1. Ray Charles (1959). "Come Rain or Come Shine" by Arlen & Mercer
[YouTube]
"I'm gonna love you, like no one loves you
Come rain or come shine"
2. Gerry and the Pacemakers (1964). "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" by Marsden et al.
[YouTube]
"Your heart may be broken tonight
But tomorrow in the mornin' light
Don't let the sun catch you cryin'"
3. Donovan (1966). "Sunshine Superman" by Donovan
[YouTube]
"Sunshine came softly through my window today
Could've tripped out easy but I've changed my ways"
4. Youngbloods (1969). "Sunlight" by Jesse Colin Young
[YouTube]
"Like the sunshine warms the sand
She will touch you with her hands
Touching makes you understand
That's the way she feels about you"
5. The Beatles (1969). "Here Comes the Sun" by George Harrison
[YouTube]
"Little darlin', it's been a long, cold, lonely winter
Little darlin', it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, and I say, it's alright"
6. Bill Withers (1971). "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers
[YouTube]
"Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away"
7. The Allman Brothers Band (1971). "Blue Sky" by Dickey Betts
[YouTube]
"Don't fly, mister blue bird, I'm just walkin' down the road
Early morning sunshine, tell me all I need to know"
8. Jonathan Edwards (1971). "Sunshine" by Jonathan Edwards
[YouTube]
"Sunshine, go away today
I don't feel much like dancing"
9. John Denver (1971). "Sunshine on My Shoulders" by John Denver
[YouTube]
"Sunshine on the water
Looks so lovely
Sunshine
Almost always makes me high"
10. Eagles (1973). "Tequila Sunrise" by Don Henley and Glenn Frey
[YouTube]
"It's another tequila sunrise
This old world still looks the same
Another frame"
11. Tom Waits (1973). "Ol' 55" by Tom Waits
[YouTube]
[or...]
"And now the sun's coming up
I'm riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade"
12. The Band (1975). "It Makes No Difference" by Robbie Robertson
[YouTube]
"And the sun don't shine anymore
And the rains fall down on my door"
13. Katrina and the Waves (1983). "I'm Walking on Sunshine" by Kimberley Rew
[YouTube]
"I'm walking on sunshine
And don't it feel good"
It will be odd to some to note that as many of my choices are about the lack of sunshine as about the presence.
And, yes, definitely yes: there are many others, including songs by the Animals, The Doors, and Stevie Wonder.
I listed an artist only once, otherwise I'd have listed several songs by the Beatles (okay, I cheated with "Ol'
55" listing Tom Waits' original version but I'm actually enamored by the Eagles cover). I note that there are as
many songs that reference the sun or Sunday rather than sunshine itself. Last, I wanted to include Norah Jones
and her song "Sunrise" (2004) but I decided to stick with the Baker's Dozen. Yes, the references are older primarily
because my musical outlook changed and the progressive and blues genres aren't as "sunny."
~~~
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