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Black Sun
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics


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There is whisky in the water
And there is death upon the vine
There is fear in the eyes of your father
And there is "Yours" and there is "Mine"
There is a desert veiled in pavement
And there's a city of seven hills
And all our debris flows to the ocean
To meet again, I hope it will

How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!

There is an answer in a question
And there is hope within despair
And there is beauty in a failure,
And there are depths beyond compare
There is a role of a lifetime
And there's a song yet to be sung
And there's a dumpster in the driveway
Of all the plans that came undone

How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!
How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!

There is whisky in the water
And there is death upon the vine
And there is grace within forgiveness
But it's so hard for me to find

How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!
How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Black Sun by Death Cab for Cutie communicate a message of duality, that life can be both beautiful and cruel, both hopeful and despairing. The song starts with an observation about the world around us, where there is often a mix of contradictory elements. Whiskey, a symbol of indulgence and pleasure, is tainted by the presence of death on the vine, a symbol of decay and sorrow. Likewise, the city is both a place of wonder and a place of destruction, where desert is hidden by the pavement, and debris flows to the ocean. The line "and there is Yours and there is Mine" indicates a reminder of the basic human divide between ownership and possession, an inherent tension that often drives us apart.


The lyrics then speak to the idea of duality in a more personal way, with the singer acknowledging the presence of both hope and despair, beauty and failure, life's highs and lows. There is a bleak acknowledgement of the plans that have come undone, represented by the dumpster in the driveway. The song touches on the idea that life is a constant battle between despair and hope, between failure and success, and between moments of beauty and moments of pain. The chorus "How could something so fair, Be so cruel, When this black sun revolved around you" speaks of the confusion and grief that can come from a sense that the world does not make sense, that there is pain and beauty all around us.


Line by Line Meaning

There is whisky in the water
Alcohol is easily accessible and present in everyday life


And there is death upon the vine
Dangers and risks surround us, particularly within our daily habits


There is fear in the eyes of your father
Anxiety and worry is ever-present, even from those we look up to


And there is "Yours" and there is "Mine"
Ownership and selfishness are prevalent in human nature causing many divides


There is a desert veiled in pavement
Nature is often concealed and overrun by urbanization and human impact on the environment


And there's a city of seven hills
Cities are complex and challenging landscapes with many ups and downs


And all our debris flows to the ocean
Our actions have consequences and continue to impact the world around us


To meet again, I hope it will
We hope to learn from our mistakes and make a better future


How could something so fair
Questioning the injustice of life


Be so cruel
Things don’t always make sense, leading to hardships and pain


When this black sun revolved
The looming and inescapable struggles of life


Around you!
Being personally affected or burdened by the pain and injustice of the world


There is an answer in a question
Solutions can be found within problems, and asking questions can lead to understanding


And there is hope within despair
Even in the darkest of times, there is still possibility for improvement and change


And there is beauty in a failure
Failures can be turned into lessons and growth experiences


And there are depths beyond compare
There’s always more to learn, explore, and understand in life


There is a role of a lifetime
Everyone has a unique purpose and contribution to the world


And there's a song yet to be sung
There are still experiences to be had and discoveries to be made


And there's a dumpster in the driveway
Plans can easily fall apart and change over time


Of all the plans that came undone
Unexpected challenges can make it difficult to follow through with what was originally intended


And there is grace within forgiveness
Forgiving others can bring freedom to both parties and lead to healing


But it's so hard for me to find
Forgiving others can be challenging and require self-reflection and inner work




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Benjamin Gibbard

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@juliasharp2857

Lyrics
There is whiskey in the water
And there is death upon the vine
There is fear in the eyes of your father
And there is "Yours" and there is "Mine"
There is a desert veiled in pavement
And there's a city of seven hills
And all our debris flows to the ocean
To meet again, I hope it will
How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!
There is an answer in a question
And there is hope within despair
And there is beauty in a failure,
And there are depths beyond compare
There is a role of a lifetime
And there's a song yet to be sung
And there's a dumpster in the driveway
Of all the plans that came undone
How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!
How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!
There is whiskey in the water
And there is death upon the vine
And there is grace within forgiveness
But it's so hard for me to find
How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!
How could something so fair
Be so cruel
When this black sun revolved
Around you!
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Benjamin D Gibbard
Black Sun lyrics © Where I'm Calling From Music



All comments from YouTube:

@finkboy66

Jason McGerr does not get the recognition he deserves. His drum parts are never obvious, yet the always enhance the song. Much respect. He is a huge part of what makes DCFC so good

@misterfunnybones

Sometimes less is more & very appropriate. Other times, more is more - https://youtu.be/kHDBYIk_OWg

@smartaleci

My husband learned to play drums this year. 😘 I requested this one early and he always rocks it! 😇🙏🏻

@thenovicehobbyist313

bassist smooth af too

@UnexpectedWonder

Oh, absolutely!

@9010190070086

It's the fan enthusiasm for me 😍

6 More Replies...

@mikaelathepepperoni

Everything they write is so poetic, this band is a literature lovers dream and therefore they are my dream.

@lavanyaduggirala8559

Linking park comes close to this band. The lyrics of their songs are astounding

@mariafietta6864

True. And his timbre is so clear and beautiful. Poetry in his voice. Love these guys 💖

@Ellellemm22

Well said. 💕

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