Album: Powerage (1978)

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• Well, I tied my baby to the railroad track
  Cannonball down the line
  Giving that woman just a-one more chance
  To give it to me one more time
  Engineer wishing he was home in bed
  Dreaming about Casey Jones
  Wide-eyed woman half a mile ahead
  Thinking about broken bones
  
  It's your love that I want
  It's your love that I need
  It's your love, got to have
  It's your love
  
  Heavenly body flying across the sky
  Superman was out of town
  Come on honey, gotta change your tune
  'Cause it's a long way down
  Clark Kent looking for a free ride
  Thinking about Lois Lane
  It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a suicide
  And that'd be a shame
  
  It's your love that I want
  It's your love that I need
  It's your love, got to have
  It's your love
  
  But what's next to the moon?
  
  Long arm looking for a fingerprint
  Trying to find the mystery clue
  Hitting me with the third degree
  Working on a thumbscrew
  Alright, officer, I confess
  Everything's coming back
  I didn't mean to hurt that woman of mine
  It was a heart attack
  
  It's your love that I want
  It's your love that I need
  It's your love, got to have
  It's your love, guaranteed
  
  The love that I want
  It's your love that I need
  It's your love, got to have
  It's your love
  
  What's next to the moon?
  
  Movin' round the skies
  
  Oh, baby, say "bye-bye"
  You're right next to the moon
  And on the moon
  Oh, I've been around the moon Writer/s: Angus McKinnon Young, Malcolm Mitchell Young, Ronald Bedford Scott
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 19

• T E Voltage from Usa"What's next to the moon?" means he knows he can't have the moon, so "What's the next best thing to it?". People used to say that someone who wants or expects too much "wants the moon".
• Tyrus from Colorado UsaWhat's next to the moon? I always thought that the song meant that after having her what was left? Answer was nothing here What's next to the moon? I've had the best that was here so let me go there!
• Two Cents from UsaI always thought “what’s next to the moon” is a reference to the saying in The Honeymooners when Ralph would tell his wife “to the moon, Alice” meaning he would punch her so hard she’d fly to the moon. I think the song is about domestic violence.
• Jake from Here And ThereI always thought this song was a great lead-in for "Gone Shootin'". Similar lyrics, tells mostly the same story, and it's even the next track on the album. I think it was Bon's way of saying how much he tried to save his junkie woman, tho he knows he's better off for leaving. First verse, he did everything he could to get her clean, but she wasn't willing to kick (tied her to the railroad track). He felt guilty for essentially leaving her to die, but he couldn't stick around and watch it happen (superman was outta town, thinking 'bout Lois Lane). He's not there to stop her from going too hard, she has no self-control and does too much, the cops assume he gave her a lethal dose and left town because he panicked (I didn't mean to hurt that woman of mine, it was a heart attack). Maybe he was the first guy she tried heroin with, and that's why he feels like he might as well have been the one that did her in. He still wants her love but all she wants is to go to the moon, and he has nothing better to offer. In defeat, he finally understands, " it's your love I need, but what's next to the moon?". " Gone Shootin'" sounds like he made some peace with himself over it. Either that, or my wilder years permenantly jaded my view on things lol
• Jim from Ashburn VaI like all the speculation about what the line “ what’s next to the moon“ means.
  Over the years I have agreed with many of the ideas listed. since the line is repeated it could actually mean different things each time. If I can add one perhaps It’s another Superman type reference in the form of a question. The television show used to start with “ look up in the sky it’s a bird it’s a plane ,it’s superman“ I imagine that start “ look up in the sky...wait what’s that next to the moon? As a reference to the girl flying by where you would normally expect to see Superman or the moon. Her bottom,his efforts to please, her flying through the air being spotted by a third party Superman style all fit I think.
  
• Rusty from NzI know ACDC had to go on after Bon died. So happy they did. But every word Bon sang I could understand. I can't understand all Brian's words. His accent is so strong it reflects in his singing. Still good. Just my opinion
• Vb from UsWhat's next to the Moon is Pu--y, plain and simple.
• Shork from Good Ol Germany"What's next to the moon?" is a sarcastic remark picturing the woman flying across the sky after the train would've hit her, in accordance with the famous and also quoted Superman-Theme. In the first verse he threatens her with killing her by train (the 'Cannonball' was the train which Engeneer Casey Jones famously wrecked, all mentioned in verse one). He gives her one more chance (to beg for mercy or comply). Second verse he threatens her to make it look like a suicide and picturing her flying after the train hit her ("Heavenly body flying across the sky"). He is still trying to get her under his thumb by threatening her ("Come on honey change your tune"), but if she wouldn't comply it would be (looking like) "a suicide. and that'd be a shame". Third verse he is caught by police ("strong arm") who threaten him with a murder charge ("hittin me with the third degree"), but he insists it was an accident (not unsual for a murderer). I would not think of any background in real life, wether bon was freshly divorced or not. It's just a fictional lyrical work.
• Mike from AnyrealmWell, I'm prone to thinking what my father once suggested the title might mean: there's this guy who wants her love badly (be it Scott after divorce or whatever). But it's love that's beyond him for a reason or another, like reaching for the moon, something you just can't have. Still, he feels he's done everything possible, given her his everything (Barry rip), in a sense reached or given her the moon, but not even that was enough, so "what's next to the moon?"
  
  Everything else Bonn wrote in the song is just right down poetry screening different aspects of the trials of lost relationship or/and perhaps the trials of lost connection (the ones leading to the fact) with the one love he desires. It could also be the somewhat indescribable feeling of once having her, the moon, "so what's next to the moon", meaning "is there anything else there to reach for", and if there is, is it worth it, could it ever be compared anyway. Also, "so whats next to the moon" could mean "You got the f--king moon from me, what else could Ive have given you, what else would you have needed to be satisfied?"
  
  This is real poetry. This is how it is done. This leaves you with several options. And that is the proof of good poetry as well, several options; truly deep feeling has many meanings. Not just one. And that's how it touches so many people. True art. Bonn Scott had the talent, time to time.
• Wolfwolveswolf from Way Up In The Deep Northeast Woods Of The U.s. Well this song seems like a psychological interpretation of a ho crossed with their (her) want for Superman, and what Men think that Bull! Carry On!
• Dave from BrisbaneQ. What's next to the moon? Is answered in the last line of the song
  "What's next to the moon? Its from the sky!"
  ie Superman is seen in the sky at night, next to the moon
  'Moon' is also a psudonym for ***, which is where Bon Scott also want's to be (back) next to :-)
• Eric from Wingfield, SwedenWhat's next to the moon? The Earth. Bon longing for real love and realizing there's not much on this planet. As often he puts it in a humourous way.
• Zero from Nowhere, NjWow, you guys are really looking deep into this! I just thought Bon was just putting in verses that sounded good! You may be onto something though...
• Acdc from Lima, PeruOne of its most misunderstood songs.
  Casey Jones, was a famous railway who died in Mississippi (was drunk?).
  When Bon composed this song, he was sad because he was divorced.
  There are two guitar solos: The first is the train speed and the sound of braking. The second is a trip to the moon. Those guitar olos belong to the flow of Impressionism.
  It is a small masterpiece.
• John from Newcastle, United KingdomThis is a great song, probably my favourite by AC/DC. The meaning of the line "What's next to the moon?" has bugged me too but this is how I see it:
  
  Isn't there some saying when dealing with people who are the demanding type, that they want you to give them the moon? Sometimes the "moon on a stick". It's a metaphor for asking for the imposible or for things of ridiculous difficulty to provide.
  
  So, Bon is asking what's next? after he has given her the moon. Or maybe what's the next best thing to the moon? i.e. "What's next to the moon?"
  
  Maybe this isn't it. But it seems to make a little bit of sense at least.
  
  Fantastic song.
• G6131 from Ottawa, OnBon is singing about the sexual angst and frustration that most men are afflicted with at some point in their lives...even Superman. He's tied his woman to a railroad track... because she probably won't put out, and he's not getting any.
  -Sexually frustrated.
  
  FIRST VERSE:
  "Givin' that woman just one more chance... give it me one more time."
  
  "Engineer wishin' he was home in bed, dreamin bout' Casey Jones", (John Luther "Casey" Jones, a real life train engineer who died in 1900 from a train collision) OR (Casey Jones, the mid 60's TV show) - Loosley based on the life of John Luther "Casey" Jones. Take your pick.
  
  "Wide-eyed woman half a mile ahead, thinkin' bout broken bones. - (Because the train's going to run over her.) "It's your love that I want, it's your love that I need. etc.
  
  SECOND VERSE:
  "Heavenly body flyin' cross the sky, Superman was outta town, come on honey gotta change your tune, cause it's a long way down... (if she doesn't change her attitude, he'll drop her)
  
  Clark Kent lookin' for a free ride...
  (an easy lay) thinkin'bout Lois Lane, it's a bird it's a plane, it's suicide, and that'd be a shame. (A shame if she falls... by suicide, implying that even though he drops her, it's a suicide.) "What's next to the moon?"
  
  3RD VERSE:
  "Long arm lookin' for a fingerprint, (the cops, as in the long arm of the law - an expression, the ability of the police and courts to force people to obey the rules - and their far reaching influence.) "Tryin' to find a mystery clue, hittin' me with the third degree workin' on the thumbscrew". (Pressuring him with questions about this dead woman who fell out of the sky to her death.)
  
  "Alright officer I confess, everything's comin' back, I didn't mean to hurt that woman a' mine, it was a heart attack." (He confesses, It's not his fault, she simply died of a heart attack - directly from him dropping her from the sky.)
  
  It's your love that I want. etc.
  
  Basically, it's about the frustration that men can feel, sexual angst, and a women's sexual power over men - even Superman isn't immune.
  
  The song is about killing a woman who won't put out for him, or love him. And all he keeps saying is, "It's your love that I want, it's your love that I need.
  
  This is a bad ass rock n' roll song, the lyrics and concept are absolute genius. Very touchy subject, almost a subscription to violence against women, but it's written to be tongue in cheek.
  
  Superman is all powerful, virtually invincible, and yet even he has these urges and feelings he can't control. More than anything, it's a very real picture of the male psyche - at times.
  
  But that shouldn't be any surprise to anyone. A lot of what AC/DC has written over the years is about sexual angst. All men have those feelings at times, AC/DC is just being really honest about it. - Pure BADASS! - Just like Malcolm's guitar bridge.
  
  See: (BRIDGE Bad-Ass Six Saddle Wrap-Around Bridge) at URL below.
  
  http://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/index.php?a=3&product=G6131MY
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Selina from Perth, Australiayeah what the HELL is this song on about :P I love it but hell, 'What's Next To The Moon?!?'
• Vince from Jersey, NjYeah BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN??? I don't understand the hook "What's next to the moon?"Each verse is a diffrent fanatay about t killing a girl and then it ends "What's next to the moon?" WHY?
• Raymond from Winnipeg, CanadaI know people will think I'm nuts, but this is truly my favorite AC/DC song ever! Simple lyrics (not too deep) and great sound! Angus, Malcolm and Bon (RIP) are Gods!! This was also the first song I learned drums to when I first got my kit. Just explains why I love it so much!

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