Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, the two attended high school together, and after years of pursuing music in different directions, reconnected at a local spot in their hometown. They collaborated on several covers, turning them into duets and adding a unique spin to songs of other artists. From there, they began co-writing their own original songs, growing together in lyrics, sound, and performance. What started as two individual solo artists, has since emerged the Acoustic Folk duo of "Colin & Caroline".
Colin & Caroline's heart-warming harmonies, original lyrics, and blend of creative covers first grabbed the attention of many in Central Virginia. Several of their original songs (including "More Than Gravity", "Fireflies, and "Like Home") have been featured on popular playlists curated by Spotify, which has spread the presence of Colin & Caroline worldwide. "More Than Gravity" has received over 13 million plays since release in 2014, and it's placement in the Netflix original series "13 Reasons Why."
This Time Next Year
Colin & Caroline Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It′s been a while since I saw you
It must of been this time last year,
You're doing well, that′s good to hear.
Well, I should tell you, I should say,
Maybe it's me or just the way...
This light is hitting you so well,
What's in this drink, It′s hard to tell.
I hear those sleigh bells ringing,
I hear all our friends singing...
I don′t need presents underneath the tree,
All want is sitting next to me.
Let the fire burn nice and slow,
Let streets fill up with snow.
I don't need lights strung up around the room,
It′s bright enough just looking at you.
One thing I'll ask for dear, is say you′ll be mine
This time next year.
I walk you up to your front door,
It's good to see your face once more.
Is it your smile or just the weather,
Sending chills through my sweater.
I should tell you I should say
I wish that I could find way
To keep this night from ending here
Well we both know one thing is clear.
With those sleigh bells ringing,
And all of our friends singing...
I don′t need presents underneath the tree,
All want is sitting next to me.
Let the fire burn nice and slow,
Let streets fill up with snow.
I don't need lights strung up around the room,
It's bright enough just looking at you.
One thing I′ll ask for dear, is say you′ll be mine
Say you'll be mine.
I don′t need presents underneath the tree,
All want is sitting next to me.
Let the fire burn nice and slow,
Let streets fill up with snow.
I don't need lights strung up around the room,
It′s bright enough just looking at you.
One thing I'll ask for dear, is say you′ll be mine
Say you'll be mine this time next year.
Say you'll be mine.
One thing I know is clear.
One thing I know is, you′ll be mine,
This time next year.
The lyrics of Colin & Caroline's This Time Next Year evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a past love. The song tells the story of two former lovers who reunite at a holiday party, a year after their breakup. The singer describes the moment as he looks across the crowded room and sees his former partner for the first time in a while. He notes that it must have been around the same time last year when they were in a relationship. He also comments on how well his former lover is doing, and how the light in the room is hitting them perfectly.
Despite the festive setting, the singer confesses that he doesn't need material things like presents or lights strung up around the room. All he wants is to be sitting next to his former partner and to have them say they'll be his again next year. The chorus emphasizes this sentiment, with the singer repeating the desire to be together again next year.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on past memories and feelings for their partner, expressing a hope that they can rekindle their love. The song ends with a sense of optimism as the singer walks his partner to their front door, expressing how good it was to see them again.
Overall, This Time Next Year tells a timeless story of love and longing, set against the backdrop of the holiday season. The song's dreamy melody and heartfelt lyrics capture the emotions of the season, making it a beloved addition to holiday playlists.
Line by Line Meaning
I look across the crowded room,
The singer surveys the room and spots someone they haven't seen in a while.
It's been a while since I saw you
The singer hasn't seen the other person for some time.
It must of been this time last year,
The last time the two met must have been around this time the previous year.
You're doing well, that's good to hear.
The singer is glad to hear the other person is doing well.
Well, I should tell you, I should say,
The singer feels they should reveal something to the other person.
Maybe it's me or just the way...
The singer is unsure whether their feelings are stemming from personal issues or the atmosphere around them.
This light is hitting you so well,
The lighting is flattering the other person's appearance.
What's in this drink, It's hard to tell.
The singer has had something to drink, making them unsure of what's in it.
I hear those sleigh bells ringing,
The singer hears the sound of sleigh bells ringing in the distance.
I hear all our friends singing...
The singer hears their friends singing in the background.
I don't need presents underneath the tree,
The singer doesn't care about receiving gifts at Christmas.
All I want is sitting next to me.
The only thing the singer wants is to be near the other person.
Let the fire burn nice and slow,
The singer wishes for the fire to burn slowly and calmly.
Let streets fill up with snow.
The singer wishes for snow to cover the streets outside.
I don't need lights strung up around the room,
The singer doesn't need any special decorations or lighting in the room.
It's bright enough just looking at you.
The singer finds the other person's presence to be enough to brighten the room.
One thing I'll ask for dear, is say you'll be mine
The singer asks the other person to be theirs.
Say you'll be mine
The singer repeats their request for the other person to be their partner.
I walk you up to your front door,
The singer escorts the other person to their front door.
It's good to see your face once more.
The singer is happy to see the other person's face again.
Is it your smile or just the weather,
The singer is unsure if the other person's smile is affecting them, or if it's just the weather making them feel a certain way.
Sending chills through my sweater.
The singer feels a chill down their spine.
I should tell you I should say
The singer feels they should reveal something else to the other person.
I wish that I could find way
The singer wishes they could find a way to keep the night going.
To keep this night from ending here
The singer wishes the night wouldn't end.
Well, we both know one thing is clear.
The singer acknowledges that at least one thing is obvious.
One thing I know is clear.
The singer emphasizes that at least one thing is crystal clear.
One thing I know is, you'll be mine,
The singer is certain that the other person will be theirs.
This time next year.
The singer is looking forward to a future time when the other person will still be theirs.
Contributed by Mateo S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Iacon Dispatch
This is a beautiful song! Quickly becoming a holiday favourite in our house. Wonderful work, hoping for more from you soon! 👍🏼🎄❤️
Colin & Caroline
Thank you so much!! So glad you found our music, and we will have another new one out for you this Friday 12/4!
23rd Hour
Another sweet song <3 you guys are awesome. Did you produce it yourself? Either way, great job on the writing, arrangement and production!
Colin & Caroline
Thanks! Yes, we produced it ourselves at our home studio. Thanks for listening and giving us your feedback!
23rd Hour
@Colin & Caroline nice! We're learning to produce ourselves but we're not quite there when it comes to mixing and mastering yet. Love your work :)