Pocahontas singer: 'I have no idea what a blue corn moon is'

pocahontas
(Image credit: Facebook.com/Pocahontas)

"Colors of the Wind," the Oscar-winning ballad from Disney's 1995 hit Pocahontas, is undeniably stirring — but if you actually listen to the lyrics, you might walk away a little puzzled. Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon? Tell me what a blue corn moon is, and I'll let you know.

There's another person who's baffled by that lyric: Judy Kuhn, who sang "Colors of the Wind" for Pocahontas. "Actually, I have no idea what a blue corn moon is," said Kuhn in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. "I have always hoped someone could explain it to me."

As it turns out, there's a reason Kuhn has no idea what a "blue corn moon" is: lyricist Stephen Schwartz invented it. "I feel somewhat guilty to have to tell you that the phrase 'blue corn moon' has no actual meaning in Indian lore," wrote Schwartz in a Q&A with fans. "I made it up because I liked the sound of it."

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Mystery solved! Now tell us why the grinning bobcat grins. Scott Meslow

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.