Corey Mitchell Hart (born 31 May 1962, in Montreal, Canada) is a Canadian m… Read Full Bio ↴Corey Mitchell Hart (born 31 May 1962, in Montreal, Canada) is a Canadian musician.

Hart became an instant hit with his rebellious looks, and his first album released in 1983 First Offense, featuring the hit song Sunglasses at Night. The album sold well in both Canada and the United States. The follow-up album was Boy in the Box in 1985, another very successful album featuring the song Never Surrender, which would be his highest-charting single. Hart would continue to record music, but his commercial success was significantly reduced after Box.

Today, Hart lives in the Bahamas with his wife, musician Julie Masse, and their four children.

Sunny Place Shady People
Corey Hart Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sunny places
Shady people
Sunny places
Sunny places
Shady people
Sunny places

It's a hot night

And everywhere you go
You feel the heat on your shoes
Cause there's a lot of light
Comin' from out of nowhere
Such a pretty view

And they say that everyone is happy
But I say why this world
Tell me why this world

(Seems like a) sunny place for shady people
Paint your freedom in white on white
Sunny place for shady people
Grab your money run through the night
When the little boys
Grow into smaller men
They put a feather in their cap
And they're singing hymns
Of peace and liberty
Are we the fools of equality

And they say that everyone is happy
But I say why this world
Tell me why this world

(Seems like a) sunny place for shady people
Paint your freedom in white on white
Sunny place for shady people
Grab your money run through the night
When the little boys
Grow into smaller men
They put a feather in their cap
And they're singing hymns
Of peace and liberty
Are we the fools of equality

And they say that everyone is happy
But I say why this world
Tell me why this world

Sunny place for shady people
Too much sorrow oh my trouble and strife
Sunny place for shady people
Take your virtue and kiss you wife
Sunny places
For shady people
Sunny places

They burn your soul
Don't burn your soul

Overall Meaning

The song Sunny Place Shady People by Corey Hart is an insightful commentary on the state of the world around us, particularly on the façade of happiness and peace that we are often presented with. The song starts with the repetition of the line “Sunny places, shady people,” which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the song. It suggests that the places might look sunny and idyllic, but the people that dwell there are not to be trusted. The next stanza describes a hot night where you can feel the heat on your shoes. The “pretty view” that is seen might be an illusion that hides what's truly happening beneath the surface. Corey questions why the world seems to be a happy place, even though it's not.

The chorus continues the theme of light and darkness, emphasizing how the shiny and pretty exterior of something might not reflect its true nature. The line “Paint your freedom in white on white” is a powerful metaphor, suggesting that the very idea of freedom might be used as a mask to hide something that is much darker. The line "Grab your money, run through the night" emphasizes how the goal is always to get money quickly and run away, not stopping to face the consequences of past actions. The final stanza of the song suggests that the world is not as equal as it might seem; instead, it's full of foolish people who believe that they have the same opportunities, when that's not really true.

Line by Line Meaning

Sunny places
Areas with bright and clear weather

Shady people
Dishonest, unscrupulous, and deceitful individuals

Sunny places
Areas with bright and clear weather

Shady people
Dishonest, unscrupulous, and deceitful individuals

Sunny places
Areas with bright and clear weather

It's a hot night
The temperature is high and there's no cool breeze

And everywhere you go
In any location you may visit

You feel the heat on your shoes
You feel the warmth emanating from the ground

Cause there's a lot of light
Due to high luminosity in the environment

Comin' from out of nowhere
Radiating from unknown sources

Such a pretty view
An aesthetically appealing sight

And they say that everyone is happy
People assert that the general population is content

But I say why this world
The singer questions the reason for the world's existence

(Seems like a) sunny place for shady people
A place where dishonest persons can thrive under an innocent facade

Paint your freedom in white on white
Cover up immoral acts with an illusion of purity

Sunny place for shady people
A place where dishonest persons can thrive under an innocent facade

Grab your money run through the night
Escape with riches under the guise of darkness

When the little boys
When young men

Grow into smaller men
Become smaller versions of what they should aspire to be

They put a feather in their cap
They showcase their mediocre achievements

And they're singing hymns
And they're propagating ideals and beliefs

Of peace and liberty
Of concepts such as harmony and independence

Are we the fools of equality
Are we naive enough to believe in the universality of equal rights?