Chance
Big Country Lyrics
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On a cold new town
As he carried you away
From your father's hand
That always seemed like a fist
Reaching out to make you pay
He came like a hero from the factory floor
With the sun and moon as gifts
Were the two he left you with
Oh Lord where did the feeling go
Oh Lord I never felt so low
Now the skirts hang so heavy around your head
That you never knew you were young
Because you played chance with a lifetime's romance
And the price was far too long
Oh Lord where did the feeling go
Oh Lord I never felt so low
Oh Lord where did the feeling go
Oh Lord I never felt so low
Oh Lord where did the feeling go
Oh Lord I never felt so low
Oh Lord where did the feeling go
Oh Lord I never felt so low
Oh Lord where did the feeling go
Oh Lord I never felt so low
Big Country's song "Chance" portrays the story of a woman who gets carried away from her father's hold by a man who seemed like a hero coming from the factory floor. This man, who had the sun and moon as gifts, leaves her with two sons and a heavy skirt hanging around her head, making her forget that she was young. The song suggests that she played chance with a lifetime's romance and the price she paid was too long to bear. The lyrics lament the fact that the woman lost the feeling of being alive and happy, and questions where that feeling went. The song explores themes of love, heartbreak, and regret, and encourages listeners to think about the choices they make in life.
The lyrics begin with the imagery of rain pouring down on a cold new town, set against the backdrop of a woman being dragged away from her father's oppressive hold. The metaphor of the father's hand always seeming like a fist, reaching out to make her pay, suggests a domineering presence in her life. The singer's lover, who seems like a hero, enters her life and sweeps her off her feet. However, their love story takes a tragic turn as he leaves and she is left with two children and a heavy skirt full of regret. The repeated refrain "Oh Lord where did the feeling go, Oh Lord I never felt so low" conveys her dejection and sense of loss.
Line by Line Meaning
All the rain came down
It was raining heavily when the events of the story took place.
On a cold new town
The story takes place in a new and unfamiliar place that is also cold.
As he carried you away
Someone took you away from your father's hand.
From your father's hand
Your father was involved in the events that took place.
That always seemed like a fist
Your father's hand always felt threatening and suffocating, like a fist.
Reaching out to make you pay
Your father's actions were always meant to punish you for something.
He came like a hero from the factory floor
Someone arrived like a hero from a factory job, bringing hope and positivity.
With the sun and moon as gifts
This hero figuratively brought the sun and moon with them, symbolizing hope and life.
But the only son you ever saw
Despite this hero being male, they only left behind two daughters.
Were the two he left you with
The only children this hero left behind were two daughters.
Now the skirts hang so heavy around your head
Years have passed, and you are burdened by the choices you made in your youth.
That you never knew you were young
You were so busy trying to survive that you didn't realize how young and inexperienced you were.
Because you played chance with a lifetime's romance
You took a gamble on a romantic relationship that ended up affecting your entire life.
And the price was far too long
The consequences of your romantic choices were too overwhelming and lasted too long.
Oh Lord where did the feeling go
The singer questions where their emotions went in the face of such overwhelming life circumstances.
Oh Lord I never felt so low
The artist is at their lowest point emotionally.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANTHONY EARL BUTLER, BRUCE WILLIAM WATSON, MARK BRZEZICKI, WILLIAM STUART ADAMSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike Archibald
Steeltown didn't have any 'hits' on it I don't think, but its my favourite album of theirs. Great blue collar track 'steeltown'.
All the landscape was the mill
Grim as the reaper with a heart like hell
With a river of bodies
Flowing with the bell
We built it all with our own hands
But who could know we built on sand
But now it's barren all to soon
There's no miracle in ruin
We set the flame and it burned so blue
With open eyes I watched it grow
A sea of palms in an ocean of snow
Hands with the courage to start anew
Here was a home for the lost and scared
Out of the yards and dry docks
The call of the steel that would never stop
There was a refuge for those who dared
In a steeltown
When the heat's on
I went down
And the heat turned on me
Sarah
Without sounding like an old fart, compared to artists of today, the humility of these guys just shines through doesn't it. They were brilliant, and knew it, but without all the ridiculous posturing of today. So very glad I was a teen of the 80s โฅ
brian donnelly
So true. Nice comment ๐.Thats how i feel about BC
Mike Muldowney
Exactly!
William Holmes
Was there with you. Miss those days.
Irish man
They sure were the days Sarah. Great bands who wrote there own tunes and lyrics. Not like the cover crap today.
Sarah
@Irish man He had rather a sad demise didn't he if I remember correctly...
Mark Allan
Every time I hear and/or see Stuart Adamson, I am at first joyful, then profoundly sad. Big Country had me as a lifelong fan from the moment the first few notes of In a Big Country blasted out my radio back in the '80s. Guitars sounding like bagpipes? From a Scottish band, pure genius. I had a brief, very positive, chat with Stu on the Big Country message board when I was researching to build a website to honour Skids, his previous band. I respected and admired his passion, and his compassion for his fellow humans that shone through on every song he wrote. Stu was an excellent guitarist, equally adept at planet-smashing power chords or quiet, sensitive passages. This video showcases how well he connected with his devoted fans. He also had the interwoven demons of depression and alcohol. Given that, it wasn't a complete shock when I heard he'd killed himself. I was devastated then, and still feel the echoes of that. Damn, Stu, I hope you made it to a happier place.
Jackie Cairney
He was a generation who believed in Scotland thank god for the eighties
Samy AndKitty
I slit my wrist listening to this struggling with family neglect and I had recently found out my dad had two families an estate away, a big bro ten yrs older, my da was Scottish Iโm Geordie and my mum said Iโm not taking u to hospital coz yer da will kill me, now clean that blood off yer wall. This song still resonates with me
MrKrobbo
Iโm a geordie too samy. Good to be a geordie hope you are ok