Gardiner first came to prominence in the late 1960s when he, along with man… Read Full Bio ↴Gardiner first came to prominence in the late 1960s when he, along with many famous Jamaican musicians, were part of the studio based group, The Upsetters.

He charted solo with "Elizabethan Reggae" in 1970. Actually, he nearly did not appear at all. The story about his first hit is that, when it was released in the UK, the first copies were printed with the label incorrectly identifying Byron Lee as the performer. The reality was that he was the instrumental track's record producer. The UK Singles Chart for the first entry, and the subsequent first four weeks of its re-entry into the charts all reprinted this error. However, all charts and discs printed after 28 February 1970, duly gave Boris Gardiner the credit he deserved.

His debut album Reggae Happening was also released in 1970 and (although it did not make the pop charts) "sold respectably for a reggae LP" in the UK, according to music journalist Ian McCann. Although Gardiner continued to be successful in Jamaica, he had no more hits in the UK during that decade.

However, in 1986 he recorded the pop single, "I Want To Wake Up With You", a surprise UK Number One, which spent two months in the Top Ten. It was followed into the same chart by "You're Everything To Me" (which just missed out being another Top 10 entry when it peaked at Number 11), plus "The Meaning Of Christmas".

Later, Gardiner signed to RCA Records.

Ain't No Sunshine
Boris Gardiner Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
It's not warm when she's away.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
She's always gone too long,
Anytime she goes away.

Wonder this time where she's gone,
Wonder if she's gone to stay

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
She's always gone too long,
Anytime she goes away.

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,

I ought to leave the young thing alone,
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
Ain't no sunshine when she's Gone,
Only darkness everyday.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,
She's always gone too long,
Anytime she goes away.

Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.

Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.

Overall Meaning

Boris Gardiner's song Ain't No Sunshine is a poignant ballad about the deep emotions that arise from being separated from a loved one. The refrain throughout the song of "ain't no sunshine when she's gone" is emblematic of the emptiness and sadness that accompanies the absence of someone close. The lyrics evoke images of coldness and darkness, emphasizing the bleak nature of the singer's existence when their loved one is not with them.

The repetition of the line "she's always gone too long" suggests that this is not a temporary separation, but rather a prolonged and possibly permanent one. The singer wonders where their loved one has gone and if they will ever return. The final verse indicates that despite the pain and difficulty of being separated from the young thing, the singer cannot bring themselves to leave, as the darkness of their existence without their loved one is too great to bear.

One interesting aspect of the song is that it was originally written and recorded by the legendary singer-songwriter Bill Withers in 1971. However, Gardiner's reggae version was released in 1980, becoming a hit around the world, particularly in the UK, where it reached No. 1 in the charts. The song has been covered by over a hundred artists, including Michael Jackson, Sting, and Paul McCartney, among others.

Line by Line Meaning

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
Life is dull and gloomy without her presence.

It's not warm when she's away.
There is no love and warmth in life when she is away.

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Life is empty and dull without her.

She's always gone too long,
She is never around and her absence is always prolonged.

Anytime she goes away.
Every time she goes away, life becomes dull and empty.

Wonder this time where she's gone,
I am curious about where she has gone this time.

Wonder if she's gone to stay
I wonder if she has left forever.

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I am aware that I should leave her alone.

I ought to leave the young thing alone,
I should stay away from her.

But ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
Life is dull and gloomy without her presence.

Ain't no sunshine when she's Gone,
Life is empty without her.