"The Shadow Proves the Sunshine"

I just bought the latest Switchfoot album, "Nothing is Sound"...and I'm amazed at their ever-improving,brilliant, stirring, perceptive, occasionally self-reflexive song-writing. The lyrics almost read like poetry...with a rock edge. I'm sure it helps that Jonathan Foreman, the lead singer and main lyricist, is quite literary.

"The Shadow Proves the Sunshine" was the first song title that caught my attention. Isn't it cool?? It's all abt perception isn't it? I especially love the last 3 lines:

"I'm a crooked soul trying to stay up straight
Shine on me
Let my shadows prove the sunshine"
[somehow this brings to mind poplar trees...that were painted by the French Impressionistic painter, Claude Monet. Had a haunting effect. Impressionist Art dealt with perceptions and focussed on subjectivity btw.]


Les Peupliers. Claude Monet

Here's a slightly 'darker' painting of Poplars, by a modern painter:

Poplars, Po River Valley, Northern Italy, 1998. Mark Citret


Here are a few other gems from the Switchfoot album:

"When I look at the stars I feel like myself
When I look at the stars I see someone" - from 'Stars'-
[God's fingerprints are left in all of creation!]

"I'm looking for a bridge I can't burn down
I don't believe the emptiness
Everything is meaningless
I want more than simple cash can buy
Happy is a yuppie word. Nothing is sound"
-from "Happy is a yuppie word' [tis is SO in line with what Chris Chia has been preaching at ARPC!!! The pursuit of happiness is indeed becoming an 'idol'.]

"My hope runs underneath it all the day that I'll be home
It won't be long, I belong somewhere past this setting sun
Finally free, finally strong, somewhere back where I belong"
-from 'The Setting Sun'-


"The Shadow Proves the Sunshine" (Switchfoot)
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Sunshine won't you be my mother?
Sunshine come and help me sing
My heart is darker than these oceans
My heart is frozen underneath
Crooked soul trying to stay up straight
Dry eyes in the pouring rain
The shadow proves the sunshine
Two scared little runaways
Hold fast till the break of daylight
When the shadow proves the sunshine

Oh Lord why did you forsake me
Oh Lord don't be far away, away
Storm clouds gathering beside me
Please Lord don't look the other way

I'm a crooked soul trying to stay up straight
Shine on me
Let my shadows prove the sunshine