Ice Storm 1994
Cory Taylor Cox Lyrics


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Too cold for April
Are we running out
Of milk and bread and hospitality
Listen to the radio
The mouth of the south
The weather's turned
It's gonna be bad
It's gonna be bad

Neighbors in the front room
Friends and family
No school tomorrow
And my work's right here
Do what i can

A knock on the back door
And in the candlelight
I talk to the boy down the street
He's always in trouble
I'm never without
Still as kind as I can be
Stand by the fire
I'll fix something to eat
He's been knockin' the chill off for a while
A bottle in his left hand
Knife in his right
And then it got bad
I do what i can to push him out the door
There's blood in my mouth
And blood in the snow
I gather myself and walk back inside




The power is out
But I still see blue lights

Overall Meaning

In the song "Ice Storm 1994", Cory Taylor Cox describes the events that took place during an ice storm that hit the South in 1994. The lyrics begin by describing how cold it is for April and the fear of running out of basic necessities like milk and bread. The radio announcement warns of the weather getting worse and the impending bad situation that is about to unfold.


The second paragraph of the song paints a picture of neighbors and family gathering together due to the storm, with no school and the singer working from home. Their respite from the storm is interrupted by a troubled boy from the neighborhood who seeks refuge from the cold. Despite the tension between the singer and the boy, he offers him warmth and food. The boy's behavior quickly turns violent and the singer is forced to push him out of the house. The violence leaves the singer injured and shaken, but they manage to walk back inside only to find that the power is out and emergency services are on their way.


The song describes the chaos that ensues during a natural disaster and the way people come together in times of crisis. It also highlights the fragility of human relationships and how even in the face of danger, one must make difficult choices to ensure their own safety.


Line by Line Meaning

Too cold for April
The weather is too cold for the month of April.


Are we running out
Are we running out of supplies due to the upcoming storm?


Of milk and bread and hospitality
Specifically, are we running out of milk, bread, and hospitality?


Listen to the radio
Listen to the radio for updates on the weather and news.


The mouth of the south
Referring to the radio announcer as the voice of the region.


The weather's turned
The weather has taken a turn for the worse.


It's gonna be bad
The upcoming weather conditions are going to be harsh and severe.


Neighbors in the front room
Neighbors are over, taking shelter from the storm.


Friends and family
Close friends and family members are present as well.


No school tomorrow
School will not be in session due to the inclement weather.


And my work's right here
The singer is lucky to work from home, which means they won't have to brave the storm to get to work.


Do what I can
The artist will do everything in their power to take care of their guests and themselves.


A knock on the back door
Someone is at the back door.


And in the candlelight
The power has gone out and they are using candles for light.


I talk to the boy down the street
The singer talks to a young man who lives nearby.


He's always in trouble
The boy has a history of getting into trouble.


I'm never without
The artist is always willing to help others.


Still as kind as I can be
Despite the circumstances, the singer maintains their kindness towards the boy.


Stand by the fire
They stand by the fire to warm up.


I'll fix something to eat
The artist offers to make food for the boy.


He's been knockin' the chill off for a while
The boy has been drinking to stay warm.


A bottle in his left hand
The boy is holding a bottle in his left hand.


Knife in his right
The boy is holding a knife in his right hand.


And then it got bad
The situation takes a turn for the worse.


I do what I can to push him out the door
The singer tries to get the boy to leave their house for everyone's safety.


There's blood in my mouth
The singer has been injured and there is blood in their mouth.


And blood in the snow
There is blood in the snow outside.


I gather myself and walk back inside
The artist regains composure and goes back inside.


The power is out
The electricity has gone out due to the storm.


But I still see blue lights
Despite the power outage, emergency vehicles are still visible with their blue lights flashing.




Contributed by Bella M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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