This is a criticism of American foreign policy dressed up as a break up song. It's written from the point of view of an American citizen. Remember that it was written after the Korean war, with the Bay of Pigs incident in the recent past and the Vietnam war hotting up. You have to read it as 'so sad about U.S.' and then it makes sense. He's saying that the U.S. won't be able to turn back from its current (in 1966) disastrous path. The 'break up' in the song is the break up of Korea into North and South and the inevitable similar path to come in Vietnam. He can't switch off his loving because he loves his country, but his country can't switch off 'the sun' - the threat of nuclear war (a nuclear explosion is so bright it's like looking at the sun). So sad.
This is a criticism of American foreign policy dressed up as a break up song. It's written from the point of view of an American citizen. Remember that it was written after the Korean war, with the Bay of Pigs incident in the recent past and the Vietnam war hotting up. You have to read it as 'so sad about U.S.' and then it makes sense. He's saying that the U.S. won't be able to turn back from its current (in 1966) disastrous path. The 'break up' in the song is the break up of Korea into North and South and the inevitable similar path to come in Vietnam. He can't switch off his loving because he loves his country, but his country can't switch off 'the sun' - the threat of nuclear war (a nuclear explosion is so bright it's like looking at the sun). So sad.