Summer and Lightning
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics
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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...
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
@cerph
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 treatin' me so wrong
Out there, so far away (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
(brief instrumental)
I can see you (I see you)
in my mind (In my mind)
The lost time (losin' time)
that you're savin'
I could reach out (I reach out)
and touch you (touchin' you)
What can I do (what can I do)?
The sun ain't shinin'
Out there, so far away
Above, the sky will say
For you, only for you
Here it comes again
(summer and lightning)
It's all around me
(summer and lightning)
It must be magic
(summer and lightning)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
(brief instrumental)
Here it comes again
I can feel it, feel it
feel it, feel it, feel it
You!
(instrumental)
Here it comes again
(summer and lightning)
It's all around me
(summer and lightning)
It must be magic
(summer and lightning)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, here it comes again
(summer and lightning)
I can feel it
(summer and lightning)
It's all around me
(summer and lightning)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
(summer and lightning)
@sarahmcpherson3666
It must be magic.
I always cry when i hear this song. Music, takes you and keeps you frozen in that moment.
@floydbrennan9789
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!!
@amylong625
Agree! It's my favorite ELO song.
@kanimations4517
I know right!
@copper803
What's weird is that everytime it's not a single it's considered "Criminally underrated" or "One of their best ever" yet the point of buying the album is listening to these songs that are good as well
@ttc.o4007
Yes, it is criminal this 🎶 was not considered their all time best. I got this album in late 1977 and knew even then this tune would be a timeless classic
@zarrowthehorse
if you guys want an overlooked underrated elo song, listen to Twilight
@jmaxg
This, most underrated song, is truly beautiful.
@GeorgeSagen
I do so love me a 12-string guitar.
@Schlemiel-schlimazel
I never under-rated it!!🤗