Lyric discussion by Redenstein 

Cover art for Sundown lyrics by Gordon Lightfoot

For sure it's about a man who is wondering what his woman is doing when he's not with her. But even more so, it seems to me, to be about a man who is with a woman, whom he knows is cheating on him and he is singing about the different feelings he is having.

1st verse: Picturing his woman seducing the man. Warning the other man that if he finds him at his house, then there's gonna be a reckoning.

2nd verse: Describing the way his woman has been dressing/looking lately since the affair started and how their communication has gone to crap. He's begun to dull himself with drugs or alcohol.

3rd verse: Understanding how the other man can be tempted and seduced by her, because it may have been how the singer started his relationship with the woman (by cheating). The singer wonders why he settles for this.

4th verse: Angry with his woman about how she dresses to entice other men and how he's constantly getting angry at her for it.

Not so sure, but I suspect Sundown is a ballad about the objectification of a woman/women and the resulting problems: obsession/drinking/addiction, frustration, blame, distrust, paranoia. Not to say that the woman doesn't play upon the objectification.

Take the third stanza, after having described her lustful beauty (a sailor's dream, laying back, satin dress, room/confess, etc):

<b><i>"I can picture every move that a man could make, GETTING LOST IN HER LOVING IS YOUR FIRST MISTAKE."</b></i>

Likely can't get the woman if one's mind...

Wonderfully insightful. Thanks.