The Hot Club of Cowtown formed in 1996 as a Hot Jazz/Western swing group. T… Read Full Bio ↴The Hot Club of Cowtown formed in 1996 as a Hot Jazz/Western swing group. The group consisted of Elana James nee Fremerman (Vocals, Violin), Whit Smith (Vocals, Guitar), and Jake Erwin (Vocals, Upright Bass).

The Hot Club's first album, 1998's Swingin' Stampede, was a collection of covers of classic tunes, including two written by Bob Wills, a major influence on the band. Their 1999 follow-up album, Tall Tales, showcased the songwriting ability of both Smith and Fremerman, with many original songs, including "Forget-Me-Nots" and "That Secret of Mine," both by Fremerman, and "It Stops With Me," by Smith, mixed with covers ranging from Rodgers and Hart's "You Took Advantage of Me" to Aerosmith's "Chip Away the Stone." Further albums would continue the same formula of classic western swing and hot jazz, along with originals in the same style.

The Hot Club of Cowtown broke up in 2005. Whit Smith and Jake Erwin performed together as part of Whit Smith's Hot Jazz Caravan, based out of Austin, Texas. Elana James toured with Bob Dylan in 2005, the first female to be included in his touring band in over 30 years (she came to Dylan's attention when The Hot Club of Cowtown opened for him and Willie Nelson during a joint tour of historic ballparks in the Summer of 2004). Changing her name to Elana James, Fremerman began performing in late 2005 with Beau Sample (formerly of Cave Catt Sammy) and Luke Hill, first under the name Elana James and Her Hot Hot Trio, and later as Elana James and the Continental Two. The band reunited in 2008.

When Day Is Done
Hot Club Of Cowtown Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When day is done
And shadows fall
I dream of you!

When day is done
I think of all
The joys we knew!

That yearning, returning,
To hold you in my arms,
Won't go love, I know love,
Without you, night has lost it's charms!

When day is done
And grass is wet
With twilight's dew,
My lonely heart is sinking
With the sun!

Although I miss your tender kiss
The whole day through,
I miss you most of all
When day is done!

Although I miss your tender kiss
The whole day through,

I miss you most of all
When day is done!

Overall Meaning

The song "When Day Is Done" by Hot Club Of Cowtown speaks deeply to the emotions that often come into play after the sun goes down. The lyrics are a sentimental expression of how the singer feels when night falls and shadows begin to cover the world. The song evokes a sense of loss and longing for a loved one who is not present, but whose memory is still vivid in the singer's mind.

The first stanza sets the scene for the song, with the singer acknowledging the arrival of darkness and expressing how they dream of their loved one at this time. In the second stanza, the singer reflects on the joy they experienced with their loved one and how they cannot shake the desire to hold them in their arms once again. The refrain repeats the sentiment, emphasizing how the singer cannot fully enjoy the night without their love.

The third stanza's imagery paints a somber picture, with dew-covered grass and a sinking heart to match. The final stanza brings the song to a close by reiterating the singer's full awareness of their longing for their beloved, acknowledging how much they are missed when day is done.

Overall, "When Day Is Done" is a classic, moving ballad that stands the test of time. The song captures the universal feeling of longing for a loved one who is not present, and its melody and lyrics have earned it an enduring place in the canon of love songs.

Line by Line Meaning

When day is done
At the end of the day

And shadows fall
When evening comes and the sun sets

I dream of you!
I think about you and imagine being with you

When day is done
At the end of the day

I think of all
I remember all

The joys we knew!
The happy times we shared together

That yearning, returning,
The feeling of wanting and coming back to you

To hold you in my arms,
To embrace you tightly

Won't go love, I know love,
My love for you will never fade

Without you, night has lost its charms!
Without you, the night is empty and unappealing

When day is done
At the end of the day