Hijo de la Luna

"Hijo de la Luna" (Spanish: "Son of the Moon") is a song initially performed by the Spanish band Mecano. It appeared on their 1986 album, "Entre el cielo y el suelo". From December 28, 1998 to January 11, 1999 a cover version by Loona topped the German charts, [ [http://www.swr3.de/musik/poplexikon/-/id=47414/vv=wilChartPos/gp1=151074/nid=47414/did=68926/v9ujzt/index.html SWR3.de - Loona ] ] around the same time it reached number two in the Swiss single chart. [ [http://www.hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Loona&titel=Hijo+de+la+luna&cat=s Loona - Hijo de la luna - hitparade.ch ] ]

Lyrics

The lyrics depict a "gypsy" woman, who prays an entire night to the Moon goddess for a husband. In the end, the moon says that she shall have her man, but in return she wants her first-born child to be turned over to her.

When the child is born, it turns out that its skin color does not resemble the father's, but instead is white "like the back of an ermine" (the white fur of a stoat originating from Armenia [ [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ermine ermine - Definitions from Dictionary.com ] ] ), and has grey eyes. The gypsy man automatically assumes that his wife committed adultery, and kills her with a knife. Afterwards, he carries the infant onto the top of a mountain, where he abandons it.

The child is taken up into the sky by the moon, and on nights when the moon is full, it is because the child is happy, and when the child cries, the moon will wane to make him a cradle.

The chorus throughout the song says that the moon wants to be a mother, yet cannot find a lover who will make her a woman (and therefore, impregnate her), and questions her as to what she would do with a child of flesh.

Original and cover Versions

The song was written by José María Cano for Mecano. A number of cover versions exist:
*Montserrat Caballé (1994) [ [http://www.montserrat-caballe.de/diskographie.html Montserrat Caballé - Official Website ] ]
*Loona (1998) [ [http://www.loona-fanclub.com/Content-pa-showpage-pid-3.html official LOONA fanclub - LOONA Discografie ] ]
*Sarah Brightman (2000) [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skSn7vWwvxk YouTube - Hijo de la Luna ] ]
*Belle Pérez (2002) [ [http://www.belleperez.be/site/albumDetail.asp?lang=nl&content_id=2006825154721 Belle Perez ] ]
*Monserrat Bustamante (2003) [http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monserrat_Bustamante]
*the Heavy Metal Group Stravaganzza (2006) [ [http://www.stravaganzza.com/discografia/single2.html Official Stravaganzza web site - Discography - Sentimientos ] ]
*Mors Principium Est (in the japanese version of Inhumanity 2003)
*Ana Torroja (Album: "Me Cuesta Tanto Olvidarte" 2006)
*Lyriel, a german Celtic Rock group (2006)
*Haggard, a german Classical Metal band
*Mario Frangoulis, on his "Sometimes I Dream" album.

Footnotes

HAGGARD 2008 (DRAKKAR RECORDS)

External links

* [http://www.rogerwatersonline.com/Artists_m/Maria_Ines_lyrics/Hijo_De_La_Luna.html spanish lyrics] Roger Waters website
* [http://www.belleperez.be/site/albumLyrics.asp?lang=nl&content_id=2006825162151 spanish lyrics] Belle Perez website
* [http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/sarahbrightman/hijodelaluna.html spanish lyrics & english translation] Version: Sarah Brightman
* [http://lyricwiki.org/Loona:Hijo_De_La_Luna spanish lyrics] lyricwiki.org