I think that might be why my American-born mother, Sue, didn’t sing “You Are My Sunshine” to her kids. In 1960 Jimmie Davis was elected Louisiana governor on a segregationist ticket. He used it as his campaign theme, often singing it while riding a horse called Sunshine. He recorded “You Are My Sunshine” in 1940, and the song propelled him to elected office in 1944 and again in 1960. Jimmie Davis was a well-known country singer and politician. In 1939 Rice sold the rights to the song to Charlie Mitchell and Jimmie Davis (a common practice in the music business of that era). However, the family of musician Oliver Hood, a colleague of Rice’s, have claimed that Hood actually wrote the song. “You Are My Sunshine” was written in the 1930s, but there are various accounts about who wrote it. The first time I noticed “You Are My Sunshine” was in the Coen Brothers’ 2000 film O Brother Where Art Thou? It’s a charming tragicomedy starring George Clooney and Holly Hunter.Ĭlooney’s character has a music group called the Soggy Mountain Boys, who sing “You Are My Sunshine” on a radio show, while on the run from the law. New Zealand musician Anika Moa sings a great version of “You Are My Sunshine” with customized lyrics on her kids’ album, Songs for Bubbas. According to, Ray’s is the most exciting “adult” version. It’s been covered by Bing Crosby, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Carly Simon, Aretha Franklin and many others. It’s one of the most frequently recorded songs in American popular music. This song has enjoyed enduring popularity for nine decades. “You Are My Sunshine” is often called “heartwarming”, but a close look at the lyrics after the first verse shows that they’re better described as “heartbreaking”.
(See later in this post for my theory about this.) Here’s my post Songs To Remember, about making music with my mother and the other people in the dementia unit.Įven though my mother knew “You Are My Sunshine” well, it wasn’t part of my childhood.
calls it “a lament, a lullaby and a singalong” all in one.Īt the dementia care facility where my mother, Sue, lived for four years, many residents knew all the words to all four verses, when they couldn’t remember what day it was. “You Are My Sunshine” has been described as “the ultimate crossover song”. Everyone knows the chorus.Īnd it has an interesting backstory. It’s a children’s song, and it’s also very popular with the older generation.
“You Are My Sunshine” is one of the most useful songs you can play on ukulele.
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