1) an Irish rock/acou… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists called The 4 of Us:
1) an Irish rock/acoustic/alternative band from Newry, Northern Ireland.
2) an American psychedelic rock band from the sixties
1) The 4 Of Us are a rock band from Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland, best-known outside Ireland for their output in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Of the four founding members from 1988, only brothers Brendan Murphy and Declan Murphy have remained continuously part of the group; the other members have varied.
The band released their first album, Songs for the Tempted, with CBS Records in 1989, with the single "Mary", becoming one of the most played songs on Irish radio that year. Consequently, the album went double platinum in Ireland and won Best Album of the Year at the Irish Music Awards, defeating the internationally-known act U2. After a successful second album, Man Alive (in 1992), the band lost momentum scrapping the release of a proposed third album. They did not separate however, and eventually returned to recording albums, releasing the largely acoustic-based Classified Personal in 1999. In November 2006 the band released their album Fingerprints.
2) The 4 Of Us were a garage / psychedelic rock band from sixties. After graduating from high school in 1966, Glenn Frey played for a while with the local band The 4 of Us, modeled after The Byrds.
Tracks by them such as "Baby Blue", "I Feel A Whole Lot Better" and "You Gonna Be Mine" appear on various compilations of 60s psychedelia.
Afterwards, Frey, Henley, Meisner and Leadon formed the Eagles, with Frey playing guitar and keyboards and Henley playing drums. The band went on to become one of the world's best-selling bands of all time. Frey wrote or co-wrote (often with Henley) many of the group's songs, and sang the lead vocals on a number of Eagles hits including "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Already Gone", "Tequila Sunrise", "Lyin' Eyes", "New Kid in Town", "Heartache Tonight", and "How Long".
Sunlight
The 4 of Us Lyrics
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Sitting on a greyhound bus
And we're a long way from home
You shake hands, make plans
Write your story in the sand
And then get ready to run
It falls out of my hand
The sign staring through the window
Says don't let go, no don't let go
You can raise your eyes above all the lies that you hear
From a hole in the ground to a place where the water is clear
There is somewhere I know where we both can go
Sunlight, sunlight
Sunlight, sunlight
Sunlight
Cold sweat, I get
Breathing in the warm sweet scent of you
Together we roll
Even though at this stage
I'm waiting for a brand new wave
To crash and swallow me whole
And time, every time I try to find it
It falls out of my hands
The sign staring through the window
Says don't let go, no don't let go
You can find yourself in the eye of a storm and survive
And my heart won't bleed when we get to the end of the ride
There is one thing I know, together we flow
Sunlight, sunlight
Sunlight, sunlight
Sunlight, sunlight
You can raise your eyes above all the lies that you hear
From a hole in the ground to a place where the water is clear
There is somewhere I know where we both can go
Sunlight, sunlight
Sunlight, sunlight
Sunlight
The 4 of Us’s song “Sunlight” is a soulful and reflective piece that speaks of the journey of two people, possibly lovers or friends, on a greyhound bus, far from home. The prominent theme of the song is time- how it slips away from our hands without us noticing. Despite the feeling of aimlessness, there is optimism in the prospect of finding a place where the “water is clear” and “sunlight” is abundant.
The first verse emphasizes the feeling of insignificance by comparing themselves to a speck of dust on the bus. The singer and their companion are traveling away from home, and the unpredictability of their journey makes them anxious yet excited. The phrase “write your story in the sand” describes the need to cling onto something, especially in a moment of uncertainty, as if creating something concrete out of the ephemeral sand. The chorus, with the repetition of the phrase “Sunlight, sunlight,” becomes the anthem of hope, assuring the listeners that there is a brighter future awaiting.
The second verse is more intimate, with the mention of “cold sweat” and “warm sweet scent” evoking sensory imagery. The singer feels stuck in limbo, waiting for something to happen, which could either push them forward or swallow them whole. The imagery of waiting for a wave is uncertain and implies the possibility of the unknown. The chorus is repeated, becoming more emphatic, suggesting that finding the “sunlight” is of utmost importance to them. The concluding statement- “There is one thing I know, together we flow” means that they want to move forward together, supporting each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Speck of dust, that's us
We are small and insignificant, just like specks of dust
Sitting on a greyhound bus
We are traveling on a long bus ride
And we're a long way from home
We are far from our familiar surroundings
You shake hands, make plans
We meet people and make arrangements with them
Write your story in the sand
We make temporary plans that may change
And then get ready to run
We prepare to move on to our next destination
And time, every time I try to find it
Whenever I attempt to measure or locate time
It falls out of my hand
It becomes elusive and difficult to grasp
The sign staring through the window
A billboard outside the window
Says don't let go, no don't let go
It advises us to hold onto what we have, to not give up
You can raise your eyes above all the lies that you hear
You have the power to ignore the falsehoods and negativity that surround you
From a hole in the ground to a place where the water is clear
You can go from a bad situation to a better one
There is somewhere I know where we both can go
I am aware of a place where both of us can seek solace
Sunlight, sunlight
This place is full of light, hope and happiness
Cold sweat, I get
I feel anxious
Breathing in the warm sweet scent of you
I am comforted by the pleasant smell of somebody else
Together we roll
We move on together
Even though at this stage
Despite the current situation we are in
I'm waiting for a brand new wave
I am optimistic about the future and a fresh start
To crash and swallow me whole
I am ready for whatever comes next
You can find yourself in the eye of a storm and survive
Even in the midst of chaos and hardship, you can prevail
And my heart won't bleed when we get to the end of the ride
I will not suffer heartache or pain when this journey is over
There is one thing I know, together we flow
I am certain that we will face whatever happens together
Sunlight, sunlight
We will find happiness and light in the end
Sunlight, sunlight
We will find happiness and light in the end
Sunlight, sunlight
We will find happiness and light in the end
Contributed by Arianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@seanmurphy7452
What a brilliant song from such an.underrated band
@katepatterson196
A brilliant band from the 80s..and yes underrated
@001bushwacker
How this band never made it big is beyond me.
@The_XTO
This gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.
@lardinhoredbeard5089
gorgeous pic of Ireland <3. I'm British, but I wasn't born during the troubles, so I love this and no crazy involved.
@bruetenn666
cheers,one of the best tunes ever.....love it,
@monncha
Fantastic!! What a song, will never be out dated
@kinnegad
Beautiful song from a very underated band!
@katepatterson196
I love this Song!
@pvbrown339376
beautiful tune... you wanna hear this live and acoustic... holy shit balls its awesome... come to think of it... all of their stuff live and acoustic is awesome.