HARVEST MOON: Understated Beauty, Simplicity, and a Relatable Definition of Love

Never date an artist if you’re not prepared to deal with your own feelings of loss, grief, pain, sorrow, regret, saudade, and… love. Their songs will cross through your heart like an arrow as you listen to them over and over again. Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” has pierced a record number of hearts and counting.

Artist – NEIL YOUNG

Song – “Harvest Moon”

Album – Harvest Moon (1992)

What is a harvest moon? Before listening to Neil Young’s song, I didn’t know it (either). Most importantly, what is the lunar phase of a harvest moon? That’s what I really wanted to learn when I looked up the meaning.

Is it:

a) a new moon,

b) first quarter,

c) waning gibbous,

d) or a big, round, bright, full moon?

If you guessed option d), congratulations: you are correct and one step closer to becoming an expert on Earth’s only natural satellite. Well, not quite, but that’s how I felt when I found the right answer. Besides, the moon in its fullest form is my favourite of all its phases. I love how round, bright, and majestic it looks, especially when it’s at its closest point to Earth. There’d be a supermoon every month if I ruled the solar system. I’m not even thinking about the possible catastrophic consequences. It’s just that the moon and the light it reflects are so magical! I feel hypnotised and in awe of nature’s beauty when a clear moonlight complements it…

Neil Young’s Harvest Moon

The moon and the stars are a classic in any artist’s catalogue, whether in music, photography, literature, poetry and so forth. Neil Young followed in the tradition with his 1992 album, Harvest Moon, and the title track. He could’ve chosen a different type of full moon; there are others. Besides the supermoon, there’s also the blood moon and the blue moon. Young’s choosing the harvest moon makes sense, though, considering the record is an informal sequel to Harvest, released 20 years prior. Staying on topic, I respect that. Also, it’s in line with the whole rural atmosphere and smooth, country-rock sound of the album.

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“Harvest Moon” and the beautiful simplicity of love

“Harvest Moon”, the song, transpires an understated beauty and simplicity that are very much sought after in life… and in love. Love doesn’t have to be complicated, exhausting, revolutionary, challenging, draining, elaborated, strenuous, or a nightmare altogether. In fact, love doesn’t carry any of those adjectives. We do, however. So, why not just let love… be? We try, but we wouldn’t be humans if we fully accomplished it. Nevertheless, “Harvest Moon” is one of those songs that helps sustain the illusion of it being attainable. After all, the message is just so beautiful: “Because I’m still in love with you/ I want to see you dance again/ Because I’m still in love with you/ On this harvest moon”.

What I have to say about this is not surprising: never date an artist because their illusive words are bound to drag you into a parallel universe where dreams replace reality. Pleasant dreams. Heart-warming dreams. Happy dreams. Painless dreams. Feel-good dreams. All lies, lies, lies! Do not fall for them. But do appreciate them because those words are art. Any human creation that stimulates the brain to produce vivid images, unexpected emotions, and new sensations can be called art. Beware of the artist, though! That’s my sole argument.

The quintessential lovers’ song

I find it curious how people seem to react to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon”. I skimmed through some online comments (one of my hobbies), and I found similar views. Not surprisingly, it’s a couples’ favourite: “My wife LOVES to dance to this tune… and I have to admit I do too” (@RayMan); “the lyrics seem so right about how I feel for my wife now and with 3 lovely children and 1 great stepson…” (@Elmos2r); “It was the first song we danced to at our wedding, and I must admit, three years into our marriage, the song still brings tears to my eyes when I hear it” (@jennywo). Oh, so sweet!…

Now, why is this song so effective amongst lovers at any stage of their relationship, especially at the beginning of the romance and later in life? It seems to simultaneously attract people at two opposite poles: those unaware of what’s coming for them in years to come and those who have survived the challenges life posed to their love. See, this is how exceptional music artists’ talent can be: it allows them to create a song to which different people, from different walks of life and with diverse personal experiences, can relate. There’s crucial information missing in “Harvest Moon”, but that doesn’t seem to faze those who listen to it. The promise of two lovers ageing together is more salient. Who wants to know what happens between harvest moons? Well, I do!

The right song for (a realistic) ‘happily-ever-after’

Over the years, I’ve become deeply sceptical about the whole ‘happily-ever-after’ narrative. It’s exactly that, a narrative, a story, or a collection of stories, rather, that culture, entertainment, society, and a perverted mastermind somewhere in the world (let’s throw a bit of a conspiracy theory into the mix) have saturated our brains and imagination with from a young age. Maybe that’s the reason why “Harvest Moon” works so well.

Besides Neil’s calm voice and gentle tone, the evocation of a bucolic atmosphere, and the simplicity and authenticity it transpires, “Harvest Moon” conveys a perfect message of hope. The hope of finding someone who is still in love with you and wants to see you dance again in the moonlight. “Harvest Moon” is closer to a “happily ever after” theme than any other song I know. And to add insult to injury, it sounds like a very beautiful and attainable one. It’s the possible fairy tale – no more teenage love. Actually, I would keep the enthusiasm of teenage love and infuse it with that deep wisdom that only time and unexpected challenges can offer. Here it is, “Harvest Moon” fulfilling its purpose as an art form: it makes us dream.

A love song or a farewell song?

The reality, however, doesn’t always match the dream. For example, Neil Young had his wife Pegi in mind when he wrote “Harvest Moon”. Although they were married for 36 years, the couple got divorced in 2014, five years before she passed. Currently, he’s married to the actor Daryl Hannah.

I suppose the words in the song don’t lose their meaning because circumstances changed in real life. Neil Young wrote that song at a specific moment in time, and the lyrics made sense to him then. They may even make sense to him now. Who knows? But after learning that Pegi and Neil didn’t stay together forever, suddenly, the lyrics had a premonitory effect. From a musical love letter, “Harvest Moon” became, in my mind, the expression of a very melodic and tender goodbye. In the end, it’s still a beautiful love song. Now that I think about it, the use of the past tense was a sign…

When we were strangers/ I watched you from afar/ When we were lovers/ I loved you with all my heart

Neil Young, “Harvest Moon”

Ending a relationship doesn’t mean the end of love. Quite the contrary! Former lovers can still love each other for years after their split. I admit it: sometimes, love can be complicated and doesn’t come in a one-size-fits-all kind of formula. Also, feelings are tricky and seem to have a life of their own. Every time we strive not to disturb them, they rebel against us and dare to put us in our rightful place. They remind us how vulnerable, finite, and emotional we are. And that’s just being human! I do not dread the rise of the machines (well, a little bit – I watched the Terminators), but the end of what makes us human. Love and pain lie at the heart of it.

I learned that saying goodbye can be gut-wrenchingly painful. So, if you have the chance to dance again with a former lover in the moonlight, whom you still love, then go ahead and do it. For me, that’s what “Harvest Moon” is about and all I need to know.

Never date an artist if you’re not prepared to deal with your own feelings of loss, grief, pain, sorrow, regret, saudade, and… love. Their songs will cross through your heart like an arrow as you listen to them over and over again.

Would you like to keep your feelings undisturbed and your heart safe? I can’t promise you that. No one can. But Never Date an Artist is here to help. Find here more stories and helpful advice on how to dodge heartbreak while celebrating great songs. Just the combo you needed!