Arlo Guthrie is Woody Guthrie's son; Arlo was very popular in 1960's hippie… Read Full Bio ↴Arlo Guthrie is Woody Guthrie's son; Arlo was very popular in 1960's hippie communities for his lyrics, always looking for fun, chronicling the values of the day, sample verbiage "You can get everything you want in Alice's Restaurant" And Alice's Restaurant was also a movie as well as an album, Arlo Guthrie made the music for the film, devised it and featured in it. Woody Guthrie, obviously performing a generation earlier, was a folk-singer, singing solo songs to speak out for his fellow downtrodden Americans, as well as working children's songs, just using acoustic guitar, while Arlo had occasional, collaborating backgound musicians, such was the communal zeitgeist, adding to his sound and his much-acclaimed 1960's public stance.

May There Always Be Sunshine
Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A sunny disk,
the sky's around (it)
This is a drawing by a young boy.
He drew it on a sheet (of paper)
And signed in the corner

May there always be sun
May there always be sky,

May there always be mama,

May there always be I

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of May There Always Be Sunshine are a beautiful tribute to the simplicity and beauty of life. The song begins by describing a drawing made by a young boy, and the sunny sky that surrounds it. The imagery here speaks to the joy and innocence of childhood, and the hope that the future will hold equally bright and happy moments. The next verse invokes the idea of eternal sunshine as a metaphor for endless happiness and prosperity, with the sky and mother figures featuring prominently as symbols of love and stability. Finally, the song ties all of these themes together with the simple yet profound phrase "May there always be I," signifying the wish for oneself to always be present in a life filled with joy, love, and sunshine.

Overall, May There Always Be Sunshine is a powerful and poignant song that celebrates the beauty of life and the hope for a bright future. The lyrics are thoughtful and evocative, touching on a range of emotions and experiences that are deeply relatable to listeners of all ages.

Line by Line Meaning

A sunny disk, the sky's around (it)
A drawing portraying a bright yellow sun, surrounded by a blue sky and cloud formations, as imagined by a young imaginative boy.

This is a drawing by a young boy.
The piece of artwork was created by a young, innocent child, brimming with hope and creativity.

He drew it on a sheet (of paper)
The drawing was carefully crafted on a simple piece of paper, highlighting the resourcefulness and simplicity of the child artist.

And signed in the corner
The child proudly signed his name in the corner of the artwork, taking ownership and pride in his creation.

May there always be sun
The artist hopes for eternal sunshine, representing eternal hope, light and positivity in life.

May there always be sky,
The child hopes for a forever existence of a deep blue, vast sky, symbolizing endless possibilities and opportunities in life.

May there always be mama,
The child wishes for the presence of his mother, who has been a constant source of love, care and protection in his life.

May there always be I
The child hopes for his own existence, representing the aspiration for growth, self-discovery and potential in life.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ARKADI OSTROVSKY, RUSSIAN LEV OSHANIN, TOM BOTTING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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