There are numerous associations with the moon. Many of these stem from our fascination with wonder and the belief that to truly experience spirituality. One must exist outside of the realm of the physical body. Moonshine was once to Bob Dylan what the moon is to the rest of us. It’s a folkloric mystery that is difficult to define. However, a chance encounter with Jim Morrison once bestowed upon him the gift of mythical clarity.
The distribution of moonshine alcohol was once a contentious market. People often gathered at night to retrieve the distilled liquor, avoiding discovery and questioning by authorities. During times when authorities strictly controlled or banned alcohol entirely. Moonshine emerged as a black market-style loophole, despite its questionable safety and quality.
The legality of moonshine was not debatable. It is given that it was frequently produced in environments without alcoholic distillation licensing. It results in lower quality and the risk of incorporating contaminated goods such as methanol. Nonetheless, subcultures persisted, owing to the financial benefits of meeting demands, as well as cultural traditions.
Aside from the historical implications, it’s easy to see why moonshine became romanticized in literature and culture. All thanks to both its poetic-sounding name and its association with bootleggers who engaged in illegal activities despite knowing the consequences. Those who had to extract the product at night frequently hid barrels in local ponds to avoid police detection, hence the name.
According to Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison provided a far more insightful version of the story. Dylan met with The Doors frontman. He explained that the name came from incidents in which authorities almost apprehended people. Instead of admitting it, they would act “simple-minded” and point to the moon’s reflection in the pond. They told the constabulary that they were trying to rake in a wheel of cheese.
He went on to say that the lawmen would laugh at these “foolish cheese rakers” and leave. Morrison insisted that this was the origin of the moonshine name. Even though the story appears to be heavily based on folklore. However, he appears to recognize the name’s symbolic nature and the stories surrounding it. Morrison penned the song ‘Moonshine Whiskey’ as an ode to love and the “stability it offers” while using the liquor as a musical conduit for romanticism.
Given its associations with rebellion and authoritative defiance, it’s understandable that it’s become so closely associated with the mysterious nature of love and connection. Like romance, moonshine appears elusive and difficult to define. It also harks back to a simpler time, when all of life’s questions could be answered in the privacy of the moon’s company. Finally, it’s a vast form of expression, a blank canvas that promises freedom and exploration, which is music’s most powerful opiate.
