[Verse]
You were the smallest one, my little Gunther
Born last in the straw, barely a breath
But oh, that heart of yours thundered louder
Than all of your brothers combined till their death
You chased every dream like a leaf on wild water
Refused to drift quiet, refused to just float
You barked at the moon like you already owned her
Said “Mama, I’ll be more than the blood in my coat”
[Chorus]
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You made me happy when skies were cold and gray
You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you
Now the heavens came down and stole my sunshine away
[Verse]
I see you still running through tall summer grasses
Tail helicopter-wild, ears flopped in the wind
You wanted the badge, the night shift, the flashes
Wanted to guard the world that I failed to defend
I told your father, “He’s built for the big things”
He growled, “He’s too soft, he’ll break in the storm”
But you proved him wrong with every heartbeat
Till fate proved him right in its cruelest form
[Chorus]
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You made me happy when nights were long and gray
You’ll never know, dear, how much your mama loved you
Please God, don’t keep my sunshine away
[Verse]
The river took you where leaves finally settle
Under the bridge where the streetlights don’t reach
I dig at the dark with these trembling claws
Howling your name till my voice can’t speak
I’d trade every year of my guarding and growling
To feel your small body curled warm at my side
My brave little dreamer, my sweetest, my proudest
Come back to your mama… come back to my sunshine
[Chorus]
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
[Verse]
The stars are all wrong now
The skies forever gray
You’ll never know, dear
How much I love you
And no morning ever
Will bring my sunshine back again