[MUSIC] The Whole of the Moon

I wandered out in the world for years
While you just stayed in your room
I saw the crescent
You saw the whole of the moon

…

I spoke about wings
You just flew
I wondered, I guessed and I tried
You just knew
I sighed
But you swooned, I saw the crescent
You saw the whole of the moon
The whole of the moon

Not sure about others but this song is bittersweet to me — the idea of wanting to reach perfection, to reach for the moon and be the best after putting in all efforts and yet getting outbid by another person who achieves everything the other person wants seamlessly.

Every precious dream and vision
Underneath the stars, yes, you climbed on the ladder
With the wind in your sails
You came like a comet
Blazing your trail too high
Too far
Too soon
You saw the whole of the moon

Throughout the song, there is, however, no sense of jealousy at the said overachiever. The author merely narrates how stagnant or insignificant his experiences have been relative to the people around him. The Whole of the Moon was filled with curiosity on how others reached their success but in the last chorus, there seemed to be a feeling of pity as the author also grasped that by “Blazing your trail too high too far too soon”, the overachiever is or has become unable to understand the pain, sacrifices and mistakes others go through in their own journey towards success. The author seems to accept his own shortcomings or lacking and being content with his own path.

I pictured a rainbow
You held it in your hands
I had flashes
But you saw the plan
…
I saw the crescent
You saw the whole of the moon

Alternatively, The Whole of the Moon is just another song about a half-empty glass or a half-full glass. The author is incapable of seeing life from a more optimistic or alternate perspective, and is admiring those who can or those who can still love life after seeing or been through the worst of it.