What are Ariana Grande's Eternal Sunshine lyrics about? The meaning explained

8 March 2024, 18:17

Ariana Grande opens up about her new album Eternal Sunshine

By Sam Prance

In 'Eternal Sunshine', Ariana Grande appears to sing about her relationships with Dalton Gomez and Ethan Slater.

Ariana Grande fans are losing it over the title track of her new album. What are her 'Eternal Sunshine' lyrics about though?

With her new album Eternal Sunshine, Ariana Grande gives fans a glimpse into her life over the last few years. From her split from her ex-husband Dalton Gomez to her new relationship with Broadway star Ethan Slater, Ariana does not hold back. In the record, Ariana also pokes fun at people's perception of her, shuts down fake rumours and reclaims her narrative.

Ariana gets particularly candid on the song 'Eternal Sunshine' and the meaning behind the song's lyrics is heartbreaking.

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'Eternal Sunshine' is directly inspired by the 2003 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in which a former couple both undergo a procedure to erase their memories of each other. In the song, Ariana appears to try to erase the memory of her ex-husband Dalton Gomez as she starts a relationship with her current boyfriend Ethan Slater.

In the first verse, Ariana sings about how she and her ex weren't meant to be. It goes: "I, I don't care what people say / We both know I couldn't change you / I guess you could say the same / Can't rearrange truth'. She also calls him out adding: "I've never seen someone lie like you do / So much, even you start to think it's true."

Ariana then sings about how they've both moved on in the pre-chorus: "So now we play our separate scenes / Now, now she's in my bed, layin' on your chest'. In the chorus, she adds: "Hope you feel alright when you're in her / I found a good boy and he's on my side / You're just my eternal sunshine, sunshine."

The chorus appears to be a double entendre where Dalton is Ariana's 'Eternal Sunshine' in the sense of trying to forget a former flame, like in the film, whereas Ethan is the literal sunshine in Ariana's life. Ethan also shares the same initials as 'Eternal Sunshine' so it's possibly a reference to him.

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Ariana Grande - eternal sunshine (lyric visualizer)

In the second verse, Ariana makes the link to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind even clearer. Seemingly referring to her attempts to forget her relationship with Dalton and leave it in the past, she sings: "So, I try to wipe my mind / Just so I feel less insane / Rather feel painless / I'd rather forget than know, know for sure".

In the bridge and outro, Ariana appears to encourage herself as she finally moves on from her past relationship. She repeats: 'Rewind / Won't break, can't shake / This fate, rewrite / Deep breaths, tight chest / Life, death, rewind." However, with the final line, there's no "rewind", she ends by singing "Life, death".

Ariana Grande - 'Eternal Sunshine' lyrics

VERSE 1
I, I don't care what people say
We both know I couldn't change you
I guess you could say the same
Can't rearrange truth
I've never seen someone lie like you do
So much, even you start to think it's true
Ooh, get me out of this loop, yeah, yeah

PRE-CHORUS
So now we play our separate scenes
Now, now she's in my bed, layin' on your chest
Now I'm in my head, wonderin' how it ends

CHORUS
I'll be the first to say, "I'm sorry"
Now you got me feelin' sorry
I showed you all my demons, all my lies
Yet you played me like Atari
Now it's like I'm lookin' in the mirror
Hope you feel alright when you're in her
I found a good boy and he's on my side
You're just my eternal sunshine, sunshine

VERSE 2
So I try to wipe my mind
Just so I feel less insane
Rather feel painless
I'd rather forget than know, know for sure
What we could've fought through behind this door, hm-mm
So I close it and move, yeah, yeah

PRE-CHORUS
So now we play our separate scenes
Now, now he's in your bed, layin' on my chest
Now I'm in my head, wonderin' how it ends, ends, ends

CHORUS
I'll be the first to say, "I'm sorry"
Now you got me feelin' sorry
I showed you all my demons, all my lies
Yet you played me like Atari
Now it's like I'm lookin' in the mirror
Hope you feel alright when you're in her
I found a good boy and he's on my side
You're just my eternal sunshine, sunshine

BRIDGE
Won't break, can't shake
This fate, rewrite
Deep breaths, tight chest
Life, death, rewind
Won't break, can't shake
This fate, rewrite
Deep breaths, tight chest
Life, death

CHORUS
I'll be the first to say, "I'm sorry"
Now you got me feelin' sorry
I showed you all my demons, all my lies
Yet you played me like Atari
Now it's like I'm lookin' in the mirror
Hope you feel alright when you're in her
I found a good boy and he's on my side
You're just my eternal sunshine, sunshine

OUTRO
Rewind
Won't break, can't shake
This fate, rewrite
Deep breaths, tight chest
Life, death, rewind
Won't break, can't shake
This fate, rewrite
Deep breaths, tight chest
Life, death, rewind
Won't break, can't shake
This fate, rewrite
Deep breaths, tight chest
Life, death

Read more about Ariana Grande here:

• What are Ariana Grande's We Can't Be Friends (Wait For Your Love) lyrics about? The meaning explained
• Is Ariana Grande going on tour in 2024? Here's what she's said about an Eternal Sunshine tour
• Ariana Grande reveals she has stopped using botox and fillers in emotional video
• Ariana Grande slams tabloids following Ethan Slater relationship criticism
• The meaning behind Ariana Grande's 'Yes, And?' lyrics explained

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