Setting Sun

**"Setting Sun"** is a bonus track on the album *Lonesome Dreams* and an unfinished manuscript in George Ranger Johnson's adventure novel series. Although unfinished, it is the sixth novel in the timeline.

"Setting Sun" describes the brooding and possessive thoughts of a man who is angered by his lover, a girl who is spending time with a boy she calls her friend. He is sickened by her perceived lies and says "the time to forgive is gone," as he believes she is cheating on him. The man ends the song with the ambiguous line "I'll be taking a life this evening when the sun sets" - it is not clear if he intends to kill the girl he is singing about, her friend, or perhaps himself.

## Background and influences

    The song is based on George Ranger Johnson's unfinished adventure novel manuscript.

At some point early in his career, Quentin King and a bass player named Francis played at a “dive in the desert" and the owner tried to pay them with his **unfinished manuscript**. This manuscript was *Setting Sun* and remains unfinished to this day. King, angry at the form of payment, left behind the manuscript, signing the front “Go Fuck Yourself!! -Q.K”, and allegedly smashed up the bar on the way out. Francis took the manuscript and passed it on to a nephew or niece when he died. They listed it on Craigslist for $465 and said they “can’t vouch for the story in “Setting Sun” but the story around it is amazing!”

Quentin King's signature on the Setting Sun manuscriptCraigslist post of the Setting Sun manuscriptCraigslist post of the Setting Sun manuscript
## Annotated lyrics

I've been waiting for you to come

Staring out at the setting sun

You've been running around again

With that boy you call your friend

And it's driving me insane

Does he make you say his name?

And you can't get it off your tongue

Little girl, you are not so young

Does it hurt when you lie to me?

If you'd asked, I'd set you free

But the time to forgive is gone

The day has passed, the night has come

Ain't you worried what I'll do?

And that boy should worry, too

Can you face me for what you've done?

Little girl, you're not so young

Oh, is he ready to die for you, baby?

Naw, but you know I was

I'm fond of living

But I would have given it all for the girl I love

Oh, is he ready to die for you, baby?

Now that the deed is done

I'm just waiting for night

In the fading light of the setting sun

Tell me when did I lose your love?

Was it him you were thinking of

All those nights when you made me swoon

Making love beneath the moon?

Were you dreaming of his touch

When you couldn't get enough?

Was there truth in the songs you sung?

Little girl, you're not so young

Well, I could never betray your love

You had me, heart and soul

You might never have known it, girl, but I was all yours

I know I'll never reclaim your love

But that's just how it goes

I ain't the person I was this morning when the sun rose

Well, I could never betray your love

You had me, heart and soul

You might never have known it, girl

But I was all yours

I know I'll never reclaim your love

But that's just how it goes

I ain't the person I was this morning when the sun rose

I know I'll never replace your love and that's as hard as it gets

So I'll be taking a life this evening when the sun sets

## Potential lyrical references

Frequently, Lord Huron's songs explore similar themes, sometimes they have stories that are covered by more than one song. These lyrical connections are merely for reference:

1. ↑ "The Stranger" - "Now that I've seen your face, I am haunted by the letters of your name"
2. ↑ "Ancient Names (Part I)" - "I call you by your ancient names"
3. ↑ "The Yawning Grave - "I write the names of the rocks and the trees"
4. ↑ "Mine Forever" - "Je te laisserai dans la lumière déclinante"
5. ↑ "Your Other Life" - "I’ll leave you in the fading light"
6. ↑ "Your Other Life" - "And I know who you’ve been dreaming of"
7. ↑ "Your Other Life" - "What I say today will be the very last words you hear/You don’t get to live your other life"

## Sources

1. ↑ A 2013 version of Johnson's website indicates the track order of the album *Lonesome Dreams* is the story chronology.

"Ends of the Earth"
"**Time To Run**"
"**Lonesome Dreams**"
"The Ghost on the Shore"

"**She Lit a Fire**"
"I Will Be Back One Day"
"The Man Who Lives Forever"
"Lullaby"

"Brother (Last Ride)"
"In the Wind"
**Bonus track:**
"**Setting Sun**"