Ain't No Sunshine
Sting & The Police Lyrics
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It's not warm when she's away.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away.
Wonder this time where she's gone,
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone,
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone, only darkness everyday.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
The lyrics to Sting & The Police's song Ain't No Sunshine speak to the feelings of loneliness and despair that come with a loved one's absence. The singer expresses his pain by lamenting the fact that there is no sunshine in his life when she's gone, insinuating that he is lost without her. He further reveals that he wonders where she's gone, whether she's gone to stay, and that he knows deep down that she is always gone for too long. The song also suggests that the singer knows he should leave this "young thing" alone, but he is unable to do so because he is so drawn to her.
The repetition of the phrase "I know" throughout the song highlights the singer's sense of helplessness and his inability to change his situation. The line "only darkness everyday" is particularly poignant as it emphasizes that there is no hope or light in his life when she's gone. The song portrays his dependence on her and how her absence leaves him feeling empty and unable to function normally.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
The absence of her causes darkness and sadness.
It's not warm when she's away.
Her warmth and presence are missing when she's not around.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Her departure brings gloom and has a negative effect.
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away.
She tends to be away for extended periods.
Wonder this time where she's gone,
Curious about her current whereabouts.
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Thinking if this time she won't be coming back.
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.
Her absence in the house makes it seem incomplete.
And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
Repetition indicates deep personal realization.
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
Undeniable level of awareness and understanding.
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
Suggesting the emotional distress and agony he is going through.
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
The magnitude of his grief is massive and overwhelming.
Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone,
Regrets being romantically involved with someone young.
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone, only darkness everyday.
Her absence creates a perpetual darkness, and he feels lonely.
Anytime she goes away.
Every time she goes away, he feels lost and incomplete.
Contributed by Joseph F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.