Hijo de la Luna#Loona version

The lyrics depict a tragic Romani legend of a Roma woman who awakes at sunrise, begging to the moon to marry a Roma man (calé) the same day. In exchange the moon asks for the woman's first-born as payment.

After the child is born, the woman and man are dismayed to see that his skin is the whitest white and his eyes are grey, even though they both have dark skin and dark eyes. The lyrics explain that the child is an albino, due to being a son of the moon. But the man presumes that the father is a payo (a non-Roma person) and furiously stabs his wife to death. He takes the child and abandons him on a mountain, leaving the child to die of exposure.

Later the baby is said to live happily ever after with the Moon as his mother. When the child cries, the Moon wanes to cradle and comfort him.

The chorus says that the moon wants to be a mother, yet cannot find a lover who will make her his wife, and questions her as to what she would do with a human child. The French translation of the song asks a more precise question (Tell me, silvery moon, You who has no arms, How will you rock the child?), which is answered in the last stanza (And whenever the child cries, She [The Moon] crescents, Turning herself into a light-cradle).

In turn, the Moon doubts the mother's commitment to the little boy, wondering how much she can love her child if she is eager to trade him for a partner.

The video clip for the Italian version {{lang|it|Figlio della luna}} has a esthetic related to the 1981 film Blood Wedding by Carlos Saura.{{cite book |last1=Peral Vega |first1=Emilio |title=Mecano: Inspiración poética y genio musical |date=2024 |publisher=Guillermo Escolar Editor |location=Madrid |isbn=978-84-19782-51-9 |page=14 |edition=1ª |language=es-ES |chapter=De mil y una historias |quote=[...] acompañada también de un vídeo, excelente de factura y medios, dirigido por el propio José María Cano, en el que las reminiscencias lorquianas de la canción quedaban aun más en evidencia a partir de una estética claramente emparentada con las Bodas de Sangre adaptadas en 1981 por Carlos Saura}}

; 7" single

1. "Hijo de la luna" – 4:21
2. "Mujer contra mujer" – 4:06

; CD maxi

1. "Hijo de la luna" – 4:18
2. "Por la cara" – 3:06
3. "El cine" – 4:01

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=single|artist=Mecano|title=Hijo de la Luna|award=Silver|certyear=1991|certmonth=6|source=infodisc|access-date=12 July 2022}}

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{{Infobox song

| name = Hijo de la Luna

| cover = Loona-hijo_de_la_luna_s.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Loona

| album = Lunita

| B-side = Another Christmas Without You

| released = {{start date|1998|11|23|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 4:08

| label = Urban

| writer = José Maria Cano

| producer = DJ Sammy

| prev_title = Bailando

| prev_year = 1998

| next_title = Dónde Vas

| next_year = 1999

}}

Dutch recording artist Loona covered the song and released it as the second single from her debut studio album, Lunita (1999).[https://archive.today/20120207103434/http://www.loona-fanclub.com/Content-pa-showpage-pid-3.html official LOONA fanclub – LOONA Discografie] Issued through Urban Records on 23 November 1998, the song topped the German Singles Chart in December 1998 and January 1999. Loona's version is certified triple gold in Germany and gold in Switzerland.

CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Hijo de la luna|year=1998|type=CD single liner notes|publisher=Urban Records|id=563 272-2}}

1. "Hijo de la luna" (Sentimiento version) – 4:08
2. "Another Christmas Without You" – 4:11

Maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Hijo de la luna|year=1998|type=Maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Urban Records|id=563 176-2}}

1. "Hijo de la luna" (Sentimiento version) – 4:08
2. "Hijo de la luna" (radio remix version) – 3:52
3. "Another Christmas Without You" – 4:11
4. "Hijo de la luna" (instrumental version) – 4:15
5. "Hijo de la luna" (Flip Mjc acappella version) – 3:20

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=single|artist=Loona|title=Hijo de la luna|award=Gold|number=3|relyear=1998|certyear=1999|access-date=19 November 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|type=single|artist=Loona|title=Hijo de la luna|award=Gold|relyear=1998|certyear=1999|access-date=19 November 2021}}

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This song was covered by the Spanish operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé, by Sarah Brightman, by German metal band Haggard and by Spanish gothic metal band Stravaganzza.

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Category:1986 songs

Category:1989 singles

Category:1991 singles

Category:1998 singles

Category:Mecano songs

Category:Loona (singer) songs

Category:Number-one singles in Germany

Category:Songs in Spanish

Category:Ariola Records singles

Category:Songs written by José María Cano

Category:Songs about the Moon