So who's that girl there?
I wonder what went wrong
So that she had to roam the streets
She don't do major credit cards
I doubt she does receipts
It's all not quite legitimate
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance
I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes, yeah
That he's got a driving ban
Amongst some other offences

And I've seen him with girls of the night
He told Roxanne to put on her red light
They're all infected but he'll be alright
Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know
I said he's a scumbag, don't you know!

Although you're trying not to listen
I bet your eyes are staring at the ground
She makes a subtle proposition
I'm sorry love I'll have to turn you down

And oh he must be up to something
Want half a chance to show he's more than likely
I've got a feeling in my stomach
I start to wonder what his story might be
What his story might be

They said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Around

And look here comes a Ford Mondeo
Isn't he Mister Inconspicuous
And he don't have to say 'owt
She's in the stance ready to get picked up

And she's delighted when she sees him
Pulling in and giving her the eye
Because she must be fucking freezing
Scantily clad beneath the clear night sky
She don't stop in the winter no and...

They said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here

They said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Over the river going out of town
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here

And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance
I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes that he's got a nasty plan
I hope you're not involved at all



Lyrics submitted by obsessed

Track duration: 03:32

"When the Sun Goes Down" as written by Alex / Turner

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

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When the Sun Goes Down song meanings
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73 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment:This song is basically in defense of prostitutes and criticism of the pimp...

    "I wonder what went wrong so that she had to roam the streets, she don't do major credit cards, I doubt she does receipts, it's not quite legitimate."
    --the prostitute in question didnt do anything wrong necessarily to deserve what she has to do for a living--she lives honestly outside of per proffession...essentially she is victim of an unfortunate fate.


    "He told Roxanne to put on her red light (The Police reference), they're all infected but he'll be alright because hes a scumbag, don't you know?...etc." ... "and look here comes a Ford Mondeo"
    --the pimp, a nearly exact opposite of the prostitute forementioned, is corrupted..."I bet he'll rob you if he can". His lifestyle is centered around abuse of the misfortune of the girls he works with, and he wins out from it.

    Essentially the song is just about basically how unfair the world, particularly the "prostitution industry" is. The good are forced to freeze to death while waiting to get picked up to sell their bodies, while the corrupt chill in their nice warm cars and rip people off (and these girls) to fund his decadence.
    Flag triemsmaon December 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song has my name in it... hehe!
    ...Not that that is anything to be proud of mind, I still hate my parents for naming me after a prozzie. :P
    Flag RoxyDoodleon January 18, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:He actually says Summit, not something.
    During, And oh he must be up to something(Summit)
    Flag Dragonslayer10on October 29, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:nice reference to The Police in there ;D
    Flag iamawesome666on July 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:This is just an interpretation sooo don't get me wrong I don't wanna start anything negative.
    My personal interpretation (probably due to the fact that I am eternally glued to the Crime Channel)
    Was that this regarded Steve Wright (the Suffolk Strangler)
    Cause he drove a Ford Mondeo and picked up prostitutes... That was part of the evidence they built against him that they had CCTV of him driving his Mondeo to pick up prostitutes in the red light district. Clearly that was a nasty plan. Also... I believe he had committed other offenses, most of them have. Anyway... yeah.
    Flag TashhStarron April 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think its about girl who is a hooker and her pimp. the speaker trying to say not to trust the pimp cos hes a scumbag. "he told roxanne to put on the red light" is an obvious allusion back to the police's "roxanne" where the speaker is falling in love with a hooker. i think. the girls of the night are hookers. "just give him half a chance I'll bet he'll rob you if he can" means if you trust him in the least bit he'll back stab you. "Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a driving ban,amongst some other offenses" means you can tell by the look of him hes had trouble with the law. some of it i dont know but thats the basics of the song.
    Flag thestrokes241on April 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is clearly about a girl who somehow got drawn into prostitution and a man who won't take no for an answer.

    If you've ever seen the video it really opens up more of a meaning ...and it's kind of funny when the "scummy man" comes out in his pink feather boa.

    anyway, this song obviously is about prostitution and even makes a reference to the Police song, "Roxanne" which is about a hooker.
    Flag arcticmonkeysgirlon February 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is clearly about a girl who somehow got drawn into prostitution and a man who won't take no for an answer.

    If you've ever seen the video it really opens up more of a meaning ...and it's kind of funny when the "scummy man" comes out in his pink feather boa.

    anyway, this song obviously is about prostitution and even makes a reference to the Police song, "Roxanne" which is about a hooker.
    Flag arcticmonkeysgirlon February 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song must be about a nice girl that for some yet unidentified reasons has been brought into prostitution, and a bad Ford Mondeo driving male who is not going to accept being turned down by no prostitute...

    He picks her up some days later, and now you can not only see in his eyes that "he's got a driving ban amongst some other offences", but also that he has a nasty plan. The singer/story teller hopes the girl is not involved at all, but when the sun goes down he drives over the river and out of town. We can only speculate on what happens to the girl, but it is no doubt a part of the terrible occupational risks of being a street prostitute.
    Flag croesuson November 21, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:virtually every town in england can relate to this song.

    i actaully know someone who got given a "subtle proposition" only to say "sorry love i'll have to turn you down". lol
    Flag sgtpotteron November 03, 2008   Link

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