“Moonshine” is a slang word for alcohol popularized during the 1920’s Prohibition in America, when alcohol was outlawed.
In this song, Gift of Gab details a struggle with alcoholism, losing his sense of purpose in life, and rediscovering that purpose through music.
He uses the “moonshine,” in this...
*hummed intro melody*
[Hook - 2x]
Findin' out my way somehow
Heard those sounds up in the sky
Tryin' to find a way up out/about
Darkness will not be my guide
[Gift of Gab]
It's been a long time comin' as well
Lots of rises, lots of falls, lots of stories to tell
Lots of 40 ounce session couch surfin', hotel
Residency, got to pay the rent, fuck it, oh well
Came to a point where a drink meant death
Cold turkey, nerves shook, all the stress repressed
Bubbled up to the surface, now I'm lookin' at me
Face to face with myself, simply tryin' to be
Sometimes it's hard to just be, when you're blinded in mist
I wonder if other people go through shit like this
Was about to call it quits, then the moonlight spoke
I was sleepin' on life, suddenly I awoke
And now I'm..
[Hook - 2x]
[Gift of Gab]
Did some wrongs, paid some costs
Skipped out on some roommates, cussed out a few bosses
Explosion of the ego, the power of the sauce/source
I guess that I was lookin' for a confidence loss
Somewhere along the road I must have made a wrong turn
But I've come to realize that it's just a long journey
Used to search for the meaning 'till one dark summernight
A cat told me that my words had inspired his life
And now I'm..
[Hook - 2x] (including occasional "somehow" in the background)
[Gift of Gab]
Now it's all about purpose, progress, not perfection
Seeing beneath the surface, faith followed by action
I live it all now, with a hunger and a passion
And when I get stuck I let go and keep mashin'
And when I get stuck, I get still and just ask Him
For knowledge of His will, then my third eye transcends
Thought and everything now's exactly like it's supposed to be
Channel when I'm givin' and give it back out, over beats
Every now and then I think of how things were
All that's fuel for fire now, it's funny how things work
And when I'm flustered and I find I'm slipping back in that space
I see that planet, now it's perfect in the middle of space
And I know that I'm..
[Hook - 2x] (including occasional "somehow" in the background)
*hummed outro melody*
Moonshine was written by Gift of Gab.
Moonshine was produced by Jake One.
Gift of Gab released Moonshine on Tue May 11 2004.