Sun Bleached Flies (song)

**"Sun Bleached Flies"** is a song written and produced by Ethel Cain from her debut studio album, *Preacher's Daughter*.

## Background and inspiration

The song was written in the summer of 2020 in the first week of quarantine. It was inspired by the work of Sam Cooke and Prince.

In June 2022, Ethel posted a download link consisting of *Preacher's Daughter* demos which included a demo of this song. The last change to the track file was made in June 2021.

On December 31, 2022, an instrumental and a capella of the song leaked.

## Theme

On the album’s second-to-last track, Ethel laments her detachment from faith and community. She contemplates how she will fight the demons that have stained her existence and how she will rescue herself from the pain of the past and present. Cain ultimately makes peace with her death and reflects on her life, family, and the man she never stopped loving, Willoughby.

## Official versions

* Album version — 7:36
	+ Instrumental version — 7:36
	+ A capella — 7:36
* Demo version — 4:46

## Lyrics

[Verse 1]

Sun bleached flies sitting in the windowsill

Waiting for the day they escape

They talk all about that money and how their babies are always changing while they're breathing in the poison of the paint

What I wouldn't give to be in Church this Sunday

Listening to the choir, so heartfelt, all singing

God loves you, but not enough to save you

So, baby girl, good luck taking care of yourself

[Chorus]

So I said fine, 'cause that's how my daddy raised me

If they strike once then you just hit 'em twice as hard

But in the end, if I bend under the weight that they gave me

Then this heart would break and fall as twice as far

[Verse 2]

We all know how it goes

The more it hurts, the less it shows

But I still feel like they all know, and that's why I can never go back home

And I spend my life watching it go by from the sidelines

And God, I've tried, but I think it's about time I put up a fight

[Chorus]

But I don't mind 'cause that's how my daddy raised me (How my daddy raised me)

If they strike once then you just hit 'em twice as hard

But I always knew that in the end no one was coming to save me

So I just prayed and I keep praying and praying and praying

[Bridge]

If it's meant to be then it will be

So I met him there and told him I believe

Singing if it's meant to be then it'll be

I forgive it all as it comes back to me (Back to me)

If it's meant to be then it will be

So I met him there and told him I believe (I believe, yeah)

Singing if it's meant to be then it will be (Oh, oh)

I forgive it all as it comes back to me (It comes back to me)

If it's meant to be then it'll be (It'll be, it'll be, it'll be)

So I met him there and told him I believe (Yeah)

Singing if it's meant to be then it will be

I forgive it all as it comes back to me (Oh)

[Outro]

I'm still praying for that house in Nebraska

By the highway, out on the edge of town

Dancing with the windows open

I can't let go when something's broken

It's all I know and it's all I want now

## References

1. ↑ https://scarycoolsadgoodbye.substack.com/p/scary-cool-sad-goodbye-24
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/mothercain/status/1571189171640827904?ref\_src=twsrc%5Etfw
3. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/Ethelcain/comments/vaov29/preachers\_daughter\_original\_demos/
4. ↑ https://www.onestowatch.com/en/blog/ethel-cain-preachers-daughter