The Trinity Session is perhaps their best known record, recorded live in a single day on a single microphone in a church in Toronto. This album also included a unique cover version of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane". Reed reportedly liked the Junkies' version of the song better than his own, and began performing their version in concert.
None of the band's subsequent albums have been hits outside of Canada, although the band has maintained a dedicated following and have continued to have chart hits in their native country. Following their 1998 album Miles from Our Home, Cowboy Junkies were dropped from their major label contract. They have continued to release albums on their own independent label, Latent Records.
Winter
Cowboy Junkies Lyrics
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He says, 'Darling, don't worry
You can stay in my arms
Until the springtime comes
We'll let the snow drift around us
And wait for the robin and the crocus
To tell us that our love has again found the sun'
Lone oak stands tall,
Bare arms scratch the sky,
Dry leaves cracking beneath our feet
Hand in hand we've watched
The autumn fires burn -
Summer's dreams collapsing,
Chestnuts in need of gathering,
The whole world lies rotting in the street
Soon we will walk with collars high
Like ramparts raised for the siege
We'll bow to her beauty,
Cower from her fury
Sent as a judgment for a slight
Long past forgotten
Winter's love once again unrequited
Winter's love once again unrequited
She says, 'Babe are you sleeping?'
He says, 'No, wide awake and thinking
Of a dream I just had about the two of us
He takes his hand to her cheek now,
His lips to her brow,
Their whispers pile softly
By the foot of the bed
The lyrics of Cowboy Junkies' "Winter's Song" tell a story of a couple in the midst of winter. While the woman is feeling the chill, her partner reassures her that he will keep her warm in his arms until spring comes. The first verse sets the scene for the couple, with snow drifting around them and the hope that their love will be rekindled in the warmer months to come. The second verse describes the harshness of winter, with a lone oak tree standing tall against the backdrop of dry leaves and rotting debris. The couple is aware of the beauty and danger of the season and, aware of this, they walk with collars high like ramparts raised for the siege. They are both in awe of winter's power, which they believe to be sent as a judgment for a slight from long ago.
As the song progresses, the couple cuddle in bed, with the man thinking of a dream he had about the two of them. He touches her cheek with his hand and gently kisses her forehead. The final lines of the song describe their whispers piling softly by the foot of the bed. Overall, the song is a haunting exploration of the beauty and dangers of winter, and the power of love to keep us warm through the coldest months.
Line by Line Meaning
She says, 'it's cold where you brought me'
She complains about the coldness of the place they are at
He says, 'Darling, don't worry
He reassures her not to worry about the cold
You can stay in my arms
He offers to keep her warm and protect her
Until the springtime comes
He promises to keep her company until the cold season ends
We'll let the snow drift around us
They will embrace the winter instead of resisting it
And wait for the robin and the crocus
They will wait for the signs of spring to come
To tell us that our love has again found the sun'
The arrival of spring will signify the renewal of their love
Lone oak stands tall,
A solitary oak tree stands upright
Bare arms scratch the sky,
Its naked branches reach for the sky
Dry leaves cracking beneath our feet
The leaves on the ground are dry and make a cracking sound as they walk
Hand in hand we've watched
They have watched together
The autumn fires burn -
The fires of autumn
Summer's dreams collapsing,
The dreams of summer are falling apart
Chestnuts in need of gathering,
Chestnuts are ready for picking
The whole world lies rotting in the street
The world seems to be in decay
Soon we will walk with collars high
They will soon wear warm clothing to protect themselves from the cold
Like ramparts raised for the siege
Their clothing will resemble walls to protect them from the winter
We'll bow to her beauty,
They will admire the beauty of winter
Cower from her fury
They will fear the harshness of winter
Sent as a judgment for a slight
Winter is seen as punishment for something they may have done wrong
Long past forgotten
Whatever they did wrong is now forgotten
Winter's love once again unrequited
They don't necessarily love winter as much as winter doesn't necessarily love them
She says, 'Babe are you sleeping?'
She asks him if he's sleeping
He says, 'No, wide awake and thinking
He's not sleeping and is thinking
Of a dream I just had about the two of us
He just had a dream about them as a couple
He takes his hand to her cheek now,
He touches her cheek with his hand
His lips to her brow,
Then kisses her on the forehead
Their whispers pile softly
They speak softly to each other
By the foot of the bed
They are at the foot of the bed
Lyrics © PAZ JUNK MUSIC INC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Michael Edward Timmins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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