I can't light no more of your darkness
All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I'm growing tired and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life

Too late to save myself from falling
I took a chance and changed your way of life
But you misread my meaning when I met you
Closed the door and left me blinded by the light

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

I can't find, oh, the right romantic line
But see me once and see the way I feel
Don't discard me just because you think I mean you harm
But these cuts I have, oh, they need love to help them heal

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free, yeah
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me


Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by rashelton2002

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me Lyrics as written by Elton John Bernie Taupin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me song meanings
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  • +9
    General Comment

    Sometimes the best relationships are the most complicated.

    "I can't light no more of your darkness All my pictures seem to fade to black and white I'm growing tired and time stands still before me Frozen here on the ladder of my life" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I can't make you happy, you must deal with your own pain and find a way out of it. Our love has lost it's vibrant colors we once had...your pain is too taxing on me and our love cannot continue to grow, therefore I'm stuck in this nowhere place and can't go forward and refuse to go back. I don't want to give you up, so where am I suppose to go now? Great metaphor. Can you imagine yourself stuck on a ladder at 45 feet in the center and be forced to remain there? Elton is a genius for using this as a metaphor because he puts you on that ladder and makes you feel what it would be like. It's not only a terribly lonely place, but also frightening--just as love lost.

    "Too late to save myself from falling I took a chance and changed your way of life But you misread my meaning when I met you Closed the door and left me blinded by the light" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    I'm already there and no going back from the pain I feel from losing you--falling off the ladder. I changed you for being in your life as you have changed me. We all get something out of it and relationships make us changed, whether it's good or bad, they make us evolve because we always take something away and leave something behind with that person. Misread meanings --that's tricky because it's individual, but sometimes we all will hold back when we are in an exciting relationship and may not share our true intentions for whatever the reason. You may pretend to be someone you are not to hold onto that person, then if you fall in love, you realize you should have just been yourself and avoided the entire situation. But not knowing how the other person may feel--your still lost. Kicked out the door and reality is the light--hits you in the face like a headlights on a speeding bus. You don't expect it and feel as though you've been run over anyway.

    "Don't let the sun go down on me Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free But losing everything is like the sun going down on me" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Letting the sun go down on me is putting me in darkness, an empty void--black hole. Searching onesself, but seeing someone else--self deception--someone you really don't want to be--or rather be. Fragment of your life to wander free--I think this is one of the most beautiful lines because it is telling the person that they are willing to let them be who they are, regardless--whatever their "dark side" is, they will accept it, but only a fragment, because too much of it would bring them too much pain since the love it deep.

    "I can't find, oh the right romantic line But see me once and see the way I feel Don't discard me just because you think I mean you harm But these cuts I have they need love to help them heal" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I'll never find the words to tell you what you mean to me to bring you back, but all you have to do is look at my face and see the love and pain. Don't mistreat me because you don't want my advice you refuse to accept. Last line is amazing and so perfect as a finale--you need to love me because I'm in pain too, from past relationships and my cuts need healing too, as yours so don't be so freakin' selfish. Love is about all of it--joy, pain, passion, rejection, anger, lust, raw wounds that can't be mended and searching for that soul mate. If you find them it's never easy, but you learn that no matter what--you will make it last throughout all of it. I think that's Elton's message...anyway, just my take on it..

    coolgreycaton July 31, 2010   Link

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