Southside has long been considered the Grandfather of "the New Jersey Sound." Jon bon Jovi has acknowledged Southside as "his reason for singing." In 1982 the Rolling Stone Magazine voted the album Hearts of Stone among the top 100 albums of the 70's and 80's. In 1987, Southside and the Jukes were featured in the film Adventures in Babysitting performing at a college frat party.
Since 2001 Southside Johnny and the Jukes have toured the UK and Europe as an annual event, their first since the 1992 Better Days tour. His most recent album is Grapefruit Moon: The Songs Of Tom Waits (2008).
Baby When the Sun Goes Down
Southside Johnny Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shadows fall, children play
And baby when the sun goes down
They go away
But these pains here inside
Baby when the sun goes down
Without you
Baby when the sun goes down
Without you
Shades of blue, shades of green
And baby when the sun goes down
They can´t be seen
But these chains that bind my heart
Now baby when the sun goes down
These will remain
Without you
Baby when the sun goes down
Without you
Had your life in my hands
And baby when the sun goes down
Please understand
That it was love and jealous rage
Baby when the sun goes down
I´ll have to pay
One more day, just onemore dream
And baby when the sun goes down
Then they will see
On that hill and from that tree
Baby when the sun goes down
I shall be free
Without you
Baby when the sun goes down
Baby when the sun goes down
Without you
Baby when the sun goes down
Without you
Without you
Baby when the sun goes down
Baby when the ...
Baby when the ...
"Baby When the Sun Goes Down" is a heartfelt ballad by Southside Johnny that poetically conveys the pain of losing a loved one, the lingering memories that stay behind, and the hope of finding freedom from the emotional turmoil. The opening lines describe how the shadows fall and children play, but when the sun goes down, they disappear, leaving the singer alone with his/her inner pains that he/she cannot hide without the presence of the beloved. The use of repetition ("Baby, when the sun goes down, without you") reinforces the theme of separation and the sense of incompleteness that pervades the song.
The second verse expands on the theme of colors and how they change or fade away when the sun goes down, just like the singer's feelings of sadness and despair that remain even after the day is gone. The metaphor of "chains that bind my heart" suggests that the singer feels trapped in a cycle of longing and sorrow that he/she cannot escape from, except perhaps by the passage of time. The third verse reveals that the singer had the loved one's life in his/her hands, but it was love and jealousy that led to the loss, and now he/she must face the consequences of that regret.
The final verse brings a glimmer of hope, as the singer dreams of a day when he/she will be free from the pain and the memories will fade away. The metaphor of the hill and the tree suggest a peaceful, natural setting where the singer can find solace and closure. The repetition of "baby when the sun goes down" in the last two lines of the song shows that the singer still feels the absence of the loved one but is able to imagine a future without the constant pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Shadows fall, children play
As the day comes to an end, children are still out playing.
And baby when the sun goes down, they go away
Once the sun sets, the children go back inside and stop playing.
But these pains here inside
The singer is feeling emotional pain within himself.
Baby when the sun goes down, I cannot hide
The singer can't hide his emotional pain any longer now that it's night.
Without you
The singer is missing someone and feels lonely without them.
Shades of blue, shades of green
The colors of the surroundings start to blend as it gets dark outside.
And baby when the sun goes down, they can´t be seen
Once it gets too dark, the colors of the surroundings become indistinguishable.
But these chains that bind my heart
The singer feels trapped and held back by his emotions.
Now baby when the sun goes down, these will remain
Even at night, the singer's emotional burdens don't simply disappear.
Had your life in my hands
The singer had control over someone's life.
And baby when the sun goes down, please understand
The singer is pleading for mercy or forgiveness as it gets dark.
That it was love and jealous rage
The singer's actions were motivated by a mixture of love and jealousy.
Baby when the sun goes down, I´ll have to pay
The singer knows that he will have to face the consequences of his actions when it's dark.
One more day, just one more dream
The singer is dreaming of a better tomorrow.
And baby when the sun goes down, then they will see
When it gets dark, the singer will prove himself to others.
On that hill and from that tree
The singer will make his stand on a hill or near a tree.
Baby when the sun goes down, I shall be free
The singer will feel liberated and unburdened when it's dark.
Without you
The singer still feels lonely and wishes someone were there with him.
Baby when the sun goes down
The night symbolizes a turning point for the singer.
Baby when the...
The song concludes with a repetition of the phrase, emphasizing the theme of darkness and loneliness.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@reinhardhennes8832
Simply the best!!
@nicistyx
LONSOME DAVE PEVERETT ON GUITAR AND BACKING VOCALS BRILLIANT
@stephenjosephsciuccosr5342
Love this
@encrucijadablusito2485
Anazing
@BackToTheBlues
It's a bravura performance, but unlike Peters original version, which is sung with a sad note of resignation, it doesn't suit the song - as the last verse reveals, it's a goodbye letter from a man about to hang himself.