You Are My Sunshine
Riders In The Sky Lyrics


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You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away

The other night dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
When I awoke dear, I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away

I'll always love you and make you happy
If you will only stay the same
But if you leave me to love another
You'll regret it all some day

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away

You told me once dear, you really loved me
And no one else could come between
But now you've left me to love another
You have shattered all of my dreams

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away





Please don't take my sunshine away

Overall Meaning

The song "You Are My Sunshine" by Riders in the Sky is a love ballad that captures the singer's heartfelt emotions towards their loved one. The opening verses are an expression of love, deep appreciation, and an almost uncontainable joy brought about by this person. The singer is able to find happiness whenever the sky turns gray, and declares that the person is their only sunshine. However, the chorus takes on a more somber tone, as the singer asks that their loved one does not take away their sunshine. The fear of this happening is evident in the repeated phrase, "Please don't take my sunshine away."


The second verse intensifies the singer's vulnerability and the depth of their emotions, with the lyrics depicting a dream where they hold their loved one, only to wake up and realize it wasn't real. The emotional weight of this simple act is made all the more harrowing by the chorus that follows, making the phrase "Please don't take my sunshine away" all the more desperate.


Finally, the last verse takes on a cautionary tone. The singer implores their loved one to stay with them, assuring them of unending love and happiness, with the warning that if they leave, they will regret it. This might be an attempt to convince the loved one to stay or a warning of the consequences of leaving the singer. Either way, the warning is poignant and made all the more poignant by the chorus, which is repeated with an increasing sense of desperation.


Line by Line Meaning

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You are the one bright spot in my life, my only reason for joy


You make me happy when skies are gray
Your presence brings happiness during difficult times


You'll never know dear, how much I love you
I cannot express the depth of my love for you


Please don't take my sunshine away
I cannot bear the thought of losing you


The other night dear, as I lay sleeping
In my sleep, I found comfort and happiness with you by my side


I dreamed I held you in my arms
In my dreams, you were mine and I felt complete


When I awoke dear, I was mistaken
Upon waking, I realized that it was only a dream and felt heartbroken


And I hung my head and cried
I couldn't help but feel sadness and despair


I'll always love you and make you happy
I will forever cherish and care for you, doing everything possible to make you happy


If you will only stay the same
As long as you remain with me and don't change, I promise to love and keep you happy


But if you leave me to love another
If you abandon our love for someone else, it will break my heart


You'll regret it all some day
You will feel remorse and sorrow for losing our love


You told me once dear, you really loved me
You professed your love for me and I believed it was genuine


And no one else could come between
You assured me that no one else could ever replace me in your heart


But now you've left me to love another
You have broken your promise and abandoned our love for someone else


You have shattered all of my dreams
Your actions have destroyed all the hopes and dreams we had together


Please don't take my sunshine away
You are the light of my life and I cannot bear to lose you




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