When you can't find the light
That got you through the cloudy days
When the stars ain't shinin' bright
You feel like you've lost your way
When the candlelight of home
Burns so very far away
Well, you got to let your soul shine
Just like my daddy used to say

He used to say soulshine
It's better than sunshine
It's better than moonshine
Damn sure better than rain
Hey, now people don't mind
We all feel this way sometimes
You gotta let your soul shine, shine till the break of day

I grew up thinkin' I had it made
Gonna make it on my own
Life can take the strongest man
Make him feel so alone
Now sometimes I feel a cold wind
Blowin' through my achin' bones
I think back to what my daddy said
He said "boy, in this darkness before the dawn"

Let your soul shine
It's better than sunshine
It's better than moonshine
Damn sure better than rain
Yeah, now people don't mind
We all get this way sometimes
You've got to let your soul shine, shine till the break of day

Sometimes a man can feel this emptiness
Like a woman has robbed him of his very soul
A woman too, God knows, she can feel like this
And when your world seems cold, you got to let your spirit take control

Let your soul shine
It's better than sunshine
It's better than moonshine
Damn sure better than rain
Lord now people don't mind
We all fel this way sometimes
Gotta let your soul shine, shine till the break of day

Oh, it's better than sunshine
It's better than moonshine
Damn sure better than rain
Yeah, now people don't mind
We all feel this way sometimes
You've got to let your soul shine, shine till the break of day


Lyrics submitted by bkprep

Soulshine Lyrics as written by Warren Haynes

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Soulshine song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    My favorite song. The best version is the Warren Haynes/ Tim Reynolds version. It is great.

    And yes, Gov't Mule is great in concert. Ive seen a couple of their shows and will be going at it again in Feb.

    Warren is GREAT on the guitar. Check out his solo bonnaroo cd.

    gotohellolemisson January 05, 2005   Link

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