☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a man who lives in New York but longs for his home in Oklahoma.
- It describes the hectic and uncomfortable atmosphere of the city while dreaming of a life under the Oklahoma sun.
- The protagonist imagines himself standing under the warm Oklahoma sun and meeting his family.
- He feels that a part of him flies back home when the cold wind blows in the big city.
- The song expresses the longing for home and the desire for simple and warm moments.
Interpretation
"Oklahoma Sunshine" by
Waylon Jennings is about a man who lives in New York but longs for his home in Oklahoma. He describes the hectic and uncomfortable atmosphere of the city while dreaming of a life under the Oklahoma sun.
The lyrics of the song begin with the man being courted by a New York woman, but he doesn't seem to reciprocate her affection. He describes her as a sad-looking girl with curlers in her hair. At the same time, he hears someone cooking cabbage rolls in the house and children running up and down the stairs.
The protagonist wishes he could escape this cursed city, but no matter how much he tries, it seems impossible. Nevertheless, in his thoughts, he always returns to Oklahoma when he lies down and closes his eyes.
He imagines himself standing in the warm sunshine of Oklahoma. He has just arrived by bus from another world, likely New York. He meets his mother and shakes his father's hand. He wipes the tears of an Oklahoma girl who obviously loves him.
The protagonist feels that a part of him flies back home when the cold wind blows in the big city. A New York woman thinks he's still with her just because he sleeps in her arms. But in reality, in his thoughts, he is in the Oklahoma sun, with the girl with blue eyes and golden hair who still loves him.
The song expresses the longing for home and the desire for simple and warm moments. Even though the protagonist is physically in New York, his mind is still in Oklahoma."