Souvenirs
John Prine & Steve Goodman Lyrics
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Christmas days have come and gone
Broken toys and faded colors
Are all that's left to linger on
I hate graveyards and old pawn shops
For they always bring me tears
I can't forgive the way they rob me
Of my childhood souvenirs
Memories they can't be boughten
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Well it took me years
To get those souvenirs
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
Broken hearts and dirty windows
Make life difficult to see
That's why last night and this mornin'
Always look the same to me
I hate reading old love letters
For they always bring me tears
I can't forgive the way they rob me
Of my sweetheart's souvenirs
In the song "Souvenirs," John Prine and Steve Goodman mourn the passage of time and the loss of childhood innocence. The first verse sets the tone with a depiction of the aftermath of Christmas - broken toys, faded colors, and melted snow. It is a melancholy picture, and the singer is especially stricken by the presence of graveyards and pawn shops, as they remind him of his own mortality and the transience of all material things. He laments the fact that his childhood souvenirs are now gone, taken from him by the inexorable march of time.
The second verse continues the theme of loss and regret, as the singer reflects on broken hearts and dirty windows that make it hard to see the world clearly. He confesses that he can't bear to read old love letters, as they only bring tears and remind him of the things he has lost. The singer concludes by acknowledging that memories are precious precisely because they can't be bought or won - they must be earned through time and experience. And yet, even those memories can slip away without warning, leaving us feeling adrift and lost.
Overall, "Souvenirs" is a poignant meditation on the fleeting nature of life and the value of memories in helping us make sense of it all. The song speaks to anyone who has ever felt nostalgia for the past or sensed the bittersweet passage of time. It is a reminder that even the most precious things in life are fragile and fleeting, and that we must cherish them while we can.
Line by Line Meaning
All the snow has turned to water
The winter has passed, and everything that once had a pure, white appearance has now disappeared
Christmas days have come and gone
The festive celebration of Christmas time is no longer present
Broken toys and faded colors
Gifts that were once colorful and enjoyable are now in disrepair and losing their vibrancy
Are all that's left to linger on
These damaged objects are the only remnants of the joyous days gone by
I hate graveyards and old pawn shops
Places that hold relics of the past cause the singer to experience sadness
For they always bring me tears
The emotion that these places evoke is always one of grief and sorrow
I can't forgive the way they rob me
The places that harbor memories are not giving them back, which can feel like a loss of something irreplaceable
Of my childhood souvenirs
These objects are representative of a time long passed that he cannot return to
Memories they can't be boughten
No amount of money can bring back the joy of past memories
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Even the temporary happiness from winning a prize at a carnival cannot replace the lasting effect of real memories
Well it took me years
It has been a long and difficult journey to collect the souvenirs
To get those souvenirs
Acquiring these memories was something that took time and effort
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
The singer doesn't understand how something so valuable and meaningful could just disappear
Broken hearts and dirty windows
Emotional turmoil and physical obstacles can make it hard to see the beauty in life
Make life difficult to see
These challenges can obscure the good things that exist all around us
That's why last night and this mornin'
Despite the passage of time, things can feel very similar from one day to the next
Always look the same to me
The singer's perspective is sometimes clouded by negative emotions, causing everything to feel monotonous
I hate reading old love letters
Letters that once brought happiness and love now cause feelings of sadness
Of my sweetheart's souvenirs
Remnants of past relationships are some of the most significant souvenirs of all, and can cause the most pain when they are gone
Contributed by Josiah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@JimGlover1
Lyrics
All the snow has turned to water
Christmas days have come and gone
Broken toys and faded colours
Are all that's left to linger on
I hate graveyards and old pawn shops
For they always bring me tears
I can't forgive the way they robbed me
Of my childhood souvenirs
Memories, they can't be boughten
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Well it took me years to get those souvenirs
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
Broken hearts and dirty windows
Make life difficult to see
That's why last night and this morning
Always look the same to me
And I hate reading old love letters
For they always bring me tears
I can't forget the way they robbed me
Of my sweetheart's souvenirs
Memories they can't be boughten
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Well it took me years to get those souvenirs
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: John Prine
@sl0peyt888
All the snow has turned to water
Christmas days have come and gone
Broken toys and faded colors
Are all that's left to linger on
I hate graveyards and old pawn shops
For they always bring me tears
I can't forgive the way they rob me
Of my childhood souvenirs
Memories they can't be boughten
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Well it took me years
To get those souvenirs
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
Broken hearts and dirty windows
Make life difficult to see
That's why last night and this mornin'
Always look the same to me
I hate reading old love letters
For they always bring me tears
I can't forgive the way they rob me
Of my sweetheart's souvenirs
Memories they can't be boughten
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Well it took me years
To get those souvenirs
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
@remya4050
All the snow has turned to water
Christmas days have come and gone
Broken toys and faded colours are all that's left to linger on
I hate graveyards and old oawn shops
For they always bring me tears
I can't forgive the way they robbed me of my childhood souvenirs
Memories, they can't be boughten
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Well it took me years to get those souvenirs
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
Broken hearts and dirty windows
Make life difficult to see
That's why last night and this morning
Always look the same to me
And I hate reading old love letters
For they always bring me tears
I can't forget the way they robbed me
Of my sweetheart's souvenirs
Memories, they can't be boughten
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Well it took me years to get those souvenirs
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
Written by John Prine • Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
@hochbob
We have been blessed by the genius of these great trubadours. This duet is one of the most melodic guitar pieces I've ever heard.
@thelizinator
I'd like to imagine John and Steve are singing this together tonight. Rest in peace, John.
@shanephillips1730
Amen!
@dianenorman407
Amen to the greatest! Steve's strumming and John's running there will be some pickin today. April 7, 2020
@PugetSoundFlyer
Me too. Wouldn't that be pretty.....
@jackandpiper
thelizinator my friends played this at my Dad’s funeral...now my heart is broken again💔
@toddfischer1519
Bot of course
@bettywalton5572
Two truly iconic singer songwriters who did not grace us with their presence long enough.
@KathrynCummings1
💙
@KathrynCummings1
Published on YouTube 14 yrs ago but performed probably, close to, 40 years ago? 😢