Residing in Stockholm, Sweden, the duo quietly crafted the nine tracks that make up 2011's debut album Hearts throughout stolen moments gathered up since their formation in 2008.
Winter Beats
I Break Horses Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When your heart in winter beats
Don't let that cold blood freeze
Cause frozen love will bleed
Blood streaked
Streaked with frozen leaves
Leaves broken streets for me
Winter beats
It strikes for you and me
Don't let that cold blood freeze
Cause frozen love still bleeds
Winter beats
It strikes for you and me
Don't let that cold blood freeze
Cause frozen love still bleeds
The lyrics to I Break Horses' song Winter Beats serve as a powerful reminder of the dangers of emotional numbness in the midst of heartbreak. The opening lines state "Heart beats, when your heart in winter beats, don't let that cold blood freeze, cause frozen love will bleed", painting a picture of a heart that is struggling to keep its emotions alive. The metaphor of frozen love bleeding serves to highlight the idea that when our hearts shut down in response to trauma, the resulting pain can actually be worse than when we allow ourselves to feel the full force of our emotions.
The second verse of the song continues in this vein, using the image of blood streaked with frozen leaves to represent the painful aftermath of a broken heart. The line "leaves broken streets for me, slips on cold red streets" suggests a sense of disorientation and instability that can come with emotional trauma, as if the singer is struggling to find solid ground amidst the wreckage of a failed relationship. Throughout the song, the chorus repeats the urgent plea "Don't let that cold blood freeze, cause frozen love still bleeds", emphasizing the idea that even when we try to shut down our emotions, they will always find a way to make themselves known.
Overall, Winter Beats is a hauntingly beautiful song that captures the pain of heartbreak with remarkable clarity. The stark imagery and urgent vocals combine to make a powerful statement about the importance of staying connected to our emotions even in the face of sadness and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Heart beats
The beginning of the song and a reminder that the heart is beating.
When your heart in winter beats
An acknowledgement of how heartbreak and difficult times can make the heart feel during the colder months.
Don't let that cold blood freeze
A warning to not allow oneself to become completely frozen and emotionless, even amidst hardships.
Cause frozen love will bleed
A statement that even if love is frozen and seemingly lifeless, it can still cause pain and heartbreak when it begins to thaw.
Blood streaked
A continuation of the metaphor of love being like blood, specifically one that has been wounded and now appears streaked with damage.
Streaked with frozen leaves
An image of the blood being stained with signs of winter, such as frozen leaves that have fallen and now cling to the ground.
Leaves broken streets for me
The leaves on the ground leave the streets looking broken, adding to the sense of destruction and chaos in the song.
Slips on cold red streets
A nod to the dangers of falling on icy winter streets, with an added meaning of potential emotional pain and vulnerability that comes with heartbreak.
Winter beats
The frequent refrain of the song, emphasizing that the harshness of winter can feel like a persistent, unrelenting force to be reckoned with.
It strikes for you and me
A reminder that no one is immune to the difficulties of winter, and that it affects everyone in different ways.
Cause frozen love still bleeds
A reiteration of an earlier line that even if love appears frozen and unfeeling, it can still cause pain and heartbreak when eventually thawed.
Writer(s): Fredrik Balck, Maria Linden
Contributed by Caden E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marjayhan
Heart beats
When your heart in winter beats
Don't let that cold blood freeze
'Cause frozen love will bleed
Blood streaked
Streaked with frozen leaves
Leaves broken streets for me
Slips on cold red streets
Winter beats
It strikes for you and me
Don't let that cold blood freeze
'Cause frozen love still bleeds
Winter beats
It strikes for you and me
Don't let that cold blood freeze
'Cause frozen love still bleeds
Andrew Turvill
This album is an experience from start to end!
shiznicks74
It was such a jarring eXPERIENCE hearing this tune being blasted in a stadium among 18,000 other people for the first time. Unforgettable. Thanks U2. You guys made me an I Break Horses fan.#Maria
Kati Boss
This vid is a fkn MASTERPIECE. Perfect for Cillian's face. ❤️
Luke Rogers
One of my favourite songs ever made. Reminds me of the awesome summer of 2011.
shitty person
This is my forever favourite song
Volodymyr Pekh
Never heard "I Break Horses" before but their performance was seriously awesome. Now listening to them for the whole day!
Alexandra Starr
Such a belter of a tune, seen these live twice now, once with sigur ros and once at shoreditch in london, great live band, and the members are so friendly and sweet, they really are, Marie is a toal sweetheart. I hope they return to the uk again soon =)
RomeoRiot
Gotta say that THIS is the best track I have heard in a long time. I love it, and thanks
Loui Aparcana
La primera canción que escuché de ellos y me gusto esta gran banda :)
cilly filly
Love the music but the flash of Cillian Murphy in the video is deeply exciting