Reception Radio: Sunlight, by Hozier

A favorite songwriter takes on Icarus

It’s winter here in Vancouver. Persephone has made her journey deep into the Underworld, leaving us mortals in the cold. I’m already starting to plot and scheme for the winter holidays; unfortunately for Reception Radio, there’s not a whole lot of ancient Greek or Roman engagement to be found in Christmas music, and modern Saturnalia tunes are a little hard to come by. So instead of something themed around the season, here’s a warm, light-filled song to tide you through the dark of winter.

If you prefer YouTube, here’s the full song.

Given the amount of literary and mythological references in Hozier’s lyrics, this is bound to be far from his last appearance here. In Sunlight, I appreciate his spin on the Icarus myth. The singer is magnetically drawn to someone like a moth to a flame. The verse that mentions Icarus depicts him as a willing lover of the sun, as opposed to other stories where he’s portrayed as a reckless youth who doesn’t know better when he flies too high. Is Hozier suggesting that Icarus and Helios had a little something going on? Or is he just reframing the myth for the sake of a cozy metaphor? Regardless, this song is keeping me warm through the winter, and I hope it does the same for you.

Sunlight Lyrics:

I would shun the light, share in evening's cool and quiet
Who would trade that hum of night?
For sunlight, sunlight, sunlight
But whose heart would not take flight?
Betray the moon as acolyte
On first and fierce affirming sight
Of sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

I had been lost to you, sunlight
And flew like a moth to you, sunlight, oh, sunlight
Oh, your love is sunlight
Oh, your love is sunlight
But it is sunlight

All the tales the same
Told before and told again
A soul that's born in cold and rain
Knows sunlight, sunlight, sunlight
And at last can grant a name
To a buried and a burning flame
As love and its decisive pain
Oh, my sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

All that was shown to me, sunlight
Was somethin' foreknown to me, sunlight, oh sunlight
Oh, your love is sunlight
Oh, your love is sunlight
But it is sunlight
Oh, your love is sunlight
Oh, your love is sunlight
But it is sunlight, sunlight

Oh, and these colors fade for you only
Hold me, carry me slowly, my sunlight
Oh, all these colors fade for you only
Hold me, carry me slowly, my sunlight

Each day, you'd rise with me
Know that I would gladly be
The Icarus to your certainty
Oh, my sunlight, sunlight, sunlight
Strap the wing to me
Death trap clad happily
With wax melted, I'd meet the sea
Under sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

Oh, your love is sunlight
Oh, your love is sunlight
But it is sunlight