Forbert signed a recording contract with Nemperor in 1978, and they released his debut album, Alive on Arrival, that same year. His song "Romeo's Tune", although "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard" on the sleeve of Forbert's second album Jackrabbit Slim (released in 1979), is not about Supremes singer Ballard who died in 1976. "Forbert admits that Ballard became a timely connection for "Romeo's Tune", written about a girl from Meridian. "That seemed like such bad news to me and such sad news. She wasn't really taken care of by the music business, which is not a new story". At around this time critics hailed Forbert as "The new Bob Dylan" because of a similar vocal timbre and thoughtful songwriting. The front cover of Jackrabbit Slim encourages such comparisons with its simplicity: a black and white photo of Steve Forbert playing a well-worn Martin acoustic guitar with a capo on it, his shirt tinted green. The record was recorded in Nashville and produced by John Simon who had worked with The Band.
After many successful years, Forbert sought out new inspiration and found it when he relocated to Nashville in 1985. Forbert's tribute to Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time, was nominated for a 2004 Grammy in the best traditional folk category. In 2006, he was inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame.
Recent albums include Strange Names & New Sensations (2007), The Place And The Time (2009), and Over With You (2012).
www.steveforbert.com
When the sun shines
Steve Forbert Lyrics
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Down comes the pounding rain, and dark are the skies up above me
But you'll be mine when the sun shines
Racing to catch late trains, and waiting while crowds push and shove me
But you'll be mine when the sun shines
When the sun shines and I see your face
All my long nights will melt into space
Nobody speaks my name soft like it sounds when you love me
When the sun shines and I see your face
All my long nights will melt into space
And that's when I won't look back
And I won't sing a thing about sorrow
Cause you'll be mine when the sun shines
Train on a countdown track still a few miles from tomorrow
But you'll be mine when the sun shines
And you'll be mine when the sun shines
The lyrics of Steve Forbert's song "When The Sun Shines" express the notion of hope in the midst of despair. The singer first describes the pounding rains and dark skies above, a metaphor for the struggles of everyday life. However, they hold on to the idea that better times are coming, that they will have their loved one when the sun shines. The sun represents a bright beacon of hope that pierces through the darkness and brings with it the promise of a better tomorrow. The singer is willing to endure waiting for late trains and dealing with crowds if it means they will ultimately be with their loved one.
The second stanza reaffirms the power of the sun and the transformative effect it has on the singer's outlook. The sight of their loved one's face causes all of their long nights to melt away, as they are filled with a sense of warmth and contentment. The singer also notes that nobody speaks their name as softly as their loved one does, indicating the depth of their connection. The final line of the refrain serves as a reassurance to the listener that the struggles they face now will eventually fade away once the sun shines and they are reunited with the one they care for.
Line by Line Meaning
Down comes the pounding rain, and dark are the skies up above me
There's a heavy rain and dark clouds above me.
But you'll be mine when the sun shines
Despite the bad weather, I know you'll be with me when the sun comes out.
Racing to catch late trains, and waiting while crowds push and shove me
I'm in a hurry to catch a train and dealing with crowds who are also in a hurry.
But you'll be mine when the sun shines
Despite the chaos and stress of the situation, I know you'll be there for me when things calm down.
When the sun shines and I see your face
When everything is calm and bright and I see your face.
All my long nights will melt into space
All the hard times I've been through will disappear when I'm with you and things feel good.
Nobody speaks my name soft like it sounds when you love me
No one says my name the way you do when you're loving me.
But you'll be mine when the sun shines
Even though no one can love me the way you do, I know you'll be there when things are good.
When the sun shines and I see your face
When everything is calm and bright and I see your face.
All my long nights will melt into space
All the hard times I've been through will disappear when I'm with you and things feel good.
And that's when I won't look back
When things are good and I'm with you, I won't dwell on the bad times or look back.
And I won't sing a thing about sorrow
When things are good, I won't feel sad or sing about my sorrows.
Cause you'll be mine when the sun shines
I know you'll be with me when things are good and the sun is shining.
Train on a countdown track still a few miles from tomorrow
I'm waiting for a train that's still a few miles away from where I need to go.
But you'll be mine when the sun shines
Even though I'm not where I need to be yet, I know you'll be there for me when things are good.
And you'll be mine when the sun shines
When everything is good and the sun is shining, you'll be mine and everything will be right in the world.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: S. STEPHEN FORBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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