Winter Is Gone
Nick Drake Lyrics
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And the leaves are green
Winter is gone
And the leaves turn green
Your innocent face
I wish I never had seen**
Come on, my love
And fare thee well
Come on, my love
And fare thee well
You cheated me
But I wish you well
Rope is bought
And the bough is swung
Rope is bought
And the bough is swung
An innocent man
This day will be hung
Come on, my love
And see me die
Come on, my love
And see me die
See me dancing
Dance 'NEATH the sky**
'Neath those gallows high
Come on and see me die
Winter is gone
And the leaves are green
Winter is gone
And the leaves ARE green**
Your innocent face
I wish I never had seen**
The lyrics of Nick Drake's Winter is Gone carry a melancholic and foreboding tone, with themes of betrayal, innocence, and death. The opening lines set the scene of winter's end and the arrival of spring, but the sentiment is far from celebratory. The repetition of "Winter is gone and the leaves are green" is juxtaposed with the regretful and almost mournful line "Your innocent face I wish I never had seen", suggesting a dark event or memory associated with the transition of seasons.
The following verse suggests a jilted lover bidding farewell to their cheating partner, showing both bitterness and grace in wishing them well. However, the subsequent lines "Rope is bought and the bough is swung / An innocent man this day will be hung" suggest a darker meaning to the seemingly peaceful parting. The final verse has an eerie delivery, with Drake inviting his love to come and see him die dance "neath the sky", painting a vivid picture of a public execution. The repetition of the opening lines, with the change of tense from "are" to "turn", creates a circular narrative that suggests the cyclical, inevitable nature of both life and death.
Line by Line Meaning
Winter is gone
The winter season has ended
And the leaves are green
The trees have started to grow new leaves in the spring
Winter is gone
I am emphasizing that winter is really gone
And the leaves turn green
I am not only stating the fact that the leaves are green, but also pointing out the transformation from their previous state
Your innocent face
I am talking to an ex-lover, who I regret ever seeing their innocent face
I wish I never had seen
I have come to regret the relationship and the pain it has caused
Come on, my love
I am addressing the same ex-lover, asking them to come with me
And fare thee well
This phrase is often used as a way of saying goodbye, indicating that I want them to have a good life without me
You cheated me
I am accusing my ex-lover of being unfaithful during our relationship
But I wish you well
Despite feeling betrayed, I still want them to be happy
Rope is bought
I am making a reference to an execution
And the bough is swung
The instrument of execution is in place
An innocent man
I am referring to myself, implying that I have been wrongfully convicted
This day will be hung
I know that I will be executed soon
Come on, my love
I am asking my ex-lover to witness my execution
And see me die
I want them to be there with me during my final moments
See me dancing
This is a poetic reference to the violent and involuntary movements that occur during an execution by hanging
Dance 'NEATH the sky
I am accepting my fate and using metaphorical language to describe my last moments
'Neath those gallows high
The setting of my execution is a dark and ominous environment
Come on and see me die
I am desperately pleading with my ex-lover to witness the end of my life
Winter is gone
I am repeating this phrase as a way of bookending the song and emphasizing the passing of time since the beginning
And the leaves ARE green
By changing 'turn' to 'are', I am indicating that the leaves have fully grown and are now in their green state
Your innocent face
I repeat this line to show the lasting regret and pain caused by the relationship
I wish I never had seen
My feelings of regret and loss are still present
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN WILLIAM MARK RENBOURN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
zakk davis
one of my dang favorites ..like ughh
monomachos
Did Nick Drake write this as a followup to Jackson C. Frank's song "Milk and Honey" which he also covered?
jamiemrussell
@gregalliban yh but nick does make others songs his own
gregalliban
Isn't it a John Renbourn song?
Jack Duluoz
so sad and beautiful
ziyad albaz
winter is coming=>winter is here=>s8 winter is gone :)
Александра Кей
В тему
Wificationish
Renbourn tune
Mid guy
0:31
Mid guy
Nick clears his throat