8 - Cream -"The Sunshine of Your Love"

"Sunshine of Your Love" is a 1967 song by the British rock band Cream, written by Jack Bruce, Pete Brown and Eric Clapton. It was originally released on the album Disraeli Gears in November 1967 and was later released as a single in January 1968. It features a distinctive electric/bass guitar riff and a guitar solo from Clapton.

Most of the lyrics to "Sunshine of Your Love" were written during an all-night creative session between Bruce and Brown, a poet who worked with the band: "I picked up my double bass and played the riff. Pete looked out the window and the sun was coming up. He wrote 'It's getting near dawn and lights close their tired eyes…'" Clapton later wrote the song's refrain which also yielded the song's title.

It's gettin' near dawn,
When lights close their tired eyes.
I'll soon be with you my love,
To give you my dawn surprise.
I'll be with you darling soon,
I'll be with you when the stars start falling.

I've been waiting so long
To be where I'm going
In the sunshine of your love.

I'm with you my love,
The light's shinin' through on you.
Yes, I'm with you my love,
It's the morning and just we two.
I'll stay with you darling now,
I'll stay with you till my seeds are all dried up.

I've been waiting so long
To be where I'm going
In the sunshine of your love.


The chorus of "Sunshine of your love" is metaphoric. Another way of understanding the theme behind this would be to "Enveloped in love" or "Wrapped in love" or indeed to have a "Full revelation of love". A "transfiguration of love" if you like. The words in the second verse "The light's shinin' through on you"  speak about fullness of light and of course in the song this light is seen as love. Fulness of light and love. This is reminiscent of the Transfiguration of Jesus.

We find the transfiguration In the Gospels Matthew 17:1–9, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28–36. 

About a week after Jesus plainly told His disciples that He would suffer, be killed, and be raised to life (Luke 9:22), He took Peter, James and John up a mountain to pray. While praying, His personal appearance was changed into a glorified form, and His clothing became dazzling white. A bit like in the song "The light's shinin' through on you". Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus about His death that would soon take place. Peter, not knowing what he was saying and being very fearful, offered to put up three shelters for them. This is undoubtedly a reference to the booths that were used to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, when the Israelites dwelt in booths for 7 days (Lev. 23:34–42). Peter was expressing a wish to stay in that place. When a cloud enveloped them, a voice said, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen, whom I love; listen to Him!” The cloud lifted, Moses and Elijah had disappeared, and Jesus was alone with His disciples who were still very much afraid. Jesus warned them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after His resurrection. 

Undoubtedly, the purpose of the transfiguration of Christ into at least a part of His heavenly glory was so that the “inner circle” of His disciples could gain a greater understanding of who Jesus was. This is also true for the song as well, the lyrics in the song sing of someone who comes to fuller appreciation of who he is with. 

Christ underwent a dramatic change in appearance in order that the disciples could behold Him in His glory. "In the Sunshine of your love" The disciples, who had only known Him in His human body, now had a greater realization of the deity of Christ, though they could not fully comprehend it. That gave them the reassurance they needed after hearing the shocking news of His coming death.

Symbolically, the appearance of Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets. But God’s voice from heaven – “Listen to Him!” - clearly showed that the Law and the Prophets must give way to Jesus. The One who is the new and living way is replacing the old – He is the fulfillment of the Law and the countless prophecies in the Old Testament. Also, in His glorified form they saw a preview of His coming glorification and enthronement as King of kings and Lord of lords.

The disciples never forgot what happened that day on the mountain and no doubt this was intended. John wrote in his gospel, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only” (John 1:14). Peter also wrote of it, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain” (2 Peter 1:16-18). Those who witnessed the transfiguration bore witness to it to the other disciples and to countless millions down through the centuries.

The song "Sunshine of your love" sings of a fuller appreciation of the person who the lover is going to be with. The transfiguration passage tells of the disciples fuller appreciation of Jesus.

Oh that the clouds would lift for all of us. That the curtain or veil would lift and we would see Jesus as he is. That we all could come to a fuller understanding of Jesus and his importance in heaven and on earth. That we also could come to a fuller knowledge of his love for the whole world of which we are a part.  That we might bask "In the sunshine of His Love" and at the same time invite others to do so as well. Perhaps like the disciples Peter and John a revelation of the love of Jesus will change everything, including life it's self.  One can only hope.




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