They say there's a sun in the sky
They say there's a sun in the sky
But me, I can't imagine why
There might have been one
Before you were gone
But now all I see is the night, so

I don't believe in the sun

How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me

How could there be
Such cruelty.

The only sun I ever knew
Was the beautiful one that was you
Since you went away
It's nighttime all day
And it's usually raining too

The only stars there really are
Were shining in your eyes
There is no sun except the one
That never shone on other guys
The moon to whom the poets croon
Has given up and died
Astronomy will have to be revised

Overall Meaning

The Magnetic Fields’s song “I Don’t Believe in the Sun” is a melancholic reflection on the devastation of losing a loved one. The opening lyrics emphasize a repeated disbelief in the existence of the sun, “They say there’s a sun in the sky/But me, I can’t imagine why”. This disbelief, however, is not due to any actual doubt of its physical existence, but instead is a metaphorical representation of the loss of hope and joy that the singer feels since the departure of their loved one. The singer recognizes that, although the sun may still exist physically, they are unable to see it anymore due to the all-consuming nature of their grief.

The singer goes on to contemplate the unfairness of life, speculating on why the sun continues to shine on everyone else but not on them. They question how the universe can be so cruel, “How could there be/Such cruelty”. The only sun they ever knew was the brightness of their lover, but with them gone, the world becomes a “nighttime all day” and even the stars have lost their shine. The singer’s loss is so profound that it feels like even the moon, which traditionally holds romantic significance, has “given up and died”.

Overall, “I Don’t Believe in the Sun” is a poignant exploration of the overwhelming pain and confusion caused by the loss of a significant other. It captures the profound emptiness that often follows such a tragedy, as the singer searches for meaning in the lack of light and love in their world.

Line by Line Meaning

They say there's a sun in the sky
According to popular belief, there is a sun in the sky

But me, I can't imagine why
However, I cannot fathom why this would be true

There might have been one
Perhaps there was a sun before your departure

Before you were gone
Before you left me alone

But now all I see is the night, so
But all I witness nowadays is the darkness that consumes me

I don't believe in the sun
Therefore, I am skeptical about the existence of the sun

How could it shine down on everyone
How can the sun be capable of shining on everyone?

And never shine on me
However, it never seems to shine on me

How could there be
How is it possible

Such cruelty.
To be so harsh and unfair?

The only sun I ever knew
The only sun that has ever been real to me