Here Comes the Sun: Why Songs About the Sun Never Lose Their Glow

There is something universally magnetic about the sun. As humanity’s ultimate celestial anchor, it dictates our days, warms our skin, and serves as a powerful metaphor for hope, rebirth, heartbreak, and pure, unadulterated joy. It is no wonder that songwriters across every genre—from folk and classic rock to modern pop and indie—have continually turned to our nearest star for inspiration.

When musicians put the word “sun” in a title, they aren’t just writing about weather patterns; they are exploring the full spectrum of human emotion. Let’s take a journey through some of the most enduring, brilliant, and iconic tracks that put the sun right where it belongs: front and center.

The Ultimate Anthem of Renewal: “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles

No discussion of sun-themed music can begin anywhere else. Written by George Harrison in the spring of 1969, “Here Comes the Sun” is arguably one of the most comforting songs ever recorded.

Harrison famously wrote the track in the garden of his friend Eric Clapton while playing hooky from a tense business meeting at Apple Corps. As he walked outside with an acoustic guitar, feeling the weight of corporate stress melt away under the April warmth, the famous opening chords tumbled out.

Musically, the song is a masterclass in shifting time signatures and radiant textures, buoyed by Moog synthesizer flourishes and an infectious, optimistic cadence. Lyrically, lines like “Little darling, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter” capture the universal relief of emerging from a dark period into brighter days. It remains a timeless reminder that winter, no matter how harsh, always gives way to spring.

The Golden Hour Melancholy: “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves

On the absolute opposite end of the emotional spectrum sits Katrina and the Waves’ 1985 smash hit, “Walking on Sunshine.” If George Harrison’s contribution is a quiet sigh of relief, this track is an explosion of pure, adrenaline-fueled kinetic energy.

Driven by one of the most recognizable horn riffs in pop history and Katrina Leskanic’s powerhouse vocals, the song captures the dizzying, invincible feeling of new love. It’s impossible to listen to it without wanting to move. Interestingly, despite its upbeat reputation, the lyrics touch on the disbelief and nervous excitement of being completely overwhelmed by happiness: “I used to think maybe you couldn’t love me / Now I know that it’s true.” It’s the sonic equivalent of standing in a sun-drenched meadow with your eyes closed, spinning until you’re dizzy.

The Darker Side of the Star: “Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden

Not all sun songs are about warmth and light. In 1994, Chris Cornell and grunge icons Soundgarden turned the celestial motif on its head with “Black Hole Sun.”

Surreally psychedelic and dripping with atmospheric dread, the song uses the sun as a canvas for apocalyptic, dreamlike imagery. Cornell famously wrote the lyrics in about 15 minutes, inspired by a phrase he misheard while watching the evening news. The resulting track pairs heavily distorted guitars with an eerie, hypnotic melody, creating a haunting portrait of psychological weight and societal malaise. It proves that the sun—or the absence of it—can be just as potent a metaphor for inner turmoil as it is for joy.

Modern Radiance: “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee

Bridging the gap between contemporary hip-hop and breezy pop, 2018’s “Sunflower” (featured on the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack) became a modern juggernaut.

With its effortless, warm-weather groove and gentle acoustic instrumentation, the track captures the feeling of devotion and warmth in a relationship. Swae Lee’s featherlight hook (“Needless to say, I keep her in check / She was all bad-bad, nevertheless” ) paired with Post Malone’s melodic cadence creates a track that feels like a lazy Sunday afternoon drive with the windows down. It proves that the allure of the sun continues to inspire fresh, genre-blending artistry decades into the evolution of recorded music.

Why the Sun Endures in Songwriting

Why do we keep writing about the sun? Perhaps because it is a mirror for our own emotional climate. We look to it when we are freezing, lonely, or lost, hoping it will guide us back. We celebrate when we have basked in its warmth too long, and we write elegies when it sets.

Whether it’s the gentle optimism of George Harrison’s garden, the explosive joy of Katrina’s horns, or the moody abstraction of Soundgarden’s grunge, songs with “sun” in the title remind us of our connection to something vast, luminous, and enduring. So the next time you need a lift, put on your favorite sun-soaked track, turn up the volume, and let the music do what it has done for generations: bring the light back in.