Mooning is the act of displaying one's bare buttocks by removing clothing, e.g., by lowering the backside of one's trousers and underpants, usually bending over, whether also exposing the genitals or not. Mooning is used mostly in the English-speaking world to express protest, scorn, disrespect, or provocation but can also simply be done for shock value or fun. Mooning may be considered indecent exposure, depending on jurisdiction and context.
Moon has been a common shape-metaphor for the buttocks in English since 1743, and the verb to moon has meant 'to expose to (moon)light' since 1601.[citation needed] As documented by McLaren, "'mooning', or exposing one's ass to shame an enemy [...] had a long pedigree in peasant culture" throughout the Middle Ages, and in many nations. Formerly, "mooning" was slang for "wandering idly" and "romantically pining."
In Chilean Spanish, the act of mooning is known as cara pálida, lit. "Paleface".
The legal position of mooning varies between jurisdictions, from indecent exposure to legal self-expression. Some example cases include:
(Hall)
In the early morning when I'm lying by your side
Doubts go through my mind, thoughts I try to hide
Lying there I wonder if your love for me is real
Or just another fantasy
Then I try to think about the way things used to be
Misty memories, hazy like a dream
All we did together, all the things we planned to do
There was only me and you
And in the morning I touch you
And I find you're still there
I want to tell you that I love you
Please never leave me
In the morning light I turn to look at you
And hope that you still care
When I look back on our life, the pieces fall in place
Words that went unsaid, pictures of your face
All those things we shared, yet stay together day by day
Cause our love was never far away
And in the morning I touch you
And I find you're still there
I want to tell you that I love you
Please never leave me
In the morning light I turn to look at you
And hope that you still care
I spend my days just mooning
So sad and blue, so sad and blue
I spend my nights just mooning
All over you, all over who
Oh, I'm so full of love
As any fool can see
'Cause angels up above
Have hung a moon on me
Why must you go?
Why must I go on mooning
So all alone
So all alone?
There would be no
There would be no more mooning
If you would call me
Up on the phone
I guess I'll keep on strikin' poses
'Til my cheeks have lost their roses
Mooning over you
I'll stand behind
You'll stand behind, you mooning
Forevermore, forevermore
And someday you'll find
Someday I'll find you mooning
At your front door, at my front door
Oh, everyday at school I watch ya
Always [Incomprehensible] I got ya
Mooning too
I spend my days just mooning, so sad and blue, so sad and blue
I spend my nights just mooning, all over you (all over who?)
Oh I'm so full of love, as any fool can see
Cause ages up above, have hung the moon on me
(Why must you go) why must I go on mooning, so all alone (so all alone)
There would be no (there would be no) more mooning, if you would call me
(I've found a phone)
I'm lying by myself in bed, I cry and give myself the red eyeMooning over you
I'll stay behind (you'll stay behind) you mooning forevermore (forevermore)
Someday you'll find (someday we'll find) me mooning at your front door
(at my front door)Oh, everyday at school I want ya, always will until I got ya
I spend my days just mooning,
so sad and blue,
so sad and blue I spend my nights just mooning,
all over you (all over who?)
Oh I'm so full of love, as any fool can see
Cause ages up above, have hung the moon on me
(Why must you go) why must I go on mooning,
so all alone (so all alone)
There would be no (there would be no) more mooning,
if you would call me (I've found a phone)
I'm lying by myself in bed, I cry and give myself the red eye
Mooning over you I'll stay behind
(you'll stay behind) you mooning forevermore (forevermore)
Someday you'll find (someday we'll find)
me mooning at your front door (at my front door)
Oh, everyday at school I want ya, always will until I got ya
Mooning too (there's a moon up tonight)