The Light is On
Christopher Cross Lyrics

The lyrics of Christopher Cross's "The Light is On" is discussing the blurred lines between ownership, potential levels of freedom, and the ability to differentiate between right and wrong. The song speaks to someone who is struggling with determining the limits of their control over specific areas of their life. The first few lines, "Is it yours, Is it mine, I was never the kind who could draw the line," suggest that the singer might be facing a situation where an action was taken that may have stirred feelings of uncertainty. The lines refer to wanting to define ownership but finding it difficult to say who owns what. Similarly, there is a sense of immobility in the concept of being free and unforgiven; these two cannot coexist, and the confusion of which side to identify with could create an internal conflict.

The chorus, "It's alright, the light is on. The darkness has run to hide. It's alright, the light is on, but the darkness is just outside, outside your window," suggests that while there is a sense of comfort in knowing that the light is on, there is a looming sense of danger outside. The imagery of darkness outside the window crafts the idea of the singer being trapped in a space- inside the location with the light on or outside, where they feel unprotected. In either location, their actions are being monitored- they are accountable for what they do. The lines "Making the sound of the rain, drive you crazy, make you lazy, you know it's only the rain" refer to the fact that sometimes, our minds can be our biggest enemies. We can be swayed by illusions or a negative environment, but it's essential to realize that the situation may be entirely in our heads.