What is the significance of the title Sing Down the Moon?

Why Alvarez tells the story of the Mirabal sisters, it is
not the only focus of her novel. Instead she focus also on the time period that
surrounds them; thus she names her book In the Time of the
Butterflies to suggest a specific epoch and not just a specific family. The
novel examines their family, but it also looks into their way of life and the way it has
been impacted by the Dominican Republic's leaders (specifically Trujillo's reign). The
time of the butterflies is a time of tremendous political upheaval, which affects all
members of the family and the nation. This takes her story beyond just the familial tale
to one that examines political themes and repercussions.