Summer And Lightning
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I have waited
For your love
For so long
How do i go on?
I have told you
So many times
It's no good
You're treating me so wrong.

Out there so far away
Above the sky will say
For you...
Here it comes again
It's all around me
It must be magic
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I can see you
In my mind
The lost time
That you're saving
I could reach out
And touch you
What can i do?
The sun ain't shining.

Out there so far away




Above the sky will say
For you...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to this song convey a sense of longing and frustration as the singer waits for someone they love who has been treating them poorly. Despite having expressed their feelings many times, they feel powerless to change the situation. They continue to hold onto the hope that the person they love will return to them and the magic they once shared will be rekindled. Backed by the upbeat and energetic instrumentation of Electric Light Orchestra, this song is a juxtaposition of somber lyrics and lively music. The repetition of the phrase "out there so far away" also adds to the feeling of distance and separation.


The lyrics referencing the sky and magic could symbolize the singer's desire for a heavenly or mystical intervention to bring them back together with their loved one. The imagery of the sun not shining could represent the singer's feelings of sadness and disappointment as they wait for the return of the person they love.


Line by Line Meaning

I have waited
I have been waiting patiently


For your love
For your affection and devotion


For so long
For an extended duration of time


How do i go on?
How can I continue with this feeling of emptiness?


I have told you
I have explained it to you before


So many times
Repeatedly


It's no good
It is unacceptable


You're treating me so wrong.
You are behaving towards me in an unfair manner


Out there so far away
Far away in the distance


Above the sky will say
The atmosphere will declare


For you...
Specifically for you


Here it comes again
The same situation is happening again


It's all around me
It is impacting me immensely


It must be magic
It seems like a mystical force


Yeah, yeah, yeah.
An expression of affirmation


I can see you
I can imagine you clearly


In my mind
In my thoughts


The lost time
The time that has passed by


That you're saving
That you are conserving and not spending


I could reach out
I can extend my hand


And touch you
To make physical contact with you


What can i do?
What am I capable of doing?


The sun ain't shining.
The weather is disagreeable and the environment is bleak




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF LYNNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Music Lover

Best double album ever! ELO❤❤❤

jmaxg

This, most underrated song, is truly beautiful.

George Sagen

I do so love me a 12-string guitar.

Floyd Brennan

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY THIS WAS NEVER CONSIDERED ONE OF ELO'S GREATEST HITS?????  IT IS A FANTASTIC SONG AND ONE OF LYNNES BEST!!!!  CRIMINALY OVERLOOKED!!!!  EVERY TIME WE HAVE THE MONSOON FLOW HERE IN THE SOUTHWEST DURING SUMMER AND THE LIGHTNING STARTS FLASHING, I WHIP OUT THIS RECORD AND START PLAYING THIS SONG.  AWESOME!!

TT C.O

I wish I could

Bob Davis

@TT C.O Both shiroibasketshoes and I answered the "Summer And Lightning" question in our replies.

Gadfly

The album as a whole was huge hit. I knew that spaceship/jukebox logo from t-shirts and stuff when I was but a wee youngster.

TT C.O

I wish I could.

14 More Replies...

Fotze

going through the album one song at a time. This is the 12th, and it is the 12th IN A ROW that I have enjoyed. That NEVER happens. There's always at least ONE that I don't care for. It only echoes as a testament to how GREAT this album truly is

shiroibasketshoes

@Troy Edwin Thanks very much. You said "Fire on High from OTTD is exciting to me. I must have a tendency to like songs with lyrics more." Don't you mean FTM for "Face The Music"? "On The Third Day" was an earlier album. But "Fire On High" doesn't really have lyrics except for the backwards message and "hallelujah." I wish you and yours well, too.

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