You Are My Sunshine
Felix Wood Lyrics


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You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You'll never know dear
How much I love you
So don't you take my sunshine away




Overall Meaning

Felix Wood's song, You Are My Sunshine, is a love song that is quite popular all around the world. In this particular song, the singer sings about how special their lover is to them, referring to them as their sunshine. They describe how this special someone makes them happy, especially during grey and cloudy days. The lyrics communicate how much the singer loves this person and how important they are to them. The phrase "you'll never know dear, how much I love you" expresses a sense of vulnerability that the singer has, indicating that he may feel like he doesn't show his true feeling enough. Finally, the refrain "so don't you take my sunshine away" is a plea for his lover to stay with him forever and never leave.


Interestingly, the song You Are My Sunshine has a unique origin story that is quite different from the message in the lyrics. Originally written in 1939 by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell, the song was actually about a relationship that had fallen apart. It was quickly popularized by Davis when he ran for Governor of Louisiana in the 1940s and used the song as his campaign's theme. Soon enough, You Are My Sunshine became so popular that the original message of the song was forgotten, and the song became a classic love song.


Line by Line Meaning

You are my sunshine
You are the source of my happiness


My only sunshine
You are the only one who brings light into my life


You make me happy
You have the power to lift my spirits and make me feel good


When skies are grey
Even when everything around us seems dull and grim, you still make me happy


You'll never know dear
You may not realize how much you mean to me


How much I love you
I have a deep, profound love for you that words cannot fully express


So don't you take my sunshine away
I need you in my life to remain happy and fulfilled; please do not leave me




Writer(s): Felix Wood

Contributed by Aubrey R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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