Sunflower
Chalk Farm Lyrics


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The sun goes down
The lights go out
You go to sleep
And dream about
What you want to be
When you're grown

Every day
They steal your prayers
You keep your secret
Hidden from them far away
And you never share
What you know

Dream what you are
You sunflower
Be what you are
You sunflower

Your father said
It's in your head
He knew someone
Who knew someone
Who wound up dead
We all wind up dead
We all wind up dead
And you know
The shadows start
To steal your heart
They get inside
And piece by piece
They tear apart
Your very soul
And your very art
And you know

So turn and face the sun again
Dream what you are
You sunflower
Rise up and face the sun again
Be what you are
You sun flower

We always run
Towards the sun
You lead us on
And cut us down you cannot run
From the damage done
And there's damage done
And you know

We'll turn and face the sun again
Dream what you are
You sunflower
Rise up and face the sun again
Be what you are
You sunflower
So turn and face the sun again
Dream what you are
You sunflower
Rise up and face the sun again
Be what you are
You sunflower





The sun goes down
The lights go out

Overall Meaning

"Sunflower" by Chalk Farm is a song about holding on to your dreams and facing your fears. The lyrics describe a fear of failure and being held back by others' opinions, but also an urge to break free from those constraints and follow your own path. The song starts off with a sense of resignation - the sun goes down, the lights go out, and you go to sleep and dream about what you want to be when you're grown. This implies a state of waiting or daydreaming, rather than taking action towards your goals.


The second verse comments on the forces that can hold us back - the societal pressure to conform and the fear of expressing our true selves. The line "Every day they steal your prayers" suggests that there are external forces that are trying to take away your dreams, and that you have to protect them in order to make them come true. The song acknowledges the risk of failure, as well as the threat of being hurt by others - "The shadows start to steal your heart...they tear apart your very soul and your very art." Despite these fears, the chorus urges us to "turn and face the sun again" and to embrace our true selves.


Throughout the song, the sunflower serves as a symbol of resilience and growth. The plant faces the sun in order to grow and thrive, and the song encourages the listener to do the same. The imagery of light and darkness also plays a role in the song - the sun represents hope and opportunity, while the shadows represent the obstacles that stand in our way. The song ends on a note of persistence, with the repeated refrain of "turn and face the sun again" serving as a call to action.


Line by Line Meaning

The sun goes down
The day comes to an end


The lights go out
The visible signs of the day's activity disappear


You go to sleep
You rest after the day's work and activity


And dream about
You visualize your future desires and aspirations


What you want to be
Your deepest longings for your future self


When you're grown
When you've reached adulthood


Every day
On a regular basis


They steal your prayers
External forces take away your hopes and dreams


You keep your secret
You hold your innermost desires close to your heart


Hidden from them far away
Concealed from those who might not understand or support you


And you never share
You don't reveal your true goals to anyone else


What you know
Your knowledge of what you want to be and become


Dream what you are
Visualize and aspire to what you innately are


You sunflower
A symbol of growth, vibrancy, and beauty


Be what you are
Actualize your deepest qualities and aspirations


Your father said
A figure of authority in your life conveyed a message


It's in your head
Your hopes and dreams are merely a product of your imagination


He knew someone
Your father had an acquaintance


Who knew someone
That acquaintance had a connection to another person


Who wound up dead
That person met an unfortunate end


We all wind up dead
All people eventually die


And you know
You are aware of the inevitability of death


The shadows start
Anxiety and fear creep into your life


To steal your heart
These negative emotions begin to erode your sense of purpose


They get inside
These fears take root in your psyche


And piece by piece
Gradually and methodically


They tear apart
These negative emotions chip away at your self-confidence


Your very soul
The essence of who you are as a person


And your very art
Even your creative expression is negatively impacted


So turn and face the sun again
Reorient yourself towards the positivity in life


We always run
As humans, we have a tendency to seek pleasure and happiness


Towards the sun
Towards sources of light and warmth


You lead us on
Optimism and hope guide us towards better futures


And cut us down
Sometimes, our hopes are dashed


You cannot run
You cannot escape the pain and suffering of life


From the damage done
The negative impact that certain experiences have on us


So turn and face the sun again
Reorient yourself towards the positivity in life


Dream what you are
Visualize and aspire to what you innately are


You sunflower
A symbol of growth, vibrancy, and beauty


Rise up and face the sun again
Recommit yourself to pursuing your goals


Be what you are
Actualize your deepest qualities and aspirations


You sunflower
A symbol of growth, vibrancy, and beauty


The sun goes down
The day comes to an end


The lights go out
The visible signs of the day's activity disappear




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL DUFF, ORLANDO SIMS, TOBY SCARBROUGH, TRACE RITTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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