You are my sunshine

Facelikeapotato@lemmy.ml to Lemmy Shitpost@lemmy.world – 1342 points –
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That's not a song that should be sung to kids

People should sing whatever songs they want to their kids. Kids understand that the lyrics aren't necessarily supposed to be taken literally or even applied to them; kids just like the attention and how relaxing it is to listen to the most comforting voices they know sing songs that they love.

My wife sang our kids "You Are My Sunshine" and "Puff the Magic Dragon." I sang them love songs, break-up songs, songs about death, and everything in between. The only difference in our day-to-day life and personalities is that they are developing great taste in music and that I spent much more time singing to them than I would have had I been bored to tears singing "appropriate" songs.

Me: you are my sunshine...

My kid: I'm a star?! That makes no sense, what even is your stupid song.

And moreover, I'm YOUR star? What is this capitalist bullshit, should everyone have their own star now, can't we just share 1 absurdly massive pile of hydrogen? Damnit, wish I was born in the East. Bunch of loonatics here.

Meanwhile in the East - What te fuck mom.. WHO do you say is our frickin' star..?

I've only ever heard the first part sung. The second verse being sad feels more like a fun fact to me than anything.

The third verse seems like a thinly veiled threat to me:

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.

Damn, that song is vicious and exactly what a baby needs to hear to be ready for the world.

Really?

The first verse:

The other night, dear

As I lay sleeping

I dreamt I held you in my arms

But when I woke, dear

I was mistaken

So I hung my head and I cried

I always took it to mean the person is mourning the loss of a loved one and they dreamed they were still alive.

Also, I once heard that this song was about a horse named Sunshine. 🤷‍♂️

It goes on like this:

You told me once, dear, you really loved me
And no one else could come between
But now you've left me and love another
You have shattered all of my dreams

So it's really about a break up

But maybe they broke up with a horse, don't judge.

That's nothing. Have you heard about the song we song to babies about them falling to their death out of a tree?