Rot in the Sun
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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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

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