Difference between revisions of "Longtime Sunshine"

Revision as of 19:11, 21 January 2009

"Longtime Sunshine" was written by Rivers Cuomo in 1995.

Appearences

• Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo
• Songs from the Black Hole (Tracklist 1)
• Songs from the Black Hole (Tracklist 1) (Reprise)

Overview

Longtime Sunshine was written in January of 1994. At the time, Rivers was feeling very nervous about the uncertainty of his future. Said Rivers,

"I started longing for the safety, peace, quiet, simplicity and family structure of my New England childhood. I thought back to one of my favorite memories, lying in the bottom bunk, my brother in the top, in our bedroom in our farmhouse in Eastford, Connecticut, in the hot, hot, summer, 7, 8 p.m., sun still up, but having to go to sleep because it's our bedtime, one of those big box fans blowing, and my parents, Ma and Steve, sitting at our bedside, singing an old hippie song to us, to calm us down and ease us into sleep, "May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You." ...I wrote it on my mom's piano when I was back in Connecticut at Christmas."

Closing SFTBH

"Longtime Sunshine" is a slow, piano-driven ballad about Jonas' dissatisfaction with life, wanting to return to times when things were more simple for them. It is assumed that the song would be from Jonas' point of view after the chaotic events of the whole opera. The song acts as a contrary to Jonas' feelings about the space mission in the very first track, "Blast Off!", simply wanting to give everything up and return to simpler times. The track was later dropped from the Track List 2.

The song was leaked onto the internet by Cuomo before being officially released as a demo on Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo.

Although "Longtime Sunshine" appears on Track List 1 (even getting a reprise), there is debate over whether it was ever supposed to fit in the Songs from the Black Hole universe. It is assumed that this song, much like Tired of Sex and Devotion, was originally a reflection of Rivers Cuomo and then later into SFTBH.

Special Coda Mix

A "Special Coda Mix" of the song was experimented with at the time of SFTBH, consisting of an overlapping medley of vocals from "Longtime Sunshine", "Why Bother?", "Waiting on You", "Blast Off!", and possibly other songs. Both the "Special Coda Mix" and the reprise have yet to be released, but they are confirmed to be on Rivers' list of four and five star demos.

Personnel

• Rivers Cuomo – piano, lead vocals, percussion, bass guitar

Lyrics

<lyrics>Sometimes I wanna pack it all up, get on a bus and move to Vermont. Or Maine, or any of those states back east that I remember. Sometimes I wanna go back to school, an east coast college with some history. I'd be satisfied, I know, in the simple things.

Longtime Sunshine. Longtime Sunshine upon me.

Sometime I wanna build a house with a wood stove or a fire place. In the middle of the living room an old piano. Sometimes it don't seem so bad to settle down with a good woman; Leave this lonely life behind forever, and ever.

Longtime Sunshine. Longtime Sunshine upon me.

Sometimes I wanna get in a car, close my eyes and drive real fast; Keep on going 'til I get someplace where I can truly rest.

Longtime Sunshine. Longtime Sunshine upon me. </lyrics>