Glancing very briefly at the songs I write: Sunrise

[Deliphus01@aol.com]

As promised, here is a quick look at the song Sunrise, hopefully the first of 
a series. Please feel free to jump in with what you've gotten out of the 
song.


"You take away the breath I was keeping for sunrise"

Brilliant! When one is in the early stages of an intense romance, the other 
takes your breath away. And of course comparing the beauty of a sunrise 
(granting a perfect sunrise) to the joy the return brings.

"You appear and the morning looks drab in my eyes"

Reinforces the comparison.

"Then again I'll turn down love having seen you again
Once more you'll disappear
My morning put to shame"

Feeling as if he's wasted the chance to be dazzled by the sunrise, or more 
generally that he's wasting time getting excited about the return.

"Sometimes I feel this will go on my life through
Each day I spend in an echoing vision of you"

Once again, great imagery...especially during the "acid age."

"And then again I'll turn down love
Remembering your smile
My every day is spent
Thinking of you all the while"

Still completely in love with her. This is the hardest part of a breakup to 
get through. It doesn't help if the other keeps giving one hope that she 
might return.

"Some times I've let myself down
My head spinning round
My eyes seeing only you
The chances I've lost
Opportunities tossed away and into the blue"

When he's thinking rationally, he understands the need to move on and resents 
how he's being treated, but when she comes back he loses his resolve every 
time. He's obviously passed on chances for new relationships too, in hope for 
the ultimate return of his loved one.

Overall, I'd say this is the most intense and personal of Townshend's songs 
concerning relationships. I know that it hits me right in the gut, because 
I've lived it (in essence). Anyone ever treated this way can instantly relate 
to the words. The rest, you lucky devils, can at least appreciate the baring 
the soul honesty Townshend displays here. It's more mature than any song from 
a major artist (save Dylan) at this point.
Add to this the bare bones acoustic version, rather risky in 1967 when most 
were overdubbing psychedelic sounds whenever possible (see: Armenia City In 
The Sky), and you've got quite a special song.


    "They have miscalculated me as a leader."
             George "Mr. Salty" Bush

         
               Cheers                 ML