A Tender Walz to Commemorate a Love that Never Was
“Under the Moon” is Hidden Passion’s bittersweet nocturne—a slow, swaying waltz illuminated by soft fretless bass and the delicate cry of electric violin. Where other tracks celebrate fire, motion, or transformation, this one lingers in the ache of what might have been. Toby Berka captures the fragile beauty of a fleeting connection, the kind that glows intensely for a moment and then dissolves into memory. It is a song of tenderness, regret, and quiet wonder, illuminated by moonlight that reveals more in absence than in presence.
Lyrics
You first smiled at me under the moon
The night was so short, we parted too soon
I would remember the spark in your eyes
Under the same deep blue skies
Under the moon, over so soon
So wonderful, unfulfilled, what a lasting thrill
You next to me, smiling and free
Our hearts in tune here under the moon
Our short evening was one of a kind
I told you to keep me firmly in mind
I lost my senses and you had me swooned
Under the same silver moon
Under the moon, over so soon
So wonderful, unfulfilled, what a lasting thrill
You next to me, smiling and free
Our hearts in tune here under the moon
You last smiled at me under this moon
Our singular night was over so soon
I lost my senses once you had me swooned
Under a sad silver moon
Under the moon, over so soon
So wonderful, unfulfilled, what a lasting thrill
You next to me, smiling and free
Our hearts in tune here under the moon
Moonlit Longing in Three-Quarter Time—Ephemeral, Intimate, and Quietly Heartbreaking
With “Under the Moon,” Toby Berka crafts the album’s most intimate and wistful moment—a slow waltz that feels suspended in time, illuminated only by soft moonlight and the echo of a smile that lingers long after the night has ended. The track captures a rare emotional texture: the sweetness of connection intertwined with the sting of impermanence. It is a love story told not through grand declarations, but through the quiet ache of what never had a chance to become.
The opening verse sets the tone with aching simplicity:
“You first smiled at me under the moon
The night was so short, we parted too soon”
There is no embellishment here, no attempt to dramatize the moment. Instead, Berka focuses on the essential details—the smile, the spark, the brevity. What matters is the fleetingness of the encounter, and how something so brief can leave a lasting imprint. The phrase “the spark in your eyes” feels at once universal and intimately personal.
The refrain is the emotional core of the song:
“Under the moon, over so soon
So wonderful, unfulfilled, what a lasting thrill”
It’s a sigh set to melody, a refrain that acknowledges the contradiction at the heart of the experience: something magical and yet incomplete, unforgettable precisely because it ended before it began. The repeated “over so soon” becomes a soft lament, carried by the gentle rise and fall of waltz rhythm.
In the second verse, the memory deepens. The encounter becomes a singular moment sealed by the moon’s silver glow:
“I lost my senses and you had me swooned
Under the same silver moon”
The language is romantic but understated. “Swooned” hints at an old-fashioned charm, fitting for a waltz, while “silver moon” situates the moment firmly within a dreamlike, nocturnal atmosphere.
The final verse introduces the song’s quiet heartbreak. The shift from “the same silver moon” to “a sad silver moon” speaks volumes. The moon hasn’t changed—but the memory has. What once shimmered with potential now carries a melancholy sheen. This subtle shift in imagery is some of Berka’s finest writing: grief expressed not through devastation, but through a single adjective.
Musically, “Under the Moon” softness conjures a wide, nightly space. The fretless bass brings a gentle, gliding warmth, while the electric violin provides both tenderness and ache, its timbre subtly shading the emotional melodies. A slow waltz tempo, lo-fi percussion, and a heart-aching harmonic arrangement give the vocals ample room to breathe. Berka’s delivery naturally leans toward intimacy, conveying longing through restraint rather than overt drama.
Within Hidden Passion, this track serves as a delicate emotional counterbalance. Amid songs of fire, joy, transformation, and energy, “Under the Moon” offers a moment of memory—one that is neither triumphant nor despairing, but reflective. It captures the particular flavor of a love that was real enough to touch the heart but too brief to take root.
It is a reminder that some of the most enduring connections are those that never fully unfold. “Under the Moon” preserves such a moment with tenderness, wrapping it in moonlight and music so that it may shimmer just a little longer.
Toby Berka 