden Meaning Revealed

While the imagery of lunar exploration is evident, there’s a deeper resonance to ‘Walking on the Moon’ that lies in its testament to the human condition. It’s about the highs of human connection and the seclusion intrinsic to our individual quests. What seems like a light-hearted song about love’s lift is really a ponderous reflection on the delicate equilibrium represented by the vast lunar landscape.

Sting, a former teacher with a penchant for literature, is no stranger to embedding layered meanings within his songwriting. ‘Walking on the Moon’ is not just a serenade but also a soliloquy on solitude, acknowledgment of the inherent risks and rewards that come with sharing oneself with another, and ultimately about finding buoyancy in the precarious balance between isolation and intimacy.