When The Sun Goes Down
Paul Alan Lyrics


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She got the job in LA
And there's so much that he had to say
Still only silence
Then the moment slipped away
She took the red eye out of Baltimore
And the irony is hard to ignore
Life's full of goodbyes
To the ones we're living for

And she calls to say hello
Every now and then
And in between he does the best he can
If she's happy he'll survive
But it's cold here
When the sun goes down

He drives a cab in DC
Trying t make ends meet
He says he still misses her
As regret rolls down his cheek
Then he turns on my street

And she calls to say hello
Every now and then
And in between he does the best he can
If she's happy he'll survive
But it's lonely
When the sun goes down
When the sun goes down

She'll leave a message on the phone every father's day
And for a while it helps to ease the pain
He'll pray to Jesus now and then and keep hoping
‘Till the sun goes down

And someone calls to say hello every now and then
And in between we do the best we can
We keep believing through the fog
That we'll see clear
When the sun goes down
When the sun goes down
When the sun goes down





She got the job in LA

Overall Meaning

Paul Alan’s song ‘When The Sun Goes Down’ is a melancholic and poignant tale of two people struggling with the distance and separation caused by careers and life choices. The female protagonist has landed a job in Los Angeles and the male character remains in Washington DC trying to make ends meet by driving cab. As the lyrics unfold, we learn that they were once a couple, but due to circumstances beyond their control, they were forced to say goodbye. The song examines the sadness and loneliness that comes with the end of a relationship and the importance of communication and perseverance in maintaining a connection.


The opening line of the song sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. ‘She got the job in LA, and there’s so much that he had to say.’ Despite being separated by distance, the male character has so much to tell her, but only silence remains. He waits for her call every now and then, always hoping to hear her voice. The irony of life’s goodbyes hits hard as they are forced to say farewell to someone they lived for. Both characters can only do their best to move on but are haunted by the hope and unanswered questions that remain.


Line by Line Meaning

She got the job in LA
She landed a job in Los Angeles


And there's so much that he had to say
He had so much to communicate to her


Still only silence
However, there was only a lack of response


Then the moment slipped away
Then that opportunity was lost


She took the red eye out of Baltimore
She departed from Baltimore on a red-eye flight


And the irony is hard to ignore
It is hard to disregard the irony of the circumstance


Life's full of goodbyes
Parting ways is an inevitable part of life


To the ones we're living for
To the people we hold dear and live for


And she calls to say hello Every now and then
She contacts him periodically just to chat


And in between he does the best he can
In the interim, he tries his best to manage


If she's happy he'll survive
As long as she's content, he'll get through it


But it's cold here When the sun goes down
However, it gets lonely when the day ends


He drives a cab in DC Trying t make ends meet
He makes a living as a taxi driver in Washington, D.C.


He says he still misses her As regret rolls down his cheek
He acknowledges he still longs for her as he feels remorseful


Then he turns on my street
He drives onto my street


She'll leave a message on the phone every father's day
She'll leave a voice message on Father's Day


And for a while it helps to ease the pain
And, for a period, it provides some comfort and alleviates the hurt


He'll pray to Jesus now and then and keep hoping ‘Till the sun goes down
He'll occasionally pray to Jesus and maintain hope until the day ends.


And someone calls to say hello every now and then
Also, someone contacts him periodically to chat


And in between we do the best we can
In the meantime, they both try their best to manage


We keep believing through the fog That we'll see clear When the sun goes down
They continue to have faith amidst the uncertainty, hoping for clarity at the end of the day


When the sun goes down
At the end of the day




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

@hunterdowling5938

Kenny Chesney always makes the most enjoyable summer songs. I don’t understand how he does it, but it’s amazing

@cindyseay7338

I love Kenny he always makes you feel good

@Adub199

He steals melodys from other artists lol for example he stole this beat from sugar ray

@Pappycap74

@Alex Hawkins dude you realise almost every artist borrows beats and melodys from eachother, i mean its in some of the most highly rated songs ever. With your view, once every sound has been sung over we should stop making music

@alexanderlochetto9197

You nailed that comment. The best one lol

@NancyParmenter-ph3mv

Uncle Kracker is so sexy. Kenny Chesney’s music is amazing.

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@NoahClevinger

I remember hearing this song on the radio all the time when I was growing up in the early 2000's. Easily one of my favorite songs, even today! Every time I hear it, I think back to my childhood.

@bramas-lw2ko

This song is so good and always will be a vibe

@whatatragedy2757

Man.. I used to beg my mom to play this song every day on the way to school and back, I memorized every single word! Still love it to this day!

@NoahClevinger

You just perfectly described my childhood.

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