Moonbeam Levels

Album: 4Ever (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The first new Prince track to be released posthumously, Prince sings here of nuclear war and death.

    Yesterday I tried 2 write a novel but I didn't know where 2 begin
    So I laid down in the grass tryin' 2 feel the world turn
    Boy loses girl in a rain storm, nuclear World War III
    All that's left is pain and sorrow, as far as he's concerned


    The piano-heavy rock ballad was cut in 1982 during the same sessions that resulted in Prince's fifth album, 1999. It didn't make the final tracklist, possibly in part because the title song had a similar apocalyptic theme.
  • The song leaked in the mid-'80s and made in onto number of Prince bootlegs and was considered for inclusion on his aborted 1988 project Rave unto the Joy Fantastic Prince acknowledged the cult following of "Moonbeam" by slipping it into concert piano medleys on a couple of occasions, but the song was never given an official release until November 22, 2016, when it was the sole previously unreleased track on the posthumous 40-track greatest hits collection Prince 4Ever.

Comments: 1

  • Gray from ClevelandPure classic. genius.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal Tap

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal TapSong Writing

Based on criteria like girlfriend tension, stage mishaps and drummer turnover, these are the 10 bands most like Spinal Tap.

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.