The sun is burning in the sky
Strands of clouds go slowly drifting by
In the park the lazy breeze
Are joining in the flowers, among the trees
And the sun burns in the sky

Now the sun is in the West
Little kids go home to take their rest
And the couples in the park
Are holdin' hands and waitin' for the dark
And the sun is in the West

Now the sun is sinking low
Children playin' know it's time to go
High above a spot appears
A little blossom blooms and then draws near
And the sun is sinking low

Now the sun has come to Earth
Shrouded in a mushroom cloud of death
Death comes in a blinding flash
Of hellish heat and leaves a smear of ash
And the sun has come to Earth

Now the sun has disappeared
All is darkness, anger, pain and fear
Twisted, sightless wrecks of men
Go groping on their knees and cry in pain
And the sun has disappeared


Lyrics submitted by kevin

The Sun Is Burning song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    reminds one of Cormac McCarthy's The Road (the book; haven't seen the movie).

    detcaderon June 17, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Nuclear war...this song is about nuclear war, and the aftermath when there will be much death and suffering. This song was written around the time of the Cuban missile crisis, and when the Cold War was in full swing.

    This song is a chilling reminder of why we need to work for peace. Hardly anyone will survive a nuclear war, and those who do survive will not have much to look forward to.

    Jerrybearon May 10, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yep, nuclear war, got it spot on. People should take more notice of songs like this. Peace is the only way to go.

    Oceanic Gazeon May 10, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is SO beautiful, my favourite of theirs. thansk jerrybear i didnt know that. [cuban missile crisis]

    charlotte474on February 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's so beautifully sad. You can read significant parts of the first few verses, once you know how it all turns out, as if they know, as if they know they can't do anything and just decide to live out the rest of their lives the way they wanted. At that time, it was quite possible that one country could annihilate another and there was no escape.

    vegetariancannibalon March 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    John Mcdermott wrote it. Luke Kelly an Irish trad singer sang it for years. Great song.

    Squirt_gunon June 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    unfortunately, there will never be peace. so all we can do is hope that it is not "strategic" for one country to destroy another, and pray to God that He'll protect us.

    audioafanon July 03, 2009   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    I love that all but the last verse references the nuclear missile as the sun.

    Skumballon October 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    I love that all but the last verse references the nuclear missile as the sun.

    Skumballon October 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It is one of most scaring and terrible songs I know. Such peaceful, nice, calm music and singing. Such an idyloc, normal, easy nice warm evening...you can hear the bees and lids laughter doing home for dinner. And then everything changes in a moment and only all is darkness anger pain and fear. The death being described by the same poetry and lovely SandG voices is just...terrible. Together with a movie Threads and book The Road, this is the most terrible art-piece about nuclear war.

    terimilaon August 10, 2022   Link

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