Gilmore is a native of the Texas Panhandle, having been born in Amarillo, T… Read Full Bio ↴Gilmore is a native of the Texas Panhandle, having been born in Amarillo, Texas and raised in Lubbock, Texas. His earliest musical influence was Hank Williams and the honky tonk brand of country music that his father played. In the 1950s, he was exposed to the emerging rock and roll of other Texans such as Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Lubbock native Buddy Holly. He was profoundly influenced in the 1960s by the likes of The Beatles and Bob Dylan and the folk music and blues revival in that decade.

Gilmore also played "Smokey" in The Big Lebowski

Blinding Sun
Jimmie Dale Gilmore Lyrics

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We fell asleep on the riverbank one sunny afternoon
We fell asleep on the riverbank one sunny afternoon
Woke with a rope around my neck, swear I did no wrong
Blinding sun, beats down in my eyes
Blinding sun, beats down in my eyes
Had my fill on the river bank, with you by my side

What have I done?

What have I done?

Can't be long to the setting of the sun
No, it can't be long now to the setting of the sun
Maybe then I'll see, maybe then I'll fight or run
Who are you, and what do you want?
Who are you, and what do you want?
Your countenance shines brighter than the midday sun

What have I done?
What have I done?
What have I done?

Just my luck if nightfall never comes
Be just my luck if nightfall never comes
Waiting with a rope around my neck for the setting of the sun
Sun, sun, why don't you set?
Said, sun, sun, why don't you set?
Try to put this all behind me, but I can't forget

What have I done?
What have I done?
What have I done?
What have I done?
Where have you gone?

What have I done?
What have I done?

Overall Meaning

The song "Blinding Sun" by Jimmie Dale Gilmore is a melancholic tune about a man who falls asleep on a river bank with his companion, only to wake up with a rope around his neck, and having no idea what he has done wrong. The song has a rather dark melancholic feel to it, which only intensifies as the song progresses.

The lyrics suggest that the singer has been wronged somehow, and the intense heat of the sun beating down on his eyes only serves to highlight his predicament. He's confused and disorientated, unsure of what has happened and why it has happened. The following verse continues the theme of uncertainty and fear, with the singer questioning the intentions of his captors, who seem to emanate a radiance stronger than the sun.

The last verse is a plea to the sun to set, as it appears as though the singer has been stranded and is waiting for the darkness to arrive. He's unable to forget what has happened and is left wondering where his companion has gone. The repetition of the phrase "What have I done?" and "Where have you gone?" reinforces the sense of confusion and desperation of the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

We fell asleep on the riverbank one sunny afternoon
We dozed off on the banks of the river on a bright afternoon

Woke with a rope around my neck, swear I did no wrong
Startled awake with a noose tightening around my neck, truly unaware of any wrongdoing committed

Blinding sun, beats down in my eyes
The glaring, intense rays of the sun blind me

Had my fill on the river bank, with you by my side
Sated by the time spent by the river, with you as my companion

What have I done?
What could I have possibly done to deserve this situation?

Can't be long to the setting of the sun
It can't be much time till the sun sets

Maybe then I'll see, maybe then I'll fight or run
Perhaps then I'll be able to see more clearly and make a decision whether to fight or flee

Who are you, and what do you want?
Please identify yourself and state your intention

Your countenance shines brighter than the midday sun
Your appearance is more radiant than the brightness of the sun during noon hours

Just my luck if nightfall never comes
If evening never arrives, what a stroke of misfortune that would be

Waiting with a rope around my neck for the setting of the sun
Enduring this predicament with a noose still wound around my neck and hoping the sun will set soon

Sun, sun, why don't you set?
Oh dear sun, why aren't you descending from the sky?

Try to put this all behind me, but I can't forget
I attempt to leave this episode in the past, but it won't easily slip from memory

Where have you gone?
Where have you disappeared to, dear friend?

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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