The group was known as Flowers when this song was first released. They changed their name to Icehouse due to a naming conflict with another band internationally.
Icehouse
Icehouse Lyrics
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Though the rivers never freeze
There's a girl outside the icehouse
I can see her clearly though the trees
And now she's dreaming of a new love
And she hopes he'll be there soon
But she's got so long to wait for him
Because he needs another year to get there
The devil lives inside the icehouse
At least that's what the old ones say
He came along time ago
He came here in the winter snow
Now it's colder every day
But she's still dreaming through the summer
And she's hoping through the spring
She says she's got no time for winter nights
She doesn't notice as the days grow colder
She can't remember getting any older
There's no love inside the icehouse
And now she's dreaming of a new love
And she hopes he'll be there soon
She says she's got no time for winter nights
She doesn't notice as the days grow colder
She can't remember getting any older
There's no love inside the icehouse
There's no love inside the icehouse
The icehouse
The song "Icehouse" by the Australian rock band Icehouse, has a poetic quality that speaks to themes of love and loneliness, juxtaposing the coldness of the icehouse with the warmth of human connection. The opening lines, "It's always cold inside the icehouse, though the rivers never freeze" create a sense of desolation and isolation. Despite this, the singer can see a girl outside the icehouse, and dreams of a new love, someone who will warm the chill that permeates their world. There is a kind of fatalism that runs through the song, a sense that the girl and the singer are trapped in a cycle of waiting and hoping, unable to escape the cold.
The image of the devil living inside the icehouse adds to the otherworldly quality of the song, perhaps alluding to a more metaphorical kind of darkness that resides within us all. The girl’s desire for a new love seems to keep her bound to the icehouse, unable to move on or escape her circumstances. The final lines, "She can't remember getting any older, there's no love inside the icehouse," suggest a kind of timeless limbo, where the characters are frozen in time, unable to find the love and connection that they crave.
Line by Line Meaning
It's always cold inside the icehouse
The icehouse is constantly chilly.
Though the rivers never freeze
Even though the cold temperature doesn't affect the rivers.
There's a girl outside the icehouse
A girl is outside near the icehouse.
I can see her clearly though the trees
The girl is visible despite the trees blocking the view.
And now she's dreaming of a new love
The girl is hoping and wishing for a new romantic partner.
And she hopes he'll be there soon
The girl wants her new love to show up quickly.
But she's got so long to wait for him
The girl knows that she has a significant amount of time until her new love arrives.
Because he needs another year to get there
The girl's new love is a year away from arriving.
There's no love inside the icehouse
The icehouse doesn't have any love or affection.
The devil lives inside the icehouse
According to legend, the devil inhabits the icehouse.
At least that's what the old ones say
This is what has been passed down through generations.
He came along time ago
The devil has been there for a while.
He came here in the winter snow
The devil arrived during a snowstorm.
Now it's colder every day
The temperature is continuously dropping.
But she's still dreaming through the summer
The girl is still dreaming and hoping, even during the warm season.
And she's hoping through the spring
The girl is wishing and desiring even during springtime.
She says she's got no time for winter nights
The girl isn't fond of the dark and cold winter evenings.
She doesn't notice as the days grow colder
The girl is oblivious to the gradual drop in temperature.
She can't remember getting any older
The girl hasn't realized that she's aging.
There's no love inside the icehouse
Once again, the icehouse is lacking in love or affection.
There's no love inside the icehouse
The absence of love is reiterated at the end of the song.
The icehouse
The song is titled after the structure where most of the events happen.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ivor Arthur Davies
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kenneth1688
It's always cold inside the icehouse
Though the rivers never freeze
There's a girl outside the icehouse
I can see her clearly though the trees
And now she's dreaming of a new love
And she hopes he'll be there soon
But she's got so long to wait for him
Because he needs another year to get there
There's no love inside the icehouse
The devil lives inside the icehouse
At least that's what the old ones say
He came along time ago
He came here in the winter snow
Now it's colder every day
But she's still dreaming through the summer
And she's hoping through the spring
She says she's got no time for winter nights
She doesn't notice as the days grow colder
She can't remember getting any older
There's no love inside the icehouse
And now she's dreaming of a new love
And she hopes he'll be there soon
She says she's got no time for winter nights
She doesn't notice as the days grow colder
She can't remember getting any older
There's no love inside the icehouse
There's no love inside the icehouse
The icehouse
@CRockDad
Maybe the most underrated song of the 80s. Haunting lyrics and melody. You will listen to this song over and over again. The band has so many amazing songs that we have all forgotten.. but this is THE EPIC. Icehouse!
@begrackled
It's a shame when genius isn't prolific. The Sex Pistols only made one album, this band only got it right with two truly perfect songs. But that moment when fleeting genius gets it right... it's a hell of a thing. For a moment there, this was a better Bowie or Ultravox than Bowie or Ultravox.
@jimvincent1831
My goodness, imagining Bowie doing this song....
@LnrGms
I just found this on Electrozombies following checking a review.
@matthewlyons67
totally agree underated underplayed icehouse in the early days were brilliant iva davies what a front man
@kristianlato
You are right. To me the best song of the 80
@inflxshn6175
Their first album was a masterpiece. The guys voice reminds me just slightly of David Bowie, the video and music reminds me of Gary Numan. Absolutely incredible song.
@TheAerovons
Some Lennon/Beatles in there too, great track…
@marklankford1081
Thought the same on the Numan thing
@charlesseagraves6210
Totally agree… 👍🏻