Sunset
LIVING ROOM - The xx Lyrics
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It's like the sun set in your eyes and never wanted to rise
And what have you done with the one I love?
When I look into your eyes, I see no surprise
I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine
And catch my eye, don't register a smile
You were more than just a friend, oh but the feeling
It never came to an end, I can't bear to see you
I always thought it was a shame
That we have to play these games
It felt like you really knew me
Now it feels like you see through me
When I see you again
I'll know not to expect
Stay one step away
We will have to wait
When I see you again
And I'm greeted as a friend
It is understood
That we did all we could
I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We act like we had never met
I always thought it was a shame
That we have to play these games
It felt like you really knew me
Now it feels like you see through me
The xx’s song “Sunset” is a poignant portrayal of a relationship that has disintegrated into estrangement. The opening lines, “I saw you again, it felt like we had never met,” suggests a sense of loss and familiarity – the two characters are not unfamiliar with each other but have drifted far apart. The imagery of the sunset in the eyes of the other person suggests a sense of finality – they have given up on each other, on the relationship. The inability to see any surprise in the eyes of the person highlights the numbness and lack of emotion that has seeped into their interactions.
The following verses explore the notion of pretense, of faking emotions and pretending to not recognize each other. The line, “We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine,” highlights the superficiality of their relationship, as does the lack of a smile exchanged between them. The recognition that the other person was more than just a friend but that the feeling has ended indicates a sense of deep loss and regret. The song ends on a hopeful yet uncertain note, with the promise of seeing each other again and potentially greeting each other as friends but also the acknowledgement that “we had to play these games”.
Overall, “Sunset” is a poignant and melancholic song about the disintegration of a relationship, exploring themes of loss, regret, and estrangement.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you again, it felt like we had never met
Meeting you again made me feel as though we didn't know each other at all
It's like the sun set in your eyes and never wanted to rise
Your eyes are so dark and forbidding that it feels like the sunlight can't penetrate them and disappear completely
And what have you done with the one I love?
I'm curious about what happened to the person I loved, who was close to you
When I look into your eyes, I see no surprise
I don't observe any expression of shock or astonishment on your face when I look deep into your eyes
We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine
We pretend as if we didn't know each other at all, as if we had never met
And catch my eye, don't register a smile
Even if we make eye contact, it doesn't compel you to smile
You were more than just a friend, oh but the feeling
You meant more to me than just a friend, but the emotions I felt for you were beyond my control
It never came to an end, I can't bear to see you
My feelings for you never ceased to exist, and it hurts me to look at you now
When I see you again, I'll know not to expect
I won't anticipate anything when I meet you again
Stay one step away, we will have to wait
Let's maintain some distance, and wait for things to change
When I see you again, and I'm greeted as a friend
If we meet again, and you treat me as a friend, I'd understand
It is understood, that we did all we could
We both know that we did our best to make things work out between us
I always thought it was sad, the way we act like strangers
It's depressing how we behave like complete strangers, even though we once were close
After all that we had, we act like we had never met
Despite having a history, we pretend as though we never knew each other
I always thought it was a shame, that we have to play these games
It's unfortunate that we have to put on a façade and behave in this manner
It felt like you really knew me, now it feels like you see through me
Previously, it seemed as if you could understand me, but now it feels like you look right past me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Romy Anna Madley Croft, James Thomas Smith, Oliver David Sim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@buttercookies9062
I saw you again, it felt like we had never met
It's like the sun set in your eyes and never wanted to rise
And what have you done with the one I love?
When I look into your eyes, I see no surprise
I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We act like we had never met
We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine
And catch my eye, don't register a smile
You were more than just a friend, oh but the feeling
It never came to an end, I can't bear to see you
I always thought it was a shame
That we have to play these games
It felt like you really knew me
Now it feels like you see through me
When I see you again
I'll know not to expect
Stay one step away
We will have to wait
When I see you again
And I'm greeted as a friend
It is understood
That we did all we could
I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We act like we had never met
I always thought it was a shame
That we have to play these games
It felt like you really knew me
Now it feels like you see through me
@ashutosh7sharma
Thank you Mike and Rachel for this :p
@DaBarIntros
damn right :D
@ambikagupta2312
ashutosh7sharma exactly!!
@diegoamorim7924
You know
@AdityaSingh-qi5kh
Dammmm right😅
@kamillakodekova2447
Yes yes 😅🙌🏻
@megan_smith
this will always be, by far, my favorite song by the xx...
@yunesrusty9482
Megan Smith 4 me too...pure and deep
@estebanricardobonillacuell5513
Megan Smith so mine
@jameslittlewall
A great discover, the best in this 2018.