Stormbringer
John & Beverley Martyn Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Time's gone by calendar leaves and snows fly
I might write a poem
If I could think of the words to try
What is there to remember
The winter was December
Just one more year left behind

She never looked around to see me
She never looked around at all
All I saw was shadows on the wall
She never looked around to see me
She never looked around at all

All I heard was snow that had to fall
She left in the morning
Quietly that was her way and on returning
To find I had nothing to say
What is there to remember
The winter was December
Just one more year left behind

She never looked around to see me
She never looked around at all
All I saw was shadows on the wall
She never looked around to see me




She never looked around at all
All I heard was snow that had to fall

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to John & Beverley Martyn's song "Stormbringer" convey a sense of loneliness and longing for someone who is absent. The singer reflects on the passage of time, as indicated by the changing calendar leaves and falling snow. They express a desire to write a poem to capture their emotions, but struggle to find the right words.


The winter serves as a metaphor for the relationship that has now ended. The singer reminisces about the previous year, highlighting the month of December. It becomes evident that this particular winter holds significance, perhaps as the time when the relationship dissolved. The singer feels a sense of loss and disappointment, as they reflect on how their partner never truly acknowledged their presence. They describe only seeing shadows on the wall, symbolizing the lack of connection and the emotional distance that existed between them.


The second verse highlights the departure of the partner in the morning, leaving quietly without any words or explanations. Upon their return, the singer realizes that they are left speechless and unable to express their feelings. The repetition of the line "She never looked around to see me" emphasizes the singer's yearning for acknowledgment and validation. The mention of the falling snow represents the passage of time and the inevitability of change.


Overall, "Stormbringer" delves into the themes of loneliness, longing, and the inability to connect with a past love. The song captures the emotions and reflections of someone grappling with the end of a relationship and the subsequent feelings of emptiness.


Line by Line Meaning

Time's gone by calendar leaves and snows fly
The passage of time is represented by the changing of calendar leaves and the falling of snow


I might write a poem
I have the potential to express my emotions through poetry


If I could think of the words to try
If only I could find the right words to convey my feelings


What is there to remember
What is worth reminiscing about


The winter was December
The specific winter being referred to was in December


Just one more year left behind
Another year has passed by


She never looked around to see me
She never acknowledged my presence


She never looked around at all
She didn't bother to notice anything or anyone


All I saw was shadows on the wall
All I could perceive were vague and fleeting glimpses of her presence


She left in the morning
She departed early in the day


Quietly that was her way and on returning
Silently, without making a fuss, she would come back


To find I had nothing to say
Upon her return, I realized I had no words to express my emotions


All I heard was snow that had to fall
All I could hear was the sound of inevitability and detachment




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RITCHIE BLACKMORE, COVERDALE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@tonylopez8976

Greatest compliment for a musician, that people are talking about his songs 50 years later.

@vhsparks

This is such an under the radar masterpiece. Can't believe people don't know about it. RIP John.

@bizzjoe

Oh I know all about it ... it's magic .. beautiful piano piece in the middle

@NewGrooveVinylClub

Holy smokes this track has some great instrumentation and great production. Listening to it for the first time, the way that middle section is mixed really caught my ear and my attention.


The way the guitars and pianos have these curveball hard pans that produce a tight-rope act of keeping everything focused yet slightly askew and dramatic. Everything working together for the greater good of the song while still speaking their own story and having their own voice. And how those slightly Orchestral/marching band drums have narrower width in the mix that's both an anchor and a concussive strike everytime that dead-center belly flop snare drum cracks, how it pushes and pulls all the other elements, how it cradles them yet carves its own sonic space. It feels organic yet deliberate and singular. It breathes.

@louisequadrelli7961

Soundtrack to my youth ❤

@Offdrive3

Magic record of great innocence.

@ordinaryhand

great music but far from innocent as he was horribly abusive to beverley

@johnp4100

Beautiful song! I've been obsessed with it since hearing Becks version. I also found a great version done by Elton John on here too.

@ElectroIllusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMRlPVEfqwE

@sportslad100

fanastic

More Comments

More Versions