Rolling Stone ranked the song #281 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 1982, the song was featured in an episode of the American television series Taxi titled "Jim's Inheritance." In the 2005 war drama, Jarhead, actor Jamie Foxx forced actor Jake Gyllenhaal to play "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", but because Gyllenhaal did not have a bugle, Foxx made him play it by buzzing his lips.
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's why I'll always be around
You are the apple of my eye
Forever you'll stay in my heart
I feel like this is the beginning
Though I've loved you for a million years
And if I thought our love was ending
You are the sunshine of my life, yeah
That's why I'll always stay around, mmm, mmm, yeah, yeah
You are the apple of my eye
Forever you'll stay in my heart
You must have known that I was lonely
Because you came to my rescue
And I know that this must be heaven
How could so much love be inside of you?
Whoa, whoa
You are the sunshine of my life, yeah
That's why I'll always stay around, mmm (baby)
You are the apple of my eye
Forever you'll stay in my heart, yeah
You are the sunshine of my life, baby
That's why I'll always stay around
The song "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Stevie Wonder is a heartfelt declaration of love, appreciation, and devotion to a significant other. It is a classic love song that captures the emotions of the singer towards the person he loves. The opening lines of the song, “You are the sunshine of my life / That's why I'll always be around,” conveys the idea that the person he is singing to brings light and warmth to his life.
The song goes on to acknowledge the long-standing love he has had for this person, with the line “Though I've loved you for a million years.” The idea of love and devotion is further reinforced by the line “And if I thought our love was ending / I'd find myself drowning in my own tears, whoa, oh, oh.”
The chorus of the song, “You are the sunshine of my life, yeah / That's why I'll always stay around,” repeats the idea that the person he loves is a constant source of warmth and happiness in his life. The line, “You must have known that I was lonely / Because you came to my rescue,” is a testament to the idea of soulmates, where two people are destined to be together and complete each other.
Overall, the song expresses a feeling of deep love and gratitude towards that special someone who makes everything in life brighter and better.
Line by Line Meaning
You are the sunshine of my life
You are the person who brings light and happiness into my life
That's why I'll always be around
I will always be there for you because you make my life better
You are the apple of my eye
You are the most precious and beloved person to me
Forever you'll stay in my heart
You will always hold a special place in my heart and I will love you forever
I feel like this is the beginning
Our love feels new and fresh every day, despite having loved you for a long time
Though I've loved you for a million years
I have loved you for a very long time, even though it feels like it could have been forever
And if I thought our love was ending
If our love was in danger of coming to an end
I'd find myself drowning in my own tears, whoa, oh, oh
The thought of losing you would bring me to despair and sadness
You must have known that I was lonely
It seems like you came into my life at the perfect moment when I was feeling isolated and alone
Because you came to my rescue
You helped me when I needed it the most and saved me from my loneliness
And I know that this must be heaven
Being with you feels like I am experiencing pure bliss and paradise
How could so much love be inside of you?
I am amazed at how much love and positivity you bring into my life
You are the sunshine of my life, yeah
You are the reason for my happiness and joy
That's why I'll always stay around, mmm (baby)
I will stick around because being with you feels like home
You are the apple of my eye
You are the most important and cherished person in my life
Forever you'll stay in my heart, yeah
I will always hold you dear in my heart and our love will never fade
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cheryl Rowland Hall
on Isn't She Lovely
Dedicated to my lovely daughter, Amy Kathleen Rawson, the lovely child who helped mom to grow up!