When The Sun Goes Down

Album: Whatever People Say That I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006)
Charted: 1
Play Video
  • I said, who's that girl there?
    I wonder what went wrong so that she had to roam the streets
    She don't do major credit cards, I doubt she does receipts
    It's all not quite legitimate
    And what a scummy man
    Just give him half a chance, I bet he'll rob you if he can
    Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a driving ban
    Among some other offences
    And I've seen him with girls of the night
    And he told Roxanne to put on her red light
    They're all infected but he'll be alright
    'Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know?
    I said, he's a scumbag, don't you know?

    Although you're trying not to listen
    Avert your eyes and staring at the ground
    She makes a subtle proposition
    I'm sorry, love, I'll have to turn you down
    And oh, he must be up to summat
    What are the chances? Sure it's more than likely
    I've got a feeling in my stomach
    And start to wonder what his story might be
    What his story might be, yeah

    'Cause they said it changes when the sun goes down
    Yeah, they said it changes when the sun goes down
    And they said it changes when the sun goes down
    Around here
    Around here, oh

    Look, here comes a Ford Mondeo
    Isn't he Mister Inconspicuous?
    And he don't even have to say owt
    She's in the stance ready to get picked up
    Bet she's delighted when she sees him
    Pullin' in and givin' her the eye
    Because she must be fuckin' freezin'
    Scantily-clad beneath the clear night sky
    It don't stop in the winter, no

    And they said it changes when the sun goes down
    Yeah, they said it changes when the sun goes down
    And they said it changes when the sun goes down
    Around here
    Well, they said it changes when the sun goes down
    Over the river going out of town
    And they said it changes when the sun goes down
    Around here
    Around here, oh

    And what a scummy man
    Just give him half a chance, I bet he'll rob you if he can
    Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a nasty plan
    I hope you're not involved at all Writer/s: Alex Turner
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

  • Juliette from Nabootique, Dalston, United KingdomThis song is great! Arctic Monkeys are genius!
  • Chance from Kansas City, Mothis is an amazing song...by far there best in my oppinion on that album!!!
  • Kristin from Atlanta, GaI believe the line " he told Roxanne to put on her red light" is a reference to Roxanne by The Police.
  • Nicky from Southampton, EnglandI love this song so much.
    :)
    Alex Turner is the sex.
    I love him! He's great.
  • Ben from Sheffield, EnglandThey are from High Green in Sheffield, not High Gate - there is no high gate (sounds like a suburb of London)
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

Steely Dan

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?

Glen Ballard

Glen BallardSongwriter Interviews

Glen Ballard talks about co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill album, and his work with Dave Matthews, Aerosmith and Annie Lennox.