The Blizzard
Judy Collins Lyrics

Colorado, Colorado
A declaration of the setting of the story.

When the world leaves you shivering
The feeling of being lost and helpless.

And the blizzard blows,
A metaphor for a difficult and tumultuous period in life.

When the snow flies and the night falls
A description of the harshness of the environment.

There's a light in the window and a place called home
A symbol of comfort and safety that awaits at the end of the journey.

At the end of the storm.
A promise that the difficult period will eventually come to an end.

One night on the mountain I was headed for Estes
A flashback to a specific night in the singer's life.

When the roads turned to ice and it started to snow,
A sudden change in the environment.

Put on the chains in a whirl of white powder,
The artist taking necessary precautions to deal with the weather.

Half way up to Berthoud near a diner I know
A specific landmark on the journey.

And the light burned inside, shining down through the snowfall
The beacon of hope in a difficult situation.

God it was cold and the temperature droppin',
The harshness of the environment.

Went in for coffee and shivered as I drank it,
The singer seeking refuge from the cold environment.

Warm in my hands in the steam as it rose.
The comfort of warmth in the midst of coldness.

Sitting there at the counter was a dark headed stranger,
The introduction of a character who becomes important in the story.

Me and the owner and him keepin warm,
A sense of community in difficult times.

Nodded hello and I said it's a cold one
The tension-breaking conversation starter.

Looks like there might be a blizzard tonight -
A prediction of the coming events.

And "yes", said the owner,
The confirmation of the prediction.

"There's a big storm on the mountain,
The severity of the situation.

Good thing we're open, we could be here for hours
The sense of relief at having found shelter.

There's nothing for miles and it's too late to get to Denver,
The realization of limitations and the need to adapt.

Better not try for the summit tonight".
The acceptance of the situation and the need to take it one step at a time.

And the snow fell
A recurring theme that emphasizes the harshness of the environment.

And the night passed
A way of marking the passage of time.

And I talked to the strangers
The singer forming a bond with someone unexpected.

While the blizzard blew.
The harshness of the environment persists.

Me and the stranger, you know I don't talk to strangers,
A personal quirk of the artist.

I'm a private sort of person but a blizzard is a blizzard,
The circumstances forcing the artist to act outside of their comfort zone.

And somehow I found myself saying you'd left me,
An unexpected confession that reveals the singer's vulnerability.

Tellin' him everything I wanted to say to you.
Using the stranger as a proxy to communicate with someone who is not present.

You know how it is when you can talk to a stranger,
A shared understanding between the artist and the stranger.

Someone your quite sure you'll never see again -
A temporary bond formed under unusual circumstances.

Soon we were laughin', and talkin', and drinkin'
The bonding experience through shared experience.

He said "you must know you're too good for him".
A comforting statement from the stranger that lifts the singer's spirits.

The stranger said "Love it can cry you a river -
The universal experience of heartbreak.

Me, I'm a loner cause I can't take the heartache
The approach of avoiding potential heartbreak altogether.

And sometimes I'm a fighter when I get too much whiskey -
The use of alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Here have a little whiskey, pretend you don't give a damn -
The stranger trying to help the singer deal with their emotional pain.

My cabin's up here on the side of the mountain
The introduction of a new setting.

You can go up there and sleep through the blizzard".
A place of refuge from the harshness of the environment.

I put on my parka, said goodbye to the owner
The singer preparing to move on from the shelter.

Followed the stranger through the snow up the mountainside.
The trust built between the singer and the stranger.

Woke in the morning to the sun on the snow,
A change in the environment signaling a new day.

My car was buried in six feet of snow drifts,
The difficulty of navigating through harsh conditions.

They dug me out, just the owner and the stranger,
The gratitude felt towards those who helped the artist.

Sent me on my way when the snowplow had been by
The resumption of the journey now that the conditions have improved.

And the roads were all clear and the sun on the mountains
The contrast between the harshness of the environment and the beauty of nature.

Sparkled like diamonds on the peak to peak highway -
The beauty of nature persists despite the challenges faced.

Then I knew that I would get over you, knew you could leave me
The realization that the singer is capable of moving on from their past.

But you'd never break me.
The resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Colorado, Colorado
A repetition of the setting to bookend the story.

When the world leaves you shivering
A universal truth that harsh times will come.

And the blizzard blows,
An acknowledgement that some difficulties will be temporary yet intense.

When the snow flies and the night falls
The emphasis on the harshness of the environment.

There's a light in the window and a place called home
The reassurance of a safe haven during difficult times.

At the end of the storm.
A reminder that challenging periods will eventually come to an end.