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My Gen X Playlist: Sunny Came Home – Shawn Colvin

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Don’t ruin a good today by thinking about a bad yesterday. Let it go.

I saw this quote the other day and it really resonated with me. How many times have I allowed the past to invade my head? Too many times to count. I’m guilty as charged. Hopefully I’ll hear the whisper of these words the next time I’m struck by yesterday’s moments.

Shawn Colvin released Sunny Came Home in 1997. I didn’t really know what it was about until now.

This song is about a woman who “makes a few repairs” to the oven, then uses the gases to burn her house down by lighting a match. She does this in an attempt to escape her past.

Songfacts

I’m pretty hard on myself for not understanding the lyrics to songs back then. Some are pretty obvious that I sing along to. Others I simply have no clue. I think I get a pass on this one, though. There is no way I could have figured this one out. But now I know the meaning, I can relate to these lines:

She says days go by I’m hypnotized
I’m walking on a wire
I close my eyes and fly out of my mind
Into the fire

Don’t ruin a good today by thinking about a bad yesterday. Let it go. Great advice.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Sunny came home to her favorite room
Sunny sat down in the kitchen
She opened a book and a box of tools
Sunny came home with a mission

She says days go by I'm hypnotized
I'm walking on a wire
I close my eyes and fly out of my mind
Into the fire

Sunny came home with a list of names
She didn't believe in transcendence
It's time for a few small repairs she said
Sunny came home with a vengeance

She says days go by I don't know why
I'm walking on a wire
I close my eyes and fly out of my mind
Into the fire

Get the kids and bring a sweater
Dry is good and wind is better
Count the years, you always knew it
Strike a match, go on and do it

Oh, days go by I'm hypnotized
I'm walking on a wire
I close my eyes and fly out of my mind
Into the fire

Oh, light the sky and hold on tight
The world is burning down
She's out there on her own and she's alright
Sunny came home
Sunny came home
Came home
Home

18 thoughts on “My Gen X Playlist: Sunny Came Home – Shawn Colvin”

  2. What a sad song! I remember hearing it long ago, but I had no idea the true meaning behind it.

    I agree with the quote. I am always replaying my mistakes in my mind, but there is nothing I can do to change them. I have to let them go, but it is so hard.

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  3. Nice song selection. The quote was good also. Lately, whenever past regrets or future worries start to make me tense, I shut the thought off and return to my normal state almost immediately. I probably learned to shut off emotions when I was a child. I haven’t always used the ability though. I’m not certain if doing it is a good thing all around. Perhaps facing and defeating one’s demons is necessary now and then.

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  4. My first reaction to this post and your take on it was a bit opposite (tho replaying every stupid thing I ever did occupies my thoughts, instead of sleep, on an almost nightly basis) and a quatrain popped into my head. Since my husband’s obituary last Fall I have written only one poem, inspiration seemingly having died with him, but a quatrain just popped into my head – and it’s good and I will be spending my afternoon working on it – so thanks for that. Since you follow my blog you should be seeing it soon. Happy weekend!

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  6. Had a horrible last Saturday at work, so much that I don’t even want to go today (or really ever again, if I didn’t have to!) Your advice (or quote) resonates. I’m gonna try to let it go and take today as it comes.

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