此曲為英國歌手Elton John和他的寫詞搭擋Berine Taupin的又一合體傑作。John自承作此曲有受到美國搖滾樂團The Beach Boys ( 海灘少年 ) 的歌曲結構和合音等的影響。原本安排了好幾位有些知名度的歌手來幫忙合音，有Cat Stevens、Danny Hutton ( Three Dog Night樂團 )、Gerry Backley ( America樂團 )、Dusty Springfield及Brian Wilson ( The Beach Boys 樂團 ) 等，由於每個人都擔心自己的表現被別人壓過，混音之後的聲音顯得很「恐怖」，最後只採用了Carl Wilson與Bruce Johnston ( The Beach Boys ) 與Toni Tennille ( 後與夫婿合組Captain & Tennille ) 的合音。

Berine Taupin(左) & Elton John

-

Captain & Tennille

此曲於1974發行，獲得美國告示排熱門排行榜的第2名 (UK #16)。1985，英國歌手George Michael翻唱此曲，之後也成為他每次巡演的必唱曲目。1991，George在倫敦Wembley Arena的巡演，請來了本尊Elton John一起演唱此曲，此版本同時在英、美兩國排行榜都獲得冠軍，也為此曲再掀起一波高潮。

寫歌詞的Berine Taupin試圖用一種新的表達方式來取代古老的像是「我愛你、你愛我，假如妳離開我的心將破碎」等等。Taupin告訴雜誌，他投出了一顆「曲球」，在此曲中置入了dark twist ( 陰暗的纏繞 / 糾纏？)。由此，歌曲的含意也就要由聽者自行來解讀了。由「太陽下山」可以臆想到是一段戀情要結束了。其中的關鍵應該是「I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free」這一句。wander free有「閒逛」「遊蕩」的意思，看起來像是因限制對方的「個人空間」而造成分手。而有歌友認為：反而是歌曲的主角不願犧牲自由來維護愛情；歌曲和歌詞雖然美麗，而可悲的是，是個自私的傢伙在自怨自艾。

i can't light no more of your darkness
All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I'm growing tired and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life

It's much too late to save myself from falling
I took a chance and changed your way of life
But you misread my meaning when i met you
Closed the door and left me blinded by the light

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although i search myself, it's always someone else i see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

Ladies and gentlemen Mr. Elton John
I can't find
Oh, the right romantic line
But see me once and see the way feel
Don't discard me baby don't
Just because you think i mean you harm
Just because you think i mean you harm, oh
But these cuts i have, cuts i have
They need love
They need love, they need love to help them heal

Oh, don't let the sun go down on me
Although i search myself, it's always someone else i see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
Cause' losing everything is like the sun going down on me

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although i search myself, it's always someone else i that see, yeah
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free baby, oh
Cause' losing everything is like the sun going down on me