I Don’t Believe in the Sun
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

They say there's a sun in the sky
They say there's a sun in the sky
But me, I can't imagine why
There might have been one
Before you were gone
But now all I see is the night, so

I don't believe in the sun

How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me

How could there be
Such cruelty.

The only sun I ever knew
Was the beautiful one that was you
Since you went away
It's nighttime all day
And it's usually raining too

The only stars there really are
Were shining in your eyes
There is no sun except the one
That never shone on other guys
The moon to whom the poets croon




Has given up and died
Astronomy will have to be revised

Overall Meaning

In The Magnetic Fields’ song "Rot in the Sun,” the singer is expressing their utter disbelief in the presence of the sun. The song begins with the lyrics "They say there's a sun in the sky / But me, I can't imagine why," which conveys a sense of skepticism towards the idea of a sun. The singer goes on to explain that there may have once been a sun, but since the person they loved is gone, all they see is the darkness of night. This person was the only light and warmth they ever knew, and with that person’s absence, there is no longer any sun to shine on them. The only thing they can see is darkness and rain all day long.


The lyrics capture an overwhelming sense of heartbreak and despair. The singer’s rejection of the sun represents their rejection of hope and the idea that things could get better. They lament the fact that the sun, which is supposed to shine on everyone equally, seems to have not shone on them at all. They question the fairness of the universe when all they see is the darkness of night and the rain. The song suggests that the person they loved was the sun in their life, and without them, there is no light, no warmth, and no joy.


Line by Line Meaning

They say there's a sun in the sky
The common belief is that a sun exists in the sky.


They say there's a sun in the sky
The general perception is that a sun is there in the sky.


But me, I can't imagine why
However, I cannot fathom its existence.


There might have been one
Possibly, there was a sun earlier.


Before you were gone
Before you were not here anymore.


But now all I see is the night, so
Now, all there seems to be is the darkness.


I don't believe in the sun
I don't believe that the sun exists.


How could it shine down on everyone
If there is a sun, how could it distribute its light on all without any discrimination?


And never shine on me
Why does it forget to shine on me?


How could there be
There couldn't be.


Such cruelty.
It would be the height of cruelty if the sun indeed discriminated and avoided shining on certain people.


The only sun I ever knew
The only sun that mattered to me, belonged to you.


Was the beautiful one that was you
You were the only one who shone bright for me.


Since you went away
Ever since you departed from my life.


It's nighttime all day
The days and nights seem to have merged into one long, never-ending night.


And it's usually raining too
Even when it's not night, things always seem to be bleak and gloomy, much like the rain itself.


The only stars there really are
The only stars that actually existed for me.


Were shining in your eyes
Were the ones that I could see in your eyes.


There is no sun except the one
There isn't another sun apart from the one in your eyes.


That never shone on other guys
No other person managed to bask in its light but me.


The moon to whom the poets croon
The moon, celebrated by the poets.


Has given up and died
Even the moon seems to have abandoned brightness and vitality.


Astronomy will have to be revised
The study of stars/moon/sun in the sky has to be revised now that so much known and believed about the sun and the moon, is untrue/false.




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

TicTacYo100

They say there's a sun in the sky
But me, I can't imagine why
There might have been one
Before you were gone
But now all I see is the night

So I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty

The only sun I ever knew
Was the beautiful one that was you
Since you went away
It's night time all day
And it's usually raining, too

So I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty

The only stars there really are
Were shining in your eyes
There is no sun except the one
That never shone on other guys
The moon to whom the poets croon
Has given up and died
Astronomy will have to be revised

I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty



All comments from YouTube:

Padraig Murphy

I love the "astronomy will have to be revised" line because in a sense he's mocking all of the general love songs that compares love (or broken love) to things. He creates this obligatory metaphor and then makes it literal by bringing astronomy into the analogy, which is genius in my opinion.

Guinea54

I think this explanation is over thinking it. It's basically saying he doesn't believe in the Sun because he lives in darkness .. and the only light he sees is in some sappy past lover.. Astronomy will have to be revised is just a reference to it.

lance uppercut

Oh boy! Dont tell me you went to college for poetics! You poor soul!

Eric Kebschull

This is the nerdiest response I've heard to song lyrics in a loonnnggg time.

If you have to get metaphysical about the lyrics, then you pretty much killed the meaning of the song.... Not unlike explaining a joke, or dissecting a frog.

Lucas F

Exactly. In fact it's not even even a comparison, hence the "The only stars there really are" etc.
It's an exclusion ; is love (or its loss) is so powerful it shuts out the "real" stars and sun !

Heraclitean

If the Beatles had written this song, it would be a massive hit.

TicTacYo100

They say there's a sun in the sky
But me, I can't imagine why
There might have been one
Before you were gone
But now all I see is the night

So I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty

The only sun I ever knew
Was the beautiful one that was you
Since you went away
It's night time all day
And it's usually raining, too

So I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty

The only stars there really are
Were shining in your eyes
There is no sun except the one
That never shone on other guys
The moon to whom the poets croon
Has given up and died
Astronomy will have to be revised

I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty

James Ballard

I first heard this song in 1999 after a breakup from my GF and have been a fan ever since. Now listening to it with my daughters and they are enjoying it as well. Chicken with it's head cutoff makes them laugh.

Sebastian Gil

This is so beautiful. It reminds me of a friend who says he's an alright lyricist but I think he's an amazing musician through and through.

getr dun.positivity

This song takes me back to a heartbreak that scarred me forever. It's been so long since then but takes me right back to that. Thankful I'm a different person now. This song is timeless.

More Comments

More Versions