In the seventh live show, songs by George Michael and Wham!, McElderry sang… Read Full Bio ↴In the seventh live show, songs by George Michael and Wham!, McElderry sang George Michael's version of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" by Elton John. McElderry was given a standing ovation by all four judges, which was the first time in the entire series all four judges have given a standing ovation The audience also gave Joe a standing ovation after the performance. It was later included as a B-side to his debut single, The Climb.

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Joe McElderry Lyrics

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I can't light no more of your darkness
All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I'm growing tired and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life

It's much to late to save myself from falling
I took a chance and changed your way of fife
But you misread my meaning when i met you

Closed the door and left me blinded by the light

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although i search myself, it's always someone else i see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

I can't find oh, the right romantic line
But see me once and see the way i feel
Don't discard me just because you think i mean you harm
But these cuts i have, oh they need love to help them heal

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although i search myself, it's always someone else i see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although i search myself, it's always someone else i see

I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Joe McElderry's song Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me are a plea to someone to not give up on the relationship. The first verse talks about feeling isolated and alone as if time stands still before the singer. The metaphor of being frozen on the ladder of life suggests that the singer feels stuck in a moment and cannot move forward or go back. The singer acknowledges that it is too late to save himself from falling, suggesting that he has already fallen deeply in love and cannot undo it. The second verse talks about taking a chance and changing his way of life for the other person but was misread and left blinded by the light, meaning that he was left feeling confused and in the dark about the situation.

The chorus is a cry for help, begging the other person not to let go of the relationship. Although the singer searches himself, it's always someone else he sees, revealing that he has lost his sense of self and is only defined by the other person. He is willing to allow a fragment of her life to wander free, meaning that he wants her to be free and happy but not to lose him in the process. The final line in the chorus, "But losing everything is like the sun going down on me" suggests that losing the relationship would be like the end of the world for the singer.

The final verse talks about the singer's struggle to find the right words to express his love. He pleads for her to see him for who he really is and not to discard him because of the cuts he has, indicating past hurts that he needs to heal from. The final chorus is a repeat of the first, with the same desperate plea for the other person not to let go.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't light no more of your darkness
I am unable to bring light to the darkness that has grown around you.

All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
The memories I cherish with you have lost their color and vibrancy.

I'm growing tired and time stands still before me
My exhaustion is overwhelming me, and time seems to be at a standstill.

Frozen here on the ladder of my life
I am stuck in the same place, unable to climb or descend the ladder of my life.

It's much to late to save myself from falling
It's too far gone for me to prevent my own impending downfall.

I took a chance and changed your way of life
I challenged you and hoped to lead you down a more positive path.

But you misread my meaning when I met you
You misunderstood my intentions and actions when we first met.

Closed the door and left me blinded by the light
You shut me out, and now I'm lost and confused without your guidance or presence.

Don't let the sun go down on me
Please don't leave me in the darkness of this world.

Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
Even when I introspect and try to focus on myself, I feel like I am just a reflection of others.

I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
I don't want to lose you completely, just let me have a small piece of you.

But losing everything is like the sun going down on me
The thought of losing you feels unbearable, like my whole world is crashing down.

I can't find oh, the right romantic line
I can't seem to express myself eloquently enough to win your affection.

But see me once and see the way I feel
If you just give me a chance to show you my true emotions, you will know how deeply I care for you.

Don't discard me just because you think I mean you harm
Please don't let your insecurities or doubts cause you to push me away.

But these cuts I have, oh they need love to help them heal
The wounds I've suffered in life require love and affection to fully heal and recover from.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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