Originally coming to fame in the mid-1960s singing orchestral pop ballads as the frontman of The Walker Brothers, Walker went on to a solo career balancing a light entertainment/MOR ballad approach with increasing artistic innovations in arrangement and writing. Despite a series of acclaimed albums, a disastrous drop in sales forced him back into straight Middle of the road recordings with little of his own artistic input. This in turn eventually led to a Walker Brothers reunion in the mid-1970s (although the latter eventually moved, by mutual consent, into more avant-garde areas).
From the mid-1980s, Walker revived his solo career while drastically reinventing his artistic and compositional methods, via a series of acclaimed and vividly avant-garde albums. These combined his iconic voice with an unsettling avant-garde approach which owed more to modernist and post-modernist classical composition than to his pop singer past. This change in approach has been compared to "Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen".
Walker has been a continuing influence on other artists, in particular The Last Shadow Puppets, Marc Almond, Goldfrapp, Douglas Pearce of the band Death in June, Billy MacKenzie of The Associates, David Sylvian, Julian Cope, Antony Hegarty, Thom Yorke, Steven Wilson, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Trey Spruance, Perry Blake, Radiohead, Noah Lennox, Mikael Ă kerfeldt, and the Divine Comedy/Neil Hannon.
Walker continued to release solo material until his death, and was signed to 4AD Records. As a record producer or guest performer he worked with a number of artists including Pulp, Ute Lemper, Bat For Lashes and Sunn O))).
sundown
Scott Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a room where you do what you don't confess
Sundown, you better take care
If I find you've been creepin' round my back stairs
Sundown, you better take care
If I find you've been creepin' round my back stairs
And she don't always says what you really means
Sometimes, I think it's a shame
When I get feeling better- when I'm feeling no pain
Sometimes, I think it's a shame
When I get feeling better- when I'm feeling no pain
I can see her lookin' fast in her faded jeans
She's a hard livin' woman, she's got me feeling mean
Sometimes, I think it's a shame
When I get feeling better- when I'm feeling no pain
Sometimes, I think it's a sin
When I feel like I'm winning- I'm losing again
Sundown, you beter take care
If I find you've been creepin' round my back stairs
The lyrics to Scott Walker's song "Sundown" take the listener on a journey through the emotions of a man who is suspicious of his partner's infidelity. The first verse paints a picture of a woman who is dressed seductively and is in a room where secrets are kept. The chorus warns of consequences should the woman be caught "creeping round" the man's back stairs.
The second verse reveals that the woman has been acting like a queen in a sailor's dream, but she doesn't always say what she means. The man admits to feeling shame and disappointment when he is feeling better and not in pain, indicating that his emotions are complex and conflicting. The final verse describes the woman in faded jeans and as a hard-living woman who has left the man feeling mean. The verse ends on a note of despair, as the man admits to feeling like he is winning but ultimately losing again.
Overall, "Sundown" is a melancholic reflection on a troubled relationship that is rife with suspicion, jealousy, and hurt. The imagery is vivid and evocative, painting a picture of a world that is both seductive and dangerous.
Line by Line Meaning
I can see her lookin' fast in a faded dress
The singer notices a woman in a hurry, wearing a dress that has lost its luster
In a room where you do what you don't confess
She's in a place where people do secret things they aren't willing to speak about openly
Sundown, you better take care
If I find you've been creepin' round my back stairs
The singer warns someone not to sneak around his house after sunset
She's been lookin' like a queen in a sailor's dream
And she don't always says what you really means
The woman appeared to be a very attractive and desirable person, but she's not always truthful about her intentions
Sometimes, I think it's a shame
When I get feeling better- when I'm feeling no pain
Sometimes the artist regrets recovering from his ailments or problems because they make him more aware of his unpleasant reality
Sometimes, I think it's a sin
When I feel like I'm winning- I'm losing again
At times, the singer feels guilty for enjoying life because he knows that he'll end up losing in the long run
I can see her lookin' fast in her faded jeans
She's a hard livin' woman, she's got me feeling mean
The singer observes the woman once again, in clothing that's seen better days, and he finds himself feeling hostile
Sundown, you better take care
If I find you've been creepin' round my back stairs
The artist repeats his warning against an intruder creeping around his property after dark
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Ruthity
April 6 2023 and I discovered this today because Depeche Mode covered it on BBC 2 and so, I had to find it. Always associated it with Gordon Lightfoot but what a version this is! The first album I ever bought (reckon I was 12) was The Walker Brothers Story and I have it still! Thank you for posting it!
@rosenapostolov7250
Me too , just watched DM on BBC .
@DizzyD9960
And I came here after watching the DM cover on BBC, which I found looking for Gordon's original after reading he's just passed. RIP Gordon Lightfoot.
@1408Scott
I'm a few months after you.. but for exactly the same reason..
@francesmoore5789
Scott Walker genius.
@janeabbott5379
Beautiful version of such a beautiful song!
@AB-mx9lx
Depeche Mode brought me here!!!....
@TheSomnambulism
Love this one!!
@jaminova_1969
I like his voice and the piano!
@julierobinsonScott
Such a shame we have lost this beautiful man and his beautiful voice. đ Rest in peace Scott.