Draw the curtains, pull the shades
An hour of sunshine, then it fades
I think of you, I don't know why
So long ago we said goodbye

Nothing ever seemed for certain
Nothing ever stopped the hurting

Watching winter turn to spring
I remember everything
A lovely smile, a perfect day
Always half a world away

Nothing ever seemed for certain
Nothing ever stopped the hurting

Another year has come and gone
And still I sing for you this song
Writing letters in my mind
Knowing what I'd hope to find

Nothing ever seemed for certain
Nothing ever stopped the hurting

I wonder if we'll meet again
At the Gare de l'Est at ten?
I'd give up everything that's mine
Just for one more hour of sunshine

Overall Meaning

The song An Hour Of Sunshine written by Wilbur revolves around themes of longing, heartbreak, and uncertainty after the end of a relationship. The opening lines "Draw the curtains, pull the shades, An hour of sunshine, then it fades" paints a picture of the fleeting nature of happiness in the midst of sadness. The singer reminisces about a lover from their past and can't seem to shake off the memories. The line "I think of you, I don't know why, So long ago we said goodbye" shows how time has passed, but the memories still feel fresh.

The second verse particularly highlights how the passage of time does little to ease the pain of a broken heart: "Another year has come and gone, And still I sing for you this song, Writing letters in my mind, Knowing what I'd hope to find." The lyrics "I'd give up everything that's mine, Just for one more hour of sunshine" speaks to the desire to relive happy moments even if just for a while. The final lines "I wonder if we'll meet again, At the Gare de l'Est at ten?" reveals the hope of a possible reunion and a new beginning.

Overall, the song is an honest and bittersweet reflection of the complexity of heartbreak and the power of memories to keep a love story alive even after it has ended.

Line by Line Meaning

Draw the curtains, pull the shades
I'm closing myself off from the outside world, creating a personal space for myself.

An hour of sunshine, then it fades
I have brief moments of happiness, but it doesn't last.

I think of you, I don't know why
Your memory haunts me, and I can't figure out why you have such a hold on me.

So long ago we said goodbye
We've been apart for a long time, but I'm still not over the pain of our separation.

Nothing ever seemed for certain
I never had any guarantees in life, and nothing ever panned out the way I hoped.

Nothing ever stopped the hurting
The pain of our separation has always lingered, and nothing has been able to make it go away completely.

Watching winter turn to spring
The seasons change, but my feelings for you remain constant and unchanging, just like the earth's cycle.

I remember everything
Every moment spent with you, every word spoken, is etched into my memory.

A lovely smile, a perfect day
I reminisce about your beautiful smile and the happiness we shared on that perfect day together.

Always half a world away
Distance has always kept us apart, no matter how much I longed to be with you.

Another year has come and gone
Time moves on, but I'm still stuck in the past with my feelings for you.

And still I sing for you this song
My love for you is so strong that I can't help but express it through music.

Writing letters in my mind
I constantly imagine what I would say to you if I could talk to you one last time.

Knowing what I'd hope to find
I know exactly what I would want to achieve if we could meet one more time.

I wonder if we'll meet again
The possibility of seeing you one more time gives me hope and fuels my dreams.

At the Gare de l'Est at ten?
I fantasize about serendipitously running into you at a train station.

I'd give up everything that's mine
There's nothing I wouldn't sacrifice to have one more moment of happiness with you.

Just for one more hour of sunshine
I'd do anything to have one more brief moment of joy with you, even if it's just for an hour.

just now