Hailing from New Hampshire in the northeastern United States, singer-songwriter Bill Morrissey wrote about everyday life on the fringes, both geographical--e.g., fading mill towns, railyards, prisons--and interpersonal--e.g., instant infatuation with an unknown woman at a bar. He sometimes didn't so much sing as croak, but his understated, weathered voice blended well with the unsentimental, toughened characters in many of his songs. It just fits. His songs ranged from slow and contemplative ("Off-White," "Man From Out of Town," "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me") to midtempo and keenly observant ("Barstow," "Long Gone,") and occasionally whimsical ("Live Free or Die," "Party at the U.N."). His songs' characters and lyrics favor hard-won realism over sentimentality, casting a wary eye on the past as they negotiate a mostly uncertain present. Recommended for fans of keenly observational, almost literary contemporary "folk" music.
Winter Song
Bill Morrissey Lyrics
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You're not too far from the bottom
and it's still so early in the day
She told me what she taught 'em
We're just halfway into autumn
But when winter comes, it's here to stay
The snow falls pretty and it covers up the ground
what will not go away
Down in the city she buys clothes by the pound
just to fool me
into thinking her way
(Refrain:)
Come sing a winter tune
a winter tune so gay
It's too bad the check had to come so soon
and I hear it's your turn to pay
Well, her eyes were blue and her eyes were green
and you never knew
which ones you'd see
They would stare through a film of cosmoline
and they were always trained
right on me
She said he went insane
in a Ford Fairlane
parked beside a stand of hemlock trees
They were safe out of the rain
when he finally made his claim
and he didn't ask and didn't say please
(Refrain)
There weren't nobody
on that mountain road
when you slide off deep into the snow
Now the night is getting cold
and has a very good hold
with no reason to ever let go
Your own Mother Earth wants to call you home
and protect you
from all harm
She's so lonely in the night
and if you only held her tight
there'll be no need for alarm
(Refrain)
You never travel steerage
when you're in a Boston marriage
No matter what the people may say
You found yourself a lover
Drag her underneath the cover
and show her where the hound dogs bay
An after dinner cigarette
another shot of anisette
Adjust the seat in the Fairlane
You gave them what they want
in the finest restaurant
and you didn't cry or didn't name names
(Refrain)
The lyrics of Bill Morrissey's Winter Song are filled with insights into the emotions and thoughts of the song's protagonist, perhaps Morrissey himself. The opening lyrics "Smoke 'em if you got 'em/ You're not too far from the bottom/ And it's still so early in the day" set the tone for a melancholic tale of a man who is perhaps experiencing a low point in his life. The lyrics "She told me what she taught 'em/ We're just halfway into autumn/ But when winter comes, it's here to stay" indicate a sense of impending doom - winter metaphorically representing the singer's melancholic state of mind.
The song also reflects upon themes of loss, with the lyrics "Down in the city she buys clothes by the pound/ Just to fool me into thinking her way" indicating a sense of deception or pretense. The lyrics "She said he went insane in a Ford Fairlane/ parked beside a stand of hemlock trees" continue the theme of loss, with the singer remembering someone who has perhaps been lost tragically.
The use of winter as a metaphor for a melancholic state of mind is continued throughout the song. The lyrics "Your own Mother Earth wants to call you home/ and protect you from all harm" indicate a desire to escape the cold and bleakness of winter, perhaps reflecting the singer's own desire to escape his current state of mind.
Overall, Winter Song is a poignant and introspective piece that captures a sense of melancholy and loss, while also reflecting upon the universal desire for warmth and protection from the cold.
Line by Line Meaning
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
If you have cigarettes, you should smoke them.
You're not too far from the bottom
Your situation is not far from being bad.
and it's still so early in the day
It's still the beginning of the day.
She told me what she taught 'em
She told me what she had taught them.
We're just halfway into autumn
We are still midway through autumn season.
But when winter comes, it's here to stay
Winter stays longer than expected.
The snow falls pretty and it covers up the ground
Snow covers the ground and looks pretty.
and it hides
It covers or conceals something.
what will not go away
What cannot be taken or removed.
Down in the city she buys clothes by the pound
She buys clothes in bulk in the city.
just to fool me
To deceive or trick someone.
into thinking her way
To make someone think like her.
Come sing a winter tune
Sing a happy song about winter.
a winter tune so gay
A cheerful winter song.
It's too bad the check had to come so soon
It's unfortunate that the bill came early.
and I hear it's your turn to pay
It's your turn to pay.
Well, her eyes were blue and her eyes were green
Her eyes have multiple colors.
and you never knew
It was hard to know.
which ones you'd see
Which color eyes you would see.
They would stare through a film of cosmoline
Her eyes seemed blurred or oily.
and they were always trained
Her eyes were always focused.
right on me
She looked directly at me.
She said he went insane
She said he became crazy.
in a Ford Fairlane
In a type of car called Ford Fairlane.
parked beside a stand of hemlock trees
The car was parked near the hemlock trees.
They were safe out of the rain
They were protected from the rain.
when he finally made his claim
When he finally revealed his intentions or feelings.
and he didn't ask and didn't say please
He didn't make any requests or say anything politely.
There weren't nobody
There wasn't anybody.
on that mountain road
There wasn't anyone on the road.
when you slide off deep into the snow
When you get stuck deep in the snow.
Now the night is getting cold
The night is getting colder.
and has a very good hold
It has a tight grip.
with no reason to ever let go
There is no reason to let go.
Your own Mother Earth wants to call you home
Nature wants to take you back into the earth.
and protect you
To safeguard you.
from all harm
To protect you from any kind of danger.
She's so lonely in the night
The earth is lonely during the night.
and if you only held her tight
If you embrace the earth tightly.
there'll be no need for alarm
There won't be any reason to get frightened.
You never travel steerage
You never travel at the cheapest level of a ship.
when you're in a Boston marriage
When you're in a relationship with someone of the same sex.
No matter what the people may say
Regardless of what others say.
You found yourself a lover
You found someone to love.
Drag her underneath the cover
Pull her under the blanket.
and show her where the hound dogs bay
Take her to a place where hound dogs howl.
An after dinner cigarette
A cigarette smoked after dinner.
another shot of anisette
Another shot of a liqueur called anisette.
Adjust the seat in the Fairlane
Set the driving seat's position in a Ford Fairlane.
You gave them what they want
You gave what others wanted from you.
in the finest restaurant
In an expensive or elegant restaurant.
and you didn't cry or didn't name names
You did not cry or reveal any names.
Refrain
Refrain
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BILL MORRISSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind