I watch you bend beneath the waves
And it seems heavier these days
Each time I see you force a smile my heart just breaks
To see you bend beneath the waves

I don't believe this is what God ever intended
I think it's time to go

The sun is going down I say we follow it out of town
We've been here for far too long, but will they know we're gone
And in the morning when it rises
Maybe it will shine for us

You and me against the world, I don't mind
I've been feeling so low
The sleepwalkers or the girl, made up my mind
I've been feeling so low, so low

I want you to look me in the eye
Tell me if we stay here we won't die
They'll say we love the darkness, but I'll say we hate their half light
Can you to look me in the eye

I don't believe this is what God ever intended
So I wanted you to know

The sun is going down I say we follow it out of town
We've been here for far too long, but will they know we're gone
And in the morning when it rises
Maybe it will shine for us

You and me against the world, I don't mind
We've been feeling so low
The sleepwalkers for the girl, made up my mind

The sun is going down, lets follow it out of town
It will shine on us tomorrow when it comes back around
It's gonna be all right, it's gonna be all right

I don't believe this is what God ever intended
And I wanted you to know

The sun is going down I say we follow it out of town
We've been here for far too long, but will they know we're gone
And in the morning when it rises
Maybe it will shine for us

The sun is going down, it's gonna be all right


Lyrics submitted by mxpxunkette

Sundown Motel song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I beleive this song is actually about leaving the Christian music industry.

    Zao24on July 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think the song is about leaving a bad situation. The author is talking to his girlfriend/wife about leaving ("I think it's time to go"). The people they're leaving ("sleepwalkers") expect them to be perfect and smiling all the time ("Each time I see you force a smile my heart just breaks"), and the situation isn't what he thinks it should be ("I don't believe this is what God ever intended") He has to choose between staying and losing her (maybe they don't approve of the relationship) or leaving with her ("[giving up] the sleepwalkers for the girl, made up my mind ") and he knows they won't understand ("They'll say we love the darkness, but I'll say we hate their half light"). He calls them sleepwalkers because they're just dead inside and he wants more out of life than they're selling. If I had to guess, I'd say the sleepwalkers are a church he was involved in at the time. He thinks that if he can just take her and leave then everything will work out ("The sun is going down, lets follow it out of town / It will shine on us tomorrow when it comes back around / It's gonna be all right")

    iandunnon January 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song helped me through a time when I was struggling with the decision to leave a certain form of Christianity (and a church)...

    patryxdethon January 26, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Salomon uses the lyric in his book: relevantbooks.com/Books/simplicity/default.htm

    iandunnon March 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The song appears for me to about leaving a church that has disappointed the narrator and he needs to comfort a friend who is experiencing the same disappointment. For instane he hates how his friends forces a smile like sometimes we do with fellow parishioners even though we are broken inside. We do this constantly in church trying not to show our weaknesses so that people won't judge us. Instead of realizing that God does his best in us when we are at our weakest (see 2 Cor. 12), people assume we are sinners.

    Also, they say they hate our darkness but we'll say we hate their half-light referencing Rev. in which Jesus talks about lukewarm Christians. They don't like how different they are. As Derrida noted, people are constantly trying to center us. And if we deviate from the norm, people judge us and assume the worst. But in all actuality they are merely follow the herd mentality like Nietzsche referenced in his work. Sleepwalkers referencing the people who come every sunday morning with only their bodies but no heart. They just sleepwalk through life and in their faith as well. They think by coming to church they are somehow analogous to Christ and his ministry. However, they don't understand that faith goes beyond going to church every weekend.

    Basically their time is ending at this church and they know it. With all the crappy things church is saying and doing against homosexuals, immigrants, the poor, etc., this song challenges the church's distance from Christ and his ultimate intention for his Church. This song ultimately is telling disappointed Christians who are struggling in church to look for something better. Thus, when the sun begins to set, realize it and leave so you can ultimately find a better one in which God will shine his morning light upon our souls.

    Great song. Has been great for my faith!

    LAGalaxyFan77on March 30, 2012   Link

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