Stormy Weather
J. Mitchell Lyrics

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Don't know why
There's no sun up in the sky
Stormy weather
Since my man and I ain't together
Keeps rainin' all of the time

Life is bare
Gloom and misery everywhere

Stormy weather
Just can't get my poor self together
I'm weary all the time
All the time

So weary all of the time
When you went away
The blues stepped up and met me
If he's gone to stay
That old rocking chair's going to get me
Every night I pray
That the lord above will let me
Walk in the sunlight once more

I can't go on
Everything I had is gone
Stormy weather
Since my man and I ain't together
Keeps rainin' all of the time

Keeps rainin' all of the time

Overall Meaning

In "Stormy Weather," Joni Mitchell sings of the gloom and despair she feels since her lover has departed. She opens by lamenting the absence of sun in the sky, a metaphor for the darkness that has descended upon her life. She then goes on to describe the "stormy weather" that she is experiencing without her man, with rain falling incessantly. She is exhausted and cannot seem to get herself together, with grief and agony following her wherever she goes. The weight of the separation is crushing her spirit, rendering her unable to move forward. She feels as if she can't go on because everything she once had is now gone, consumed by the tempest of sadness that she is caught up in.

The lyrics in "Stormy Weather" are both deeply personal and universal. It is a song that speaks to anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak and loss, and who has found themselves caught up in the tidal wave of emotions that such events can bring. The song is a powerful expression of the pain and anguish that can come with separation and grief, and it has resonated with audiences for decades.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't know why
I cannot understand the reason

There's no sun up in the sky
The sky is gloomy and overcast

Stormy weather
The weather is characterized by storms and instability

Since my man and I ain't together
Since my partner and I are not together

Keeps rainin' all of the time
It is constantly raining

Life is bare
My existence is bleak and impoverished

Gloom and misery everywhere
Everywhere I look, I see sadness and melancholy

Just can't get my poor self together
I am unable to compose myself

I'm weary all the time
I am constantly tired and fatigued

All the time
This state of mind persists perpetually

So weary all of the time
The feeling of exhaustion is overwhelming