Jesse Marchant (JBM) is a Swiss-Canadian multi-instrumentalist, singer-song… Read Full Bio ↴Jesse Marchant (JBM) is a Swiss-Canadian multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer based in New York. His melancholic folk songs have been featured on several Emmy-winning TV shows, including Grey's Anatomy, Parenthood and Shameless. He has toured with artists such as alt-J, Local Natives, A.A. Bondy and Damien Jurado.

The Road is Dark & Snowed
Jesse Marchant Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pack up and plan for the change
Idiot heart to obey
It leads you where
The road is dark and snowed

And all it met you in a storm
Your late ignite into honest form
It felt to you right

But led you lost in the long

All this that's rattled you away
I know excites you in a way
But it sets you blind at fault

I'd seen this side of you before
It came to light in you, and more
I can recall the ways you'd hide
To know it

So this is right you, in a way
But all that stands around you
Ain't a stain
You can wane off into nihil
I know this is
Running you a rain
You know I would
Accept you either way
But it gets me down
Way it's come unraveled

It all isn't right

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jesse Marchant's song "The Road is Dark & Snowed In" depict a sense of uncertainty and reflection in the face of change. The singer is advised to pack up and prepare for the inevitable transformation, even though it may seem foolish or difficult at first. The lyrics convey the idea that following one's heart can lead to a path that is both dark and challenging, symbolized by the road being described as dark and snowed.

The song explores the consequences of making choices guided by intuition and how it can both liberate and confound a person. The lyrics suggest that the singer has experienced the consequences of following their heart before, with the outcomes being honest yet elusive. Despite the excitement and allure that comes with embarking on a new path, it also comes with the risk of becoming blind to faults and losing one's way.

The chorus highlights the conflict within the singer, acknowledging that this is their true nature in a way, but also cautioning that the surroundings and circumstances may not be favorable. The lyrics hint at the possibility of embracing a nihilistic outlook, where everything loses its meaning and purpose. However, the juxtaposition of acceptance and disappointment in the song's conclusion suggests dissatisfaction with how things have unfolded.

Line by Line Meaning

Pack up and plan for the change
Prepare yourself and make arrangements for the upcoming transformation

Idiot heart to obey
Your naive heart blindly follows without questioning

It leads you where
It guides you towards

The road is dark and snowed
A difficult and challenging path lies ahead

And all it met you in a storm
Everything confronted you during a turbulent situation

Your late ignite into honest form
Your delayed awakening to true authenticity

It felt to you right
It felt correct to you

But led you lost in the long
But it caused you to get lost in the long run

All this that's rattled you away
All these things that have caused you to be unsettled and disoriented

I know excites you in a way
I know it stimulates you to some extent

But it sets you blind at fault
But it makes you unaware of your own mistakes