Sunset
Xx The Lyrics
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It's like the sun set in your eyes and never wanted to rise
And what have you done with the one I love?
When I look into your eyes, I see no surprise
I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine
And catch my eye, don't register a smile
You were more than just a friend, oh but the feeling
It never came to an end, I can't bear to see you
I always thought it was a shame
That we have to play these games
It felt like you really knew me
Now it feels like you see through me
When I see you again
I'll know not to expect
Stay one step away
We will have to wait
When I see you again
And I'm greeted as a friend
It is understood
That we did all we could
I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We act like we had never met
I always thought it was a shame
That we have to play these games
It felt like you really knew me
Now it feels like you see through me
In "Sunset" by The xx, the singer reminisces about a past love who they have since become estranged from. The opening lines suggest a sense of deja vu, as they note that seeing their former lover again feels like they have never met before. The metaphor of a sunset in the lover's eyes is used to convey a sense of finality and closure- as if the love story is over and the singer cannot reignite the passion they once shared. The line "what have you done with the one I love?" implies that the former lover may have changed or betrayed the bond they shared, causing the singer to be disillusioned.
The chorus reveals the singer's sadness and frustration at how they are forced to act like strangers around someone who meant so much to them in the past. They note that the current dynamic is artificial and that it feels like they "had never met". The lines "We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine And catch my eye, don't register a smile" show that the two parties are both playing the game of pretending that they don't know each other. The singer's longing is apparent when they admit to feeling like their former lover "really knew" them in the past, but now they "see through" the facade of the singer's stoic exterior.
The last verse conveys a sense of resignation as the singer admits they cannot expect anything more from their relationship, other than a cordial greeting. They acknowledge that they have both done all they could to salvage the relationship but have ultimately failed. The final repetition of the chorus echoes the sentiment of the rest of the song, that it's a sad and shameful thing that we sometimes have to pretend not to know the people who were once most important to us.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you again, it felt like we had never met
Meeting you again felt so strange as if we weren't acquainted at all
It's like the sun set in your eyes and never wanted to rise
Your eyes seem to have lost their sparkle, making it seem like the sun has set in them quite permanently
And what have you done with the one I love?
I can't help but wonder where the person I once loved has gone, and who you are now
When I look into your eyes, I see no surprise
Even when I try to search for traces of our shared past in your eyes, I find no hint of recognition or nostalgia
We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine
It's like we're pretending to be strangers, neither acknowledging the past nor the present
And catch my eye, don't register a smile
When our gaze meets, there's no warmth or emotion exchanged between us
You were more than just a friend, oh but the feeling
You meant so much more to me than just a friend, but now those emotions have faded away
It never came to an end, I can't bear to see you
The memories and feelings associated with you haven't really left me, making it difficult to face you
When I see you again, I'll know not to expect
Should we cross paths again, I shouldn't anticipate anything different from the last few interactions we've had
Stay one step away, we will have to wait
Keeping a distance would be the best course of action for now, and time will decide what lies ahead for us
And I'm greeted as a friend, it is understood
Should we interact in a friendly manner now, we should have no expectations beyond that
That we did all we could
We both tried our best, and it's okay to leave things as they are
I always thought it was a shame, that we have to play these games
It's unfortunate that we have to pretend to be strangers when we share a past that was meaningful to both of us
It felt like you really knew me, now it feels like you see through me
There was a time when we knew each other so well, but now it seems you're seeing right through me without any emotions attached
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Romy Anna Madley Croft, James Thomas Smith, Oliver David Sim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind