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You Are My Sunshine
Title: "You Are My Sunshine"
Artist: Jimmie Davis
Year: 1940
Label: Decca
Genre: Country
The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
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
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
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 my dreams
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
Although recorded first by the Pine Ridge Boys in 1939, Jimmie Davis obtained the copyright to "You Are My Sunshine" in 1940 and released a recording of the song that same year on Decca Records. A number of other recording artists, including Gene Autry and Bing Crosby, released versions around the same time, propelling the song to great success on the country charts. Later the song became a crossover hit. According to BMI, as many as 350 different recording artists have covered the song in thirty different languages. The song's popularity helped Davis get elected Governor in Louisiana. He performed the song while campaigning, securing two separate terms, the first in 1944 and the second in 1960. Louisiana recognized "You Are My Sunshine" as a state song in 1977.
The lyrics capture an element of bitter-sweet love that relates to the overarching themes present in A Lesson Before Dying. The famous chorus suggests a simple love, the central metaphor comparing the singer's lover to fair weather. However, the last line of the chorus hints at the potential for sadness with its plea: "please don't take my sunshine away." The verses construct a narrative that ends with exactly that heartbreaking outcome, noting the singer's "shattered dreams." A Lesson turns on a similarly bitter-sweet expression of love. Although Jefferson redeems himself as a man and earns respect from his community, he is still sentenced to death. The butterfly at the end of the novel—"a yellow butterfly with dark specks like ink dots on its wings"—serves as a beautiful symbol of the redemption of a man sentenced to death while also allowing the readers to experience sadness at the conclusion of the novel (252).
Reverend Ambrose's idea of redemption for Jefferson creates a related link to the song. Many listeners have noticed the hymn-like structure of the song and how the chorus, divorced from the doomed romance of the verses, functions as a kind of prayer. Davis capitalized on this connection by recording a gospel version of the tune in 1974 titled "Christ Is My Sunshine." Ambrose, as a Christian, make his number one priority to convince Grant to save Jefferson's soul. He is focused on Jefferson's soul being redeemed in God's eyes rather than working to redeem Jefferson as a man. Ambrose's faith in religion as a salve during difficult times resonates with the idea of love offering a ray of sunshine amid grey skies. Moreover, Ambrose's faith gives him strength to attend Jefferson's execution, whereas Grant cannot face that loss so directly. Although Jefferson's religious feelings are never entirely clear, he does find the courage to stand at his last moment. Tellingly, the end of his journal notes the sun coming up and the clear "blu blu" sky on his execution day. His final lines reflect clarity and peace even as they recognize how injustice shattered his dreams.
