Released	June 11, 2013
Genre	New Age, Celtic, folk, neo-medieval
Length	53:10[1]
Label	Frontiers Records (Europe) ,Universal Music (Canada), Frontiers Records (Universal) (U.S.)
Producer	Pat Regan

Dancer and the Moon is the eighth studio album by the group Blackmore’s Night, released on June 11, 2013. It entered at #40 on the Top Independent Albums Charts in USA^[1], and entered USA’s New Age Billboard Charts at #3.

Track listing

Songs written by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night, except where noted.

1. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today – 3:54 (Randy Newman)
2. Troika – 3:30
3. The Last Leaf – 4:05
4. Lady in Black – 5:48 (Ken Hensley)
5. Minstrels in the Hall – 2:38 (Blackmore)
6. The Temple of the King – 4:26 (Rainbow cover)
7. Dancer and the Moon – 4:55
8. Galliard – 2:00 (Blackmore)
9. The Ashgrove – 2:21 (Traditional)
10. Somewhere Over the Sea (The Moon is Shining) – 4:07
11. The Moon is Shining (Somewhere Over the Sea) – 6:19
12. The Spinner’s Tale – 3:30
13. Carry On… Jon – 5:37 (Blackmore)

Lyrics

1. I Think It’s Going To Rain Today

Broken windows and empty hallways
A pale dead moon in the sky streaked with grey
Human kindness overflowing
And I think it’s gonna rain
Yes I think it’s gonna rain
Oh I think it’s gonna rain, rain today

Scarecrows dressed in the latest styles
Frozen smiles to chase love away
Human kindness overflowing
And I think it’s gonna rain, rain today

Lonely, lonely
Tin can at my feet, I think I’ll kick it down the street
And that’s the way to treat a friend

Bright before me, the stars implore me
Help the needy and show them the way
Human kindness overflowing
And I think it’s gonna rain, rain today

Broken windows and empty hallways
A pale dead moon in the sky streaked with grey
Human kindness, it’s overflowing
And I think it’s gonna rain
Yeah I think it’s gonna rain
Mmm I think it’s gonna rain, rain today

Rain today
Rain down
Rain down on me
Rain down
Rain down on me
Rain, rain
Rain today

2. Troika

There’s a place in my heart
The shadows call their home
Cold as the winds through Siberia
Where the snow lies so deep
You can’t even see the sun
Run, my Troika, run

Let the horses run free
So dark against the white
Over the field till they’re out of sight
And I am swept away
The journey has just begun
Run, my Troika, run

Oh, my mother Russia
Land of fairytales
Captured like the wind
In her silken sails

And the time rushes by
A thief in the night
Stealing my memory
Fading out the light
But I cannot forget where it is
That I come from
Run, my Troika, run

I can still see your face
The years have been kind
Dust on the pictures
Clouding up my mind
Remember me now
Not for what I may become
Run, my Troika, run

3. The Last Leaf

There’s a tree in an open field
Branches reach for the sun
With the green of a thousand leaves
And a world that has just begun

The springtime is here again
Buds and blossoms abound
Promises of future days
And new life that is all around

See the last leaf shivering
As the winds did blow
Holding tight to what she knew
For fear of the unknown

Soon the spring turned to summertime
She could never deny
How she loved her home up there
In between the earth and sky

Still to drift on a summer breeze
Was to taste paradise
But that summer would turn to fall
And the autumn would turn to ice

See the last leaf shivering
As the winds did blow
Holding tight to what she knew
For fear of the unknown

In the harvest of golden days
Leaves were turning to fire
Dancing upon the autumn breeze
Like a princess on the high wire

One by one through the dancers dove
Spiralling to the ground
Carried off on a winter wind
Disappearing without a sound

See the last leaf shivering
As the winds did blow
Holding tight to what she knew
For fear of the unknown

So the last leaf took flight
As the winds did blow
Holding tight to what could be
Finally letting go

4. Lady in Black

She came to me one morning
One lonely Sunday morning
Her long hair flowing
In the midwinter wind

I know not how she found me
For in darkness I was walking
And destruction lay around me
From a fight I could not win

She asked me name my foe then
I said the need within some men
To fight and kill their brothers
Without thought of love or God

And I begged her give me horses
To trample down my enemies
So eager was my passion
To devour this waste of life

But she wouldn’t think of battle that
Reduces men to animals
So easy to begin
And yet impossible to end

For she’s the mother of all men
Who counselled me so wisely then
I feared to walk alone again
And asked if she would stay

Oh, lady, lend your hand outright
And let me rest here at your side
“Have faith and trust in peace,” she said
And filled my heart with life

There’s no strength in numbers
Have no such misconception
But when you need me
Be assured, I won’t be far away

Thus, having spoke, she turned away
And though I found no words to say
I stood and watched until I saw
Her black coat disappear

My labour is no easier
But now I know I’m not alone
I’ll find new heart each time
I think upon that windy day

And if one day she comes to you,
Drink deeply from her words so wise
Take courage from her as your prize
And say hello from me

5. Minstrels in the Hall

[Instrumental]

6. Temple of the King

One day, in the year of the fox
Came a time remembered well,
When the strong young man of the rising sun
Heard the tolling of the great black bell.
One day in the year of the fox,
When the bell began to ring,
It meant the time had come for one to go
To the temple of the king.

There in the middle of the circle he stands,
Searching, seeking.
With just one touch of his trembling hand,
The answer will be found.
Daylight waits while the old man sings,
Heaven help me!
And then like the rush of a thousand wings,
It shines upon the one.
And the day has just begun.

One day in the year of the fox
Came a time remembered well,
When the strong young man of the rising sun
Heard the tolling of the great black bell.
One day in the year of the fox,
When the bell began to sing
It meant the time had come for the one to go
To the temple of the king.

There in the middle of the people he stands,
Seeing, feeling.
With just a wave of the strong right hand, hes gone
To the temple of the king.

Far from the circle, at the edge of the world,
Hes hoping, wondering.
Thinking back on the stories hes heard of
What hes going to see.
There, in the middle of a circle it lies.
Heaven help me!
Then all could see by the shine in his eyes
The answer had been found.

Back with the people in the circle he stands,
Giving, feeling.
With just one touch of a strong right hand, they know
Of the temple and the king.

7. Dancer and the Moon

Here in the twilight
Under the moonlight
I feel your hungry eyes
Drums in the distance
Echoes of madness
Around the firelight

In the heartbeat of the night

Hey, hey, hey
Till the break of day
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Hey, hey, hey
Dance the whole night through
Nothing gets between
The dancer and the moon

Follow me closely
Arms wrapped around me
Life is a sweet, sweet wine
Glittering gold
As stories unfold
Those secrets are lost in time

To the heartbeat of the night

Master of fate
How you captivate me
Filling my one desire
Two of a kind
With one state of mind
You’ve set my whole world on fire

8. Galliard

[Instrumental]

9. The Ashgrove

The ash grove, how graceful, how plainly ’tis speaking
The harp wind through it playing has language for me
Whenever the light through its branches is breaking
A host of kind faces is gazing on me

The friends of my childhood again are before me
Each step wakes a memory as freely I roam
With soft whispers laden its leaves rustle o’er me
The ash grove, the ash grove again is my home

Down yonder green valley where streamlets meander
When twilight is fading I pensively rove
Or at the bright noontide in solitude wander
And ‘neath the dark shades of the lonely ash grove

’twas there where the blackbird was cheerfully singing
I first met that dear one, the joy of my heart
Around us for gladness the bluebells were springing
The ash grove, the ash grove that sheltered my home

The ash grove, the ash grove alone is my home

10. Somewhere Over the Sea (The Moon Is Shining)

Oh the moon was shining
Somewhere over the sea
Oh the moon was waiting
For you to return to me

I haven’t seen the day
Since you went away
Oh the moon was shining
Somewhere over the sea

Has been no light of day
Since you’ve went away
Oh the moon was shining
Somewhere over the sea

Oh the snow was falling
Colder than winters I’ve known
Oh the snow was falling
Icicles turning to stone

Still I wish on a star
Come back wherever you are
Oh the snow was falling
Colder since I’ve ever known

Oh the stars stopped glowing
On the night that you left
Oh the wind stopped blowing
All I could hold was my breath

Still I have to believe
You will return to me
Oh the stars stopped glowing
On the night that you left

Still I have to believe
You will return to me
Oh the stars stopped glowing
On the night that you left

Still I have to believe
You will return to me
Oh the snow was falling
Colder than winters I’ve known
Oh the stars had stop glowing
As my heart turns into stone
Somewhere over the sea
You will return to me

11. The Moon Is Shining (Somewhere Over the Sea)

Oh the moon was shining
Somewhere over the sea
Oh the moon was waiting
For you to return to me

I haven’t seen the day
Since you went away
Oh the moon was shining
Somewhere over the sea

There’s been no light of day
Since you’ve went away
Oh the moon was shining
Somewhere over the sea

Oh the snow was falling
Colder than any winters I’ve known
Oh the snow was falling
Icicles turning to stone

Still I wish on a star
Come back wherever you are
Oh the snow was falling
Colder since I’ve been alone

Still I wish on a star
Come back wherever you are
Oh the snow was falling
So much colder since I’ve been alone

Oh the stars stopped glowing
On the night that you left
Oh the wind stopped blowing
All I could hold was my breath

Still I have to believe
You will return to me
Oh the stars stopped glowing
On the night that you left

Still I have to believe
You will return to me
Oh the snow was falling
Colder than winters I’ve known
Oh the stars had stop glowing
As my heart turns into stone
Somewhere over the sea
You will return to me

12. The Spinner’s Tale

Somewhere the leaves on the trees look like lace
Falling in shadows across your face
Sunshine and darkness in perfect harmony
Shadows now live where light used to be

A spinning wheel where our memories were spun
Weaving our way through the fabric of time
Winding the wheel back to where we had begun
Spinning away to when you once were mine

Here in my chamber waiting for the dawn
I turn away the curtains are drawn
Somewhere in time when the night began to fall
Just for that moment we had it all

A spinning wheel where our memories were spun
Weaving our way through the fabric of time
Winding the wheel back to where we had begun
Spinning away to when you once were mine

We choose our path never knowing right or wrong
Ribbons get tangled within the storm
Just like the widow was weaving her web
The spinner’s wheel holds tight to the thread

13. Carry On… Jon

[Instrumental]