Winter Ghosts
Jesse Marchant Lyrics
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I can hear the storm come
From many roads away
And it brings the night
If the ones who died sit around me
I hope they're going to stay
And that maybe you'll arrive
In the rain that's rolling in
I feel you on my skin
Winter came as a load
Frozen down to the bone
I lived here half asleep
Walking nights to the road
Empty, drunk and alone
In hopes you'd come to me
Before the morning
Before you're running
But why are you running?
Where are you running?
Home?
Once I knew you
Lay my head upon your lap
Once I knew you
In your eyes a calming light
Once I knew you
And your hand upon my back
Once I knew you
In a life ain't coming back
The lyrics to "Winter Ghosts" by Jesse Marchant are haunting and evoke a sense of longing and loneliness. The first verse sets the scene of a storm brewing outside as the singer sits in their bedroom by the window, waiting for someone. The storm brings with it the darkness of night, and the singer hopes that the ones who have passed away will be with them as they wait. As the rain rolls in, the singer can feel the presence of the person they are waiting for on their skin, even in the heat of summer.
The second verse reveals that winter has arrived, and the singer feels frozen down to the bone. They have been living in a half-asleep state, wandering through the night in hopes that the person they are waiting for will come to them. The repeated questions of "why are you running? Where are you running? Home?" suggest that the person they are waiting for may be running away from something. The final stanza is a reflection on the past - the singer remembers a time when they knew this person intimately, their hand on their back and a calming light in their eyes. But that time has passed, and the life they once shared will never come back.
Overall, "Winter Ghosts" is a melancholy meditation on longing and loss, with a sense of yearning for something that may never come.
Line by Line Meaning
By the window up in the bedroom
I'm situated inside my bedroom, close to the window
I can hear the storm come
The sound of a storm is approaching and I can hear it
From many roads away
The storm is coming from quite a distance away
And it brings the night
The storm is arriving at night time
If the ones who died sit around me
I'm contemplating the idea of the deceased being present with me
I hope they're going to stay
I wish for their company to last
And that maybe you'll arrive
Hoping that you'll unexpectedly appear
In the rain that's rolling in
You showing up during the incoming rain
These summer nights
I'm reminiscing about nights in the past, specifically summer nights
I feel you on my skin
The memory of your touch is still with me
Winter came as a load
The arrival of winter felt heavy, overwhelming
Frozen down to the bone
I feel frozen, both physically and emotionally
I lived here half asleep
Living life in a fog-like state
Walking nights to the road
Wandering aimlessly during sleepless nights
Empty, drunk and alone
Feeling hollow, intoxicated, and without companionship
In hopes you'd come to me
Desperately wanting you to appear
Before the morning
Before the night comes to an end
Before you're running
Before you leave again
But why are you running?
Questioning why you are always on the move
Where are you running?
Wondering where you're headed and why
Home?
Is your destination home?
Once I knew you
There was a time when we were close
Lay my head upon your lap
In the past, I rested my head on your lap for comfort
In your eyes a calming light
The look in your eyes brought a sense of serenity
And your hand upon my back
Your touch on my back brought comfort in hard times
In a life ain't coming back
Remembering a time in the past with nostalgia, but knowing it can't be relived
Contributed by Avery F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dale
on Words Underlined
Great interpretation of a deeply emotional and introspective song!