The Sun's Symbolism in "Sunshower" by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band

Here is a writing assignment that I made for my English Composition class.  We were prompted to write an analytical paper on a poem or song.  I chose a "Sunshower" by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band

 Much like extracting a plant's chemical essence for medicinal value, a "Sunshower" can provide the "power of loving" that heals the body and mind.  Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band's singer, Cory Daye, genuinely portrays the sense of hopefulness that the sun brings to any situation.  In an effort to promote positivity in all realms of life, the sun is used as the symbolic driving force of the song's theme.

The sun is the provider of all.  Without it, nothing exists, as far as we know it.  Cory Daye's first quatrain of the verse states "When my eyes went out to you/ I made up my mind/ That every little thing I do/ be designed to glorify you."  Once something shifts the brain into feeling good, there seems to be an urge to attach one's self to the cause of the change.  In this song's case, it is the "Sunshower" that causes the change.  An a-b-a-a rhyme scheme is used for both sets of quatrains of each verse.  On the second quatrain, of the first verse, is the beginning of where Daye initiates scenarios in which the "Sunshower" conquers any feeling of dread.

The two opposing forces in the song are Light vs. Dark.  "My whole life through/ I've been walking in the rain..." is a disheartening notion that is immediately uplifted with the lines "...until the day I chanced on you/ and the sun came pouring down too."  There is a redeeming factor in that follow-up line.  Since rain doesn’t literally last forever, Daye is exaggerating natural events.  That exaggeration serves as the symbol that describes her sadness.  After a storm vanishes, the sun always appears to shine down brighter than ever before, both figuratively and other wise.

The chorus, or refrain, is emphasized eight times throughout “Sunshower.”  With further thought into the meaning of the refrain, one could interpret that the refrain is used to create an atmosphere that lends itself to celebration.  Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band celebrates the “Sunshower” in a therapeutic, repetitive manner.  Much like a monk repeats a mantra for the purpose of reaffirming a belief; the song’s chorus gives off the same sensation of mental strength training.  “Sunshower, just a sign of the power of loving you, oh, baby/ Sunshower got me by the hour, wanting you, oh, baby,” is the refrain itself.

Arriving on the second verse’s first quatrain, again, the audience will discover how enamored Daye is with this feeling of new found joy.  Now, she feels empowered and comfortable with this new source of well-being.  Passionately sung, “Ohh, a passing word from you/ Makes my day worthwhile/ It takes all of my deadened doom/ on a ride to a faraway moon,” seems to indicate that Cory Daye is smiling as she sings the quatrain.  It’s romantic to think that a single and short-lived interaction with a person, place, or thing has the energy to sustain an indefinite reel of joy in a person.  This entity is her super hero who can compact all of her sadness and take it to a faraway dump site which harbors negative thoughts.

Treading on similar ground with the past quatrain, these last set of lyrics are made to project and glorify her mood.  The only difference now is that Daye declares her new philosophy once and for all.  “On a dark and troubled sea/ You gave me the light/ And now I’m sailing so fast and free/ Leaving stormy skies behind me!” tells a great amount about her release from the shackles of her old mentality.  Now Daye, and everyone involved, from the musicians to the listener, can thrive with this endless source of good energy.  Now that the sun has filled her with joy, she is ready to shed her old veil of darkness and flaunt her radiant new outlook on life. 

In the last verse, there are several displays of alliteration to note.  The phrases are: “deadened doom”, “fast and free”, and “stormy skies.”

Throughout the song, Daye brings forth a winning attitude.  She uses the sun as the wind behind her sails that propels her into much more tranquil waters.  Who could resist that feeling of excitement that Daye convincingly makes evident?  All it takes is a strong belief in knowing that everything could be made better.  All attitudes could easily be changed.  Finding the enabling source is the first step to finding the answer to a problem.