Someone will call
Somethin' will fall
And smash on the floor

Without readin' the text
Know what comes next
Seen it before
And it's painful

Things must change
We must rearrange them
Or we'll have to estrange them

All that I'm sayin'
A game's not worth playin'
Over and over again

You're the one I like best
You retain my interest
You're the only one

If it wasn't for you
Don't know what I'd do
Unpredictable like the sun
And the rainfall

Things must change
We must rearrange them
Or we'll have to estrange them

All that I'm sayin'
A game's not worth playin'
Over and over again

Things must change
Things must change
Things must change
Things must change

If it wasn't for you (things must change)
Don't know what I'd do (things must change)
Unpredictable like the sun (things must change)

(Things must change) someone will call
Somethin' will fall
And smash on the floor (things must change)
Without readin' the text
Know what comes next
Seen it before (things must change)
You're the one I like best (all that I'm sayin')
You retain my interest (a game's not worth playin')
If it wasn't for you (all that I'm sayin')
Don't know what I'd do (a game's not worth playin')
Over and over again (unpredictable like the sun)
(Things must change)

Someone will call (all that I'm sayin')
Somethin' will fall (over and over again)
And smash on the floor (things must change)

Without readin' the text (all that I'm sayin')
(A game's not worth playin')
Know what comes next (over and over again)
Seen it before (things must change)

You're the one I like best (all that I'm sayin')
(A game's not worth playin') you retain my interest
(Over and over again) you're the only one (things must change)

If it wasn't for you (all that I'm sayin')
(A game's not worth playin') don't know what I'd do
Unpredictable like the sun (things must change)
Somethin' will fall (over and over again)
And smash on the floor (things must change)


Lyrics submitted by Fistan

The Sun and the Rainfall Lyrics as written by Martin Gore

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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The Sun and the Rainfall song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • +4
    Memory

    Those last seven lines of pure Martin magic, conversationally delivered by Dave's effortless baritone and accompanied by Alan's brilliant melody...i admit to using these very same words when proposing to my wife 15 years ago (she'd never heard of Dep Mode thank god!)

    london2012on August 16, 2012   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning

    I don't think either of you are right or wrong on the meaning of this song's wonderful lyrics. Often cited as one of DM's best older songs, it's meaning is probably what you make of it... like the vast majority of their works.

    Hellexiseon November 11, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This is one of my favorite DM songs ever.

    tejdog1on June 26, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It's a love song. The singer is bored, and the only thing that interests him is his love interest, because she's "unpredictable like the sun and the rainfall".

    It's not clear to me what he's bored with; I think it's the current state of his relationship with his love interest, and/or life in general.

    KofiAnnanon April 21, 2011   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    Based on the previous songs on the album, especially how "Shouldn't have done that" is about a political war Messiah like Hitler and ends with audio similar to a barren, wind swept wasteland; I believe this song is about a nuclear war. Think about the time; Reagan-Gorbachev, Cold War. "Someone will call": the red telephone between he White House and the Kremlin. "Something will fall and smash on the floor": bombs. "Without reading the text know what comes next, seen it before": war, it's always war. "Things must change"...etc.: there has to be a different solution to annihilation. "Unpredictable like the Sun and the rainfall": after global nuclear war and the dust in the sky, the sunlight and the (rain)fallout will be beyond the knowledge of meteorologists. Though I will admit, I loved listening to this song when I was in a failing relationship or situation without a solution.

    DoctorRussellon July 18, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    You guys are so far from the truth, being a die hard DM fan, I know exactly what this song is about. This song is about boredom, and routine, and how "painfull" it becomes. The "Someone will call, something will fall, smash on the floor, without reading the text, know what comes next" line, is a metaphor about your everyday work/life and how frustrating it can be. Then, the author tell us that things must change, and the sacrifices we do everyday aren't worth at all. He definitely wants to change his life! The next lines appear in a more advanced time in the authors life, when he already found something, or someone, that gave a meaning to his life. Otherwise, the author would do something else, would take an "unpredictable" attitude in his life to change things as they were. The weather factores in this song just work perfectly! The wind sound gives the listener a feeling of peace but at the same time, apathy (that's what the author feels - is life is so quiet and uninteresting he can even listen to the wind passing through the trees). The sun & rainfall are a brilliant metaphor for good/evil, happiness/sadness, motivation/boredom.

    jotenkoon January 20, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I TOO am a Diehard DM fan jotenko. Just exactly HOW do you know that your intepretation is correct? Got any evidence to back this up? Its about how romantic relationship changes over time but some things are still the same. Like his feelings for the subject he speaks to in this song. "the sun and the rainfall" is very much a metaphor for the changing of seasons.

    Sozlukon May 14, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think it's about a difficult relationship. Even though he loves her, if things don't change it's going to have to end.

    RachelCon January 28, 2017   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Of all the love songs Depeche Mode have written, this one is my favorite. Its a very mature song, about someone the protagonist has known a long time and cares for very deeply. He is explaining how he doesnt want to make the same mistakes he made before with other people. As his fondness for this person has endured time and change.

    Sozlukon November 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is one of my favs as well. I freaking love DM. One of the best DM lines of all time:

    Without reading the text Know what comes next seen it before and it's painful

    0942on November 11, 2007   Link

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