“You Are My Sunshine”: How a maudlin song became a children's classic (2013)
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"You Are My Sunshine" tops the list. It so incredibly sad... even thinking about it to type this comment is really difficult. Like, hide-the-razor-because-the-cutting-will-start-again difficult. I have no idea why.
It's a sad song that everyone seems to think is a happy song. It matches Louisiana well.
e.g. I think pg mentioned being jealous of rtm when he got arrested because rtm had figured a way out of the PhD program without having to quit!
It's not even sad, really? But it just hits so hard.
Me, too, but in my case I do know why - when my son was born (2 months premature), we had a lot of health scares with him and my wife insisted on singing that song to him over and over again.
The other night dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms, but when I woke dear, I was mistaken, and I hung my head and cried.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine you make me happy when skies are gray you’ll never know dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away.
I’ll always love you and make you happy if you will only say the same but if you leave me to love another you’ll regret it all some day
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine you make me happy, when skies are gray, you’ll never know dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away.
You told me once dear you really loved me that no one else could come between but now you’ve left me and love another you have shattered all my dreams.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine you make me happy, when skies are gray, you’ll never know dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away.
People are surprisingly bad at lyrics/knowing what songs are about.
It speaks of class stratification, and of rich folk asking poor folk to fight in their wars.
Yeah, some folks inherit star-spangled eyes
They send you down to war
And when you ask 'em, "How much should we give?"
They only answer, "More, more, more"
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no military son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, one
He said that the “inspiration for the song” was the disparity in those who were drafted and those who were getting deferments. “Back in those days we still had a draft, and something I was very upset about was the fact that people of privilege, in other words rich people or people of position, could use that to avoid the draft and not be taken into the military,” Fogerty said.
People interpreting Fortunate Son as a celebration of military service (it seems to me these are mostly the same people who also use Born in the USA as if it were a celebration of the US) are the ones in the wrong here.
Edit: better link & quote.