☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about the feeling of emptiness and abandonment after losing a loved one.
- The metaphorical representation of the sun and sky as 'paper' conveys the impression of illusion and unreality.
- The singer feels uncomfortable in this false reality, where he is isolated and unable to fit in.
- The lines of the text highlight the singer's desperate hope that pain and rain could bring back his beloved.
- The text ends by emphasizing the inevitability of loss and the singer's deep sorrow.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Paper Sun" by
Nazareth are about a feeling of emptiness and abandonment after losing a loved one. The text describes a "paper sun" and a "paper sky", which indicate an empty spot that the singer cannot explain. The metaphorical depiction of the sun and sky as "paper" gives the impression of falseness and unreality, pointing to the emotional void the singer feels.
The lines "Can't help me now she's gone, I'm on my own" and "Can't help me now, I'm all alone" illustrate the feeling of helplessness and loneliness the singer experiences after losing his beloved. He is now on his own and can no longer rely on her support.
The text also mentions a "painted moon" and a "painted night", which also point to an artificial and unreal world. The singer feels uncomfortable in this false reality, where he has an "empty record" that doesn't feel right to him. This could indicate that he feels isolated from other people and is unable to navigate this world after his beloved has gone.
The lines "And all the pain and all the rain that falls, Can't bring her back, she don't want me at all" illustrate the singer's desperate hope that the pain and rain he goes through could bring back his beloved. But he realizes that she no longer wants him and that he has to deal with this loss on his own.
The text ends with the repeated lines "And all the pain and all the rain that falls, Can't bring her back, she don't want me at all", emphasizing the finality of the loss and highlighting the singer's deep sorrow. He is trapped in a world that feels empty and meaningless without his beloved.