Introduction
“Neon Moon,” written solely by Ronnie Dunn and recorded by Brooks & Dunn, was issued in February 1992 as the third single from their debut album Brand New Man . Produced by Don Cook and Scott Hendricks, the song quickly became the duo’s third consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart . Notable for its haunting honky‑tonk balladry, it lacks an official music video—an intentional choice to preserve the listener’s imagination .
Crafted from Dunn’s own experiences playing with a house band in Tulsa, the song’s melancholic melody and dance‑floor rhythm earned it the nickname “cowboy cha‑cha” . Ronnie Dunn consciously aimed to leave “just a ray of hope” in the lyric, captured in the closing refrain that the heartbroken narrator will be “alright… as long as there’s light from a neon moon” . Though steeped in heartbreak, the song’s groove made it a staple at country bars and live dances across America .
Decades later, “Neon Moon” achieved renewed resonance: Brooks & Dunn included a version featuring Kacey Musgraves on their 2019 Reboot album, part of a long-running series of collaborations. In 2024, a remix featuring Morgan Wallen appeared on Reboot II, reaching number 24 on the Hot Country Songs chart . The song was later ranked number 41 on Rolling Stone’s 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time in May 2024 .
The iTunes Originals version of the song appears in a format created by Apple, released exclusively on the iTunes Store. These editions typically include new studio recordings of songs, as well as spoken‑word commentary from the artist—often reflecting on their history, the songwriting process, and next songs to come . While specific details on the “Neon Moon (iTunes Originals)” track aren’t widely documented, we can confidently infer that it features Dunn (and perhaps Brooks) offering context or anecdotes surrounding the song, followed by a newly recorded or live studio performance tailored specifically for the iTunes Originals platform.