Folkie Tom Moran’s “Oh Darling” Looks Back on Young Love (premiere)        

New York folk artist Tom Moran released his full-length debut album, Roommate of a Friend of Mine, at summer’s end in 2021. It’s earmarked by folk songwriting, relaxed and reflective, that feels reminiscent of the season. “Oh Darling” does well to represent a record noted for its sensitives, with a yearning Moran reflecting on his days of childhood infatuation. His croon is met by soft guitar melodies, subtle bass, and a moving fiddle that completes the performance’s warm center.  

Now, Moran debuts a lyric video for the tune. Featuring his drawings alongside animation by James Morano, the video captures the song’s sweet sentiments in a set piece.

Moran says, “To make this video, I wrote the lyrics out line by line and then drew whatever images came to mind based on that particular lyric. Some of the lyrics I’d interpret literally, Like ‘Polaroid’ or ‘leather boots’. For other lines, I’d come up with something based on a feeling and try not to think about it too much. In the end, a visual story developed on its own. I tried to let the visual story create itself, which is the same way I approach songwriting.

“For me, ‘Oh Darling’ has been around for a long time. When I sing it, I feel like I’m singing a cover, but in a good way. The song means a lot to me, but an old version of myself wrote it. Sometimes when I play it live, someone will ask, ‘Is that a cover?’ Whenever someone asks me if a song of mine is a cover, I take it as a big compliment. I hope that someday it really is a cover!”