“Sunshine” by Jonathan Edwards

First off, let it be known that according to his own explanation of “Sunshine”, Jonathon Edwards didn’t necessarily intend for it to be taken as an anti-war song, as it is generally interpreted. Rather, he is one of those types of artists who is fascinated by listeners interpreting his works as they will.

But there is still a history behind this piece. And the way it reads is as if Edwards avoided being sent to Vietnam by rebelling to the point of being physically assaulted by the drafters. Or as Jonathan himself had put it, he “had just undergone a really-violent draft board pre-induction physical”, which resulted in him “end(ing) up in an emergency room and… in a sanitarium”. 

Using basic logic, what it seems he is saying is that he was beaten for refusing to go to war.

Edwards talks about “Sunshine”

During this 2017 interview, Edwards goes on to imply that he intentionally made the wording of this song ambiguous in the name of tricking DJs into playing it. And why? Apparently DJs weren’t prone to spinning anti-government songs.

And yes, in a way he does contradict his previous disposition by suggesting this is in fact an anti-government tune. Songwriters tend to do that sometimes when they’re asked about the same classic works over and over again.

“Sunshine” is an Anti-Authority Song?

But that noted, “Sunshine” doesn’t read as much as an anti-war song as it does an anti-authority piece. Relatedly, we can say that there are two main factors sucking the “sunshine” or happiness out of the vocalist’s life. 

First is the fact that “some man” is attempting to exercise dominion over him. This selfsame entity, which we will postulate is the government, is also “try(ing) to run his life”. This entity does so by making an effort to force Jonathan to “get in line”. 

And again, such a statement comes off like your quintessential anti-government sentiment. But given the backdrop mentioned above, it is also reasonable to conclude that Jon is referring to the draft board, i.e. the US Government in particular.

And that brings us to the second factor. It is not only the fact that someone is trying to run the vocalist that has him peeved but also the nature of said entity. For it is one that makes Edwards question that if he does actually serve him, what will it do with the product of his labors? Or let’s say, getting straight to the point, that he is not privy to the idea of engaging in any activity where what he is endeavoring towards will be used in Vietnam. And that is because he is not convinced of the morality behind the war in the first place.

In Conclusion

So to simply label this song anti-war is not entirely holistic. Perhaps the vocalist would fight in a war, if he believed in what he was fighting for. But at the same time, due to the overall ambiguity of the lyrics, labeling it anti-Vietnam wouldn’t be precisely accurate either. 

In fact in the chorus, it appears that Jonathan throws a roundabout jab at the US President at the time, Richard Nixon. And putting all of these ideas together – the lack of affinity for authority, the disapproval of a currently-waging war, lack of care for the President and the economic undertones throughout – makes this song come off as an anti-establishment tract, i.e. one against the military-industrial complex, if you will. 

Indeed the 1960s was perhaps the first woke period in American history. And rebels like Jonathan Edwards knew at that time that the government was not being totally truthful in terms of why the Vietnam War was being waged. 

So ultimately, it can be said that he is attacking a system, i.e. the concurrent state of the US government, more so than a particular event or person.

“Sunshine” Facts

Artist(s): Jonathan Edwards
Writing: This song was authored by Jonathan Edwards
Production: Peter Casperson
Release: January 1 of 1971
Album/EP: “Jonathan Edwards”

Genre(s) 

• Pop
• Country rock
• Country folk

Movies

Jonathan Edwards’ “Sunshine” was featured in the 2004 American satirical film, “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”, produced by Judd Apatow.

Popular Covers of “Sunshine”

• Eric Nyberg – December, 2015
• Larry L – April, 2010
• John G. Chapman – June, 2009
• James James – February, 2016
• YourGuitarSage – October, 2009
• Larry Cox – July, 2014

Chart Performance

• Canada – 3
• Ireland – 4
• U.S. – 4

The “Jonathan Edwards” Album

Jonathan Edwards released the country folk song Sunshine in November 1971 as the first single off his 1971 self-titled album, Jonathan Edwards. The album was a success mainly due to the attention it received for Sunshine.

The album was recorded at Intermedia Sound Inc. in Boston and produced by Peter Casperson. Most of the songs were penned by Jonathan himself, except for Athens Country, Emma, Don’t Cry Blue, and Sometimes, which were jointly written by Edwards and Joe Dolce, Bob Brannon, and Malcolm McKinney.

The album peaked at number 40 on the Australian Kent Music Report Charts in 1972.

Its most successful single, Sunshine, eventually won a gold record and peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1972. It also reached number 3 on the Canada RPM Top Singles chart and hit number 4 on the Irish Singles Charts.

Apparently, the song was not initially scheduled for release. However, an engineer mistakenly erased the mastered version of a track titled Please Find Me, and Sunshine was the track used to replace it.

Protests against President Richard Nixon’s 1972 Re-Election Campaign

After serving as the 36th Vice President from 1953 to 1961, Richard Milhous Nixon was elected as the 37th President from 1969 to 1974. President Richard Nixon’s re-election campaign team, referred to as the Committee to Re-elect the President (CRP), used the President’s platform to raise funds.

While still President in 1970, the CRP began planning and setting up an office which was completed in 1971. The committee was reported to have dabbled in money laundering, using illegal means of concealing the funds they obtained by transiting them through complicated commercial transactions.

President Nixon’s administration was also involved in a major political scandal, the Watergate Scandal which later on led to his resignation. All these factors accounted for the protests against his re-election campaign in 1972.

President Nixon’s CRP committee and their dubious operations festered more protests from the public. The CRP engaged in illegal evidence collection and was investigated by the FBI.

Nixon’s campaign highlight to form a group of the “new majority” of working-class whites was resisted by “The Democrats” who promoted their initiative to institute new codes on how delegates were chosen. The Democrats were led by President Nixon’s opposing candidate Senator George McGovern.