When I'm Thinking About You

The Sundays' song "When I'm Thinking About You" is a poetic exploration of love, daydreaming, and the desire to escape from the mundane realities of life. The lyrics paint vivid imagery of everyday scenes—planes in the sky, cars passing by, and rows of houses—juxtaposed with the internal world of the narrator, who finds solace and joy in thoughts of a loved one. The contrast between the external environment and the internal emotional landscape is a central theme, highlighting how love can transform ordinary moments into something magical.

The recurring motif of not wanting to wake up while thinking about a loved one underscores the idea of love as a dreamlike state. The narrator expresses a deep longing to remain in this mental space, where thoughts of their partner bring comfort and happiness. This sentiment is further emphasized by the lines, "Hope I'll never wake / When I'm thinking about you," suggesting that the dream is preferable to reality. The song captures the essence of how love can provide an escape from life's challenges and offer a temporary refuge from pain and disappointment.

The lyrics also touch on the theme of searching for meaning and pleasure in life, often finding pain instead. However, the song suggests that when one stops trying too hard and simply coasts along, they might find contentment in unexpected places. This idea is encapsulated in the lines, "When you're coasting along and nobody's trying too hard / You can turn around and like where you are." The Sundays use this song to convey a message of finding beauty and satisfaction in the present moment, especially when it is filled with thoughts of a loved one.