That Lucky Old Sun
Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got tears all in my eyes
Why don't you send down that cloud
With a silver linin'
Lift me to paradise
Show me that river
Why don't you take me across
And wash all my troubles away
I know that lucky old sun, he's got nothin' to do
But just roll around heaven all day
Good Lord above, don't you know I'm pinin'
Tears all in my eyes
Send down that cloud
With a silver linin'
Lift me to paradise
Show me that river
And take me across
Wash all my troubles away
I know that lucky old sun, he's got nothin' to do
Roll around heaven all day
He got nothing but roll around heaven all day
I say he just roll around heaven all day
Roll around heaven all day
The lyrics to Ray Charles's song "That Lucky Old Sun" express a deep desire to escape the pain and struggles of life and find peace in paradise. The singer is speaking to God, asking for divine intervention to lift him up and whisk him away from his troubles. The imagery of a cloud with a silver lining and a river that washes away his problems creates a vivid picture of a idyllic existence.
The focus then shifts to the titular "lucky old sun," who is seen rolling around heaven all day. The contrast between the singer's hardship and the sun's carefree existence is stark. Yet, despite this, the singer still finds comfort in the idea that somewhere, there is a place where even the sun has nothing to do but bask in the bliss of eternal life.
Through this song, Charles speaks to the universal human desire for relief from the burdens of daily life, and the hope that there is something better waiting for us beyond this mortal coil.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear Lord above, don't you see I'm pinin'
I feel utterly lonely here and I hope that you can see me.
I got tears all in my eyes
I'm crying my heart out here.
Why don't you send down that cloud
Can't you just provide a way out of my misery?
With a silver linin'
Please make it something that gives me hope.
Lift me to paradise
Take me to a place where I can finally be happy.
Show me that river
Take me to a place where my sorrows can float away.
Why don't you take me across
Please help me cross over to a better life.
And wash all my troubles away
Let me start anew, free from all my past sorrows and regrets.
I know that lucky old sun, he's got nothin' to do
The sun just keeps shining, with no regard for my troubles.
But just roll around heaven all day
The sun is free, doing what it pleases in the great beyond.
He got nothing but roll around heaven all day
The sun is completely carefree, never worrying like I do.
I say he just roll around heaven all day
The sun enjoys the simple pleasures of life, while I struggle to find happiness.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Beasley Smith, Haven Gillespie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheRealForrestGeorge
Up in the mornin'
Out on the job
Work like the devil for my pay
But that lucky old sun got nothin' to do
But roll around heaven all day.
Fuss with my woman, toil for my kids
Sweat till I'm wrinkled and gray
While that lucky old sun got nothin' to do
But roll around heaven all day
Dear Lord above, can't you know I'm pining, tears all in my eyes
Send down that cloud with a silver lining, lift me to Paradise
Show me that river, take me across
Wash all my troubles away
Like that lucky old sun, give me nothing to do
But roll around heaven all day
[Instrumental Interlude - First Line Of "Dear Lord"]
Send down that cloud with a silver lining, lift me to Paradise
Show me that river, take me across
Wash all my troubles away
Like that lucky old sun, give me nothing to do
But roll around heaven all day
These lyrics were transcribed from the specific recording mentioned above
And do not necessarily correspond with lyrics from other recordings, sheet
Music, songbooks or lyrics printed on album jackets.
@suddenlysim2
My dad loved this song. He sang it a million times. He passed in 2001 and tears are just flowing from hearing this. I miss my dad.
@keithbruens
Bless you Simone. You will see him again in paradise. I can tell he was a great father with superior taste in music
@lillianmartinez1713
+Simone Gordon Also reminds me of my Dad, he passed in 1999 never get over missing him.
@cedricmayfield7058
+Joshua Gibbs-Givens Bruh wtf is wrong with you
@joshg.8706
Internet Bitch
@jezdukowski
+Simone Gordon
He left this, for you. His heart just flows through it. Music is like magic...It really is.
@smittysmat7826
Listen closely at 1:29 when he sings, “ I got tears all in my eyes”. I swear, he’s really crying on that line. He even sniffs before singing it. What an absolutely amazing vocal on my this. Goodness.
@puck30
I'm crying when he gets to that line and crying the rest of the way
@AntiMTVMovement
It certainly gives an already emotional song added emotion
@danstarr374
I read in his biography that all the emotional content is his song & all the vocal inflections were calculated & rehearsed but to me it always seems so real, that is part of his genius...