Sunrise, Sunset Lyrics – Fiddler on the Roof

Song Overview

“Sunrise, Sunset” is the still point in Fiddler on the Roof’s bustling world — a wedding song that doubles as a meditation on the passage of time. First heard on Broadway in 1964 and adapted for the 1971 film soundtrack, it’s placed during the marriage of Tevye’s eldest daughter Tzeitel to Motel. Jerry Bock’s music and Sheldon Harnick’s lyrics are carried here by Topol, Norma Crane, and the film ensemble under John Williams’ orchestral hand. Released on August 24, 1971 via United Artists Records, it remains one of the musical’s most instantly recognized numbers.

Personal Review

For me, this is the song that makes you put your fork down at a wedding dinner. The melody is gentle but unrelenting, like the clock it’s describing, and the lyrics walk that line between joy and melancholy. One-sentence summary: two generations, standing in the same room, look at each other and wonder where all the days went.

Song Meaning and Annotations

The song’s structure mirrors the wedding itself — older voices open with reflection, younger voices enter with tentative hope. Tevye and Golde’s opening lines are pure parental awe: memories of toddlers, confronted with adults about to marry. Harnick’s lyric builds contrast between “yesterday” and “today,” with Bock’s melody flowing in waltz time, as if the dancers’ steps could slow the years.

The chorus turns to metaphor: seedlings into sunflowers, seasons following each other. It’s a reminder that change is as inevitable as it is beautiful. The women’s voices in the middle section add warmth and a sense of collective witnessing — the village shares in both the happiness and the tears.

Is there a canopy in store for me?

The “canopy” here refers to the chuppah, a key element in Jewish wedding tradition, representing the new home and the divine presence in marriage. The Genius annotation points out that this is synecdoche — one part (the canopy) standing in for the whole (the marriage). It also foreshadows the relationship between Hodel and Perchik.

Historically, the chuppah has evolved in form, but its symbolism has stayed rooted in hospitality, unity, and protection. The lyric’s quiet placement within the song hints at how personal dreams exist even inside communal celebrations.

Creation history

Bock and Harnick wrote “Sunrise, Sunset” for the original 1964 Broadway run, where it quickly became a signature ballad. For the film, John Williams arranged and conducted, preserving the waltz feel while enriching the texture with strings that shimmer under the vocal lines. The arrangement is understated, letting the voices carry the emotional weight.

Verse Highlights

Verse 1

Tevye and Golde’s exchange is conversational, almost like they’re speaking to themselves. The use of questions (“When did they?”) opens the door for the audience to insert their own memories.

Chorus

The imagery is agrarian — seedlings, sunflowers — tying personal growth to the rhythms of the earth. It’s a communal metaphor that makes the family’s story feel universal.

Bridge

Hodel and Perchik’s short lines add youthful curiosity and possibility, pivoting from reflection to aspiration without breaking the flow.

Final chorus

The reprise of “one season following another” serves as both a blessing and a gentle warning: joy and sorrow will keep trading places as the years move.

Key Facts

• Featured: Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, and other principal cast members.
• Producer: Norman Newell (soundtrack album).
• Composer: Jerry Bock; Lyricist: Sheldon Harnick.
• Release Date: August 24, 1971.
• Genre: Show tune, soundtrack.
• Instruments: orchestra with strings, woodwinds, light percussion.
• Label: United Artists Records.
• Mood: reflective, warm, bittersweet.
• Length: approximately 3:52 on the film soundtrack.
• Track #: 8.
• Language: English.
• Album: Fiddler on the Roof Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
• Music style: waltz time, lyrical ballad.

Questions and Answers

Who are the primary singers in the film version?

Topol (Tevye), Norma Crane (Golde), and members of the film’s ensemble.

What does the “canopy” in the lyric refer to?

It refers to the chuppah, the traditional Jewish wedding canopy symbolizing the couple’s new home and the presence of God in the marriage.

What is the time signature of the song?

It is in 3/4 time, giving it the lilting feel of a waltz.

When was the soundtrack album released?

August 24, 1971, by United Artists Records.

Has the song been performed outside the musical?

Yes, it has been covered extensively, including in concert by opera singers, on wedding playlists, and in choral arrangements.

Awards and Chart Positions

While “Sunrise, Sunset” was not released as a charting single, its parent soundtrack contributed to the film’s Academy Award win for Best Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score for John Williams in 1972. The song has since become a wedding standard across cultures.

How to Sing?

Range: typically sits in Bb3 to Eb5 for female voices, Ab2 to C4 for male voices in the original arrangement.

Tempo: keep the waltz flow steady — about 80–84 BPM. Avoid rushing the triplet feel; let phrases breathe.

Tone: warm, legato, with clear diction. Dynamics should swell naturally with the emotional arc, especially on the choruses.

Breathing: stagger breaths in ensemble passages to maintain seamless lines.

Songs Exploring Themes of family and time

Slipping Through My Fingers – ABBA. Another parental reflection on children growing up, framed as a morning routine rather than a wedding. Softer pop arrangement but the same bittersweet awareness of time passing.

Circle of Life – Elton John (from The Lion King). Sweeping, ceremonial, and tied to community rituals, it expands the theme to the entire life cycle.

In My Life – The Beatles. More intimate and introspective, it looks back on relationships and places with gratitude and nostalgia. Where “Sunrise, Sunset” stays in the present moment, “In My Life” speaks from a further distance.