Formed in Appleton, Wisconsin in 2004, The Wandering Sons have a smooth sou… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in Appleton, Wisconsin in 2004, The Wandering Sons have a smooth sound reminiscent of smoke-filled, backwater lounges. Strong lyrics back up the polished notes of an oboe, piano, bass violin, and percussion. Members of the band include Cory Chisel, Dan McMahon, Rick Setser, Adam Plamann, and Adriel Harris.

The Wandering Sons frequently plays in small venues throughout the Great Lakes region, including Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

Old Love
Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh my, my lover is gone,
Her horse is in the river, there's things I can't forgive her for.
And oh my, my sister don't you worry
I wouldn't let her hurt me
I wouldn't let her touch me now.

And if that stone turns on you,
Darling you better know, know your way back to the gate.

And if that stone turns on you,
Darling you better know, know what you're dug into.

And oh my, my friend of friends
I couldn't make it happen
The wind keeps laughing at you door.
Oh my, my lover to come
I couldn't keep you safe and I couldn't make it easy for ya.

And if that stone turns on you,
Darling you better know, know your way back to the gate.
And if that stone turns on you,
Darling you better know, know what you're dug into.

Oh my, my lover is gone,
Her horse is in the river, there's things I can't forgive her for.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Old Love" by Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons convey a sense of loss, betrayal, and regret. The first stanza describes the singer's lover being gone and having done something unforgivable (presumably drowning her horse in the river). The second stanza shifts to the singer addressing his sister, assuring her that he won't let her hurt him or touch him in the same way that his lover did. The repeated chorus warns of the dangers of being caught unprepared, of not knowing how to return to the gate or what one is "dug into."

In the third stanza, the singer laments his inability to help a friend and then turns to address a potential future lover, admitting that he won't be able to keep her safe or make things easy for her. In the final stanza, the singer returns to the same refrain as the beginning, emphasizing the loss of his lover and the things that he cannot forgive her for.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh my, my lover is gone,
My beloved has left and is no longer with me.

Her horse is in the river, there's things I can't forgive her for.
Her horse is drowned in the river and there are some things she did that I cannot forgive.

And oh my, my sister don't you worry
My dear sister, don't fret.

I wouldn't let her hurt me
I wouldn't allow her to cause me harm or pain.

I wouldn't let her touch me now.
I wouldn't let her come near me or touch me again.

And if that stone turns on you,
And if that obstacle works against you,

Darling you better know, know your way back to the gate.
My dear, you should be aware of how to return to safety.

And if that stone turns on you,
And if that obstacle works against you,

Darling you better know, know what you're dug into.
My dear, you should be aware of the situation you are in and the consequences of your actions.

And oh my, my friend of friends
Oh my, my dearest friend,

I couldn't make it happen
I wasn't able to make it work or succeed.

The wind keeps laughing at you door.
The natural forces are mocking you at your weakest point.

Oh my, my lover to come
Oh my, the one I hope to love in the future,

I couldn't keep you safe and I couldn't make it easy for ya.
I wasn't able to protect you from danger or make things easier for you.