The song was also feat… Read Full Bio ↴The 6th track off The xx’s sophomore effort.
The song was also featured in the season 2 finale of popular US legal drama, Suits.
Sunset
XX Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's like the sun set in your eyes and never wanted to rise
And what have you done with the one I love?
When I look into your eyes, I see no surprise
I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine
And catch my eye, don't register a smile
You were more than just a friend, oh but the feeling
It never came to an end, I can't bear to see you
I always thought it was a shame
That we have to play these games
It felt like you really knew me
Now it feels like you see through me
When I see you again
I'll know not to expect
Stay one step away
We will have to wait
When I see you again
And I'm greeted as a friend
It is understood
That we did all we could
I always thought it was sad
The way we act like strangers
After all that we had
We act like we had never met
I always thought it was a shame
That we have to play these games
It felt like you really knew me
Now it feels like you see through me
Sunset is a melancholic song by the XX about the realization that a relationship has ended and the awkwardness and emotional distance that comes with running into that ex-lover. The opening lines evoke a sense of disbelief and confusion as the singer sees their former partner again, feeling like they have not met before. The image of the sun setting in their eyes and never wanting to rise suggest a sense of sadness that permeates the encounter, as if something essential is lost between them. The singer then wonders what their ex has done with the one they loved, implying that their relationship was genuine and meaningful, but it has now turned bitter and resentful.
The chorus captures the sense of estrangement and the need to pretend that they are strangers to one another. The phrase "we make believe" emphasizes the artifice of their interaction, and the lack of any genuine connection despite their history. The verse builds on this theme, showing how their familiarity with one another has become a liability, as they cannot escape the past and the hurt it has caused. The lines "you were more than just a friend" and "the feeling never came to an end" suggest that there was a strong emotional bond between the two, but it was unsustainable and ended up damaging the relationship.
The final verse reflects on the inevitability of this situation, as the singer resigns themselves to the fact that they will never be able to get back what they had with their ex. They yearn for a friendly greeting but acknowledge that it will be tinged with sadness, as they have "done all we could" to salvage the relationship. Overall, Sunset is a tender and poignant portrait of the aftermath of a breakup and the emotional price of trying to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you again, it felt like we had never met
The singer sees someone they have a past with, but it feels like they don't know each other at all.
It's like the sun set in your eyes and never wanted to rise
The person's eyes look like the sunset, but it never ends and becomes dark forever.
And what have you done with the one I love?
The person the singer loves is missing, and they believe the person in front of them might know something about it.
When I look into your eyes, I see no surprise
The artist feels like the person in front of them is not surprised to see them, but doesn't show any emotion.
We make believe, I've never seen your face, you neither mine
Both the artist and the person in front of them pretend they don't know each other.
And catch my eye, don't register a smile
The person doesn't smile when they see the singer.
You were more than just a friend, oh but the feeling
The person meant more to the singer than just a friend, but they don't feel that way now.
It never came to an end, I can't bear to see you
The feelings the artist had for the person never disappeared, and they find it difficult to be near them now.
When I see you again, I'll know not to expect
The artist knows not to expect the same connection they once had with the person in the future.
Stay one step away, we will have to wait
The artist believes they need to stay away from the person and wait.
And I'm greeted as a friend, it is understood, that we did all we could
The singer hopes to be greeted as a friend and acknowledges that they both did everything they could in the past.
That we have to play these games, it felt like you really knew me
The artist feels like the person they have history with is playing games with them and is disappointed they don't know them as well as they thought.
Now it feels like you see through me
The singer believes the person in front of them can see through them and knows their true feelings.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GRANGER SMITH, MATT CALDWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind