Don Williams – This Side Of The Sun: A Radiant Meditation on Gratitude and the Beauty of the Present Moment
For those of us who have spent a lifetime chasing horizons, there eventually comes a quiet, golden afternoon when we realize that the most beautiful view isn’t over the next hill, but exactly where we are standing. Don Williams, the “Gentle Giant” whose voice felt like a soft sunset over a familiar field, captured this epiphany with breathtaking clarity in his 1982 song, “This Side Of The Sun.” Tucked away as a soul-stirring highlight on his album Listen to the Radio, this track represents the very best of Williams’ ability to turn a simple observation into a profound life lesson. While it lived in the shadow of the album’s more famous title track, for the seasoned listener, it remains one of the most intellectually and emotionally resonant pieces of his vast catalog.
Released during his fruitful years with MCA Records, “This Side Of The Sun” arrived at a time when the world was beginning to feel the frenetic pull of the modern digital age. Yet, Don Williams remained a man out of time, a guardian of the “slow and steady.” The song was written by the gifted Danny Flowers, a frequent collaborator who understood that Don didn’t need vocal acrobatics to deliver a message; he only needed a rhythmic pulse and a truth to tell. To hear this song today is to be reminded of a simpler era, where “progress” was measured in the growth of a garden or the depth of a conversation rather than the speed of a machine.
The story within the lyrics is a beautiful, contemplative journey of a man who has finally stopped running. It speaks to the older soul who has experienced the “wind and the rain” and has finally decided to bask in the warmth of the current hour. The meaning of the song is rooted in a sophisticated sense of gratitude. It’s about the realization that we are “blessed to be living on this side of the sun,” a metaphor for life itself, with all its warmth, light, and fleeting beauty. For the listener who has faced the inevitable shadows of loss or illness, the simple joy of waking up to another morning becomes a miracle. Williams sings with a weary but contented dignity, acknowledging that while we don’t know what lies “on the other side,” we are profoundly thankful for the here and now.
There is a powerful, heart-tugging nostalgia in the production of this track. The arrangement features a gentle, swaying rhythm—a signature of the Don Williams sound—complemented by a subtle, melodic bassline and a touch of acoustic brilliance that feels like sunlight filtering through the trees. His baritone is at its most intimate here, sounding less like a recording and more like a grandfather sharing his most cherished secret. It evokes memories of long-ago summers, the smell of cut grass, and the peaceful silence of a house when the day’s work is done.
As we sit with “This Side Of The Sun” today, it serves as a gentle benediction for the reflective heart. It encourages us to put down our worries, to look at the people we love, and to appreciate the miraculous warmth of our own lives. Don Williams wasn’t just a singer; he was a philosopher of the everyday. In this song, he reminds us that as long as we are on this side of the sun, there is still music to be heard, love to be shared, and a quiet beauty to be found in every passing second.