Maggie Rogers (born Margaret Debay Rogers on April 25, 1994) is an American… Read Full Bio ↴Maggie Rogers (born Margaret Debay Rogers on April 25, 1994) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and producer from Easton, Maryland. She rose to fame after her song "Alaska" was played to Pharrell Williams during a master class at New York University. Her songs "Alaska" and "Dog Years" placed numbers 64 and 173 on Triple J Hottest 100, 2016, respectively.

After the Pharrell video went viral, several different record labels tried to sign Rogers. She ended up negotiating a contract with Capitol Records where "she licenses her music to them through her own imprint, Debay Sounds." As a result, she has more control over her sound and image than many artists at a similar place in their music careers.

Rogers's EP, Now That the Light Is Fading, was released on February 17, 2017. She released her major-label debut album, Heard It In a Past Life, in January 2019. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200.

She made her television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on February 15, 2017, Saturday Night Live debut on November 3, 2018 and Today Show debut on July 12, 2019.

She cites Carrie Brownstein, Patti Smith, Kim Gordon, and Björk as her musical inspirations, while prominent singers Brandi Carlile and Sharon Van Etten - who she calls her "musical big sisters" - have become mentors. She also mentioned in her initial conversation with Williams that she has synesthesia, a benign condition where one or more senses is perceived at once. In her case, she is able to perceive colours as a response to hearing music.

Drift
Maggie Rogers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Won't you tread lightly 'cause the house is sleeping
Won't you tread lightly down the stairs
Will you leave my lonely when the sun is creeping
Up from the horizon over there

Won't you tread lightly the floorboards are creaking
Won't you tread lightly when you're gone
Will you leave me lonely when the day is breaking

Will you leave me lonely in the dawn

Keep me in your prayers when you are wandering
Keep me forever on your lips
Keep me in your thoughts when winter's knocking
Hold me when the snow begins to drift

Won't you stay a while and we could sleep in
Won't you stay a while and warm my skin
But I know you're headed for another lifetime
Be another til you're back again

Keep me in your prayers when you are wandering
Keep me forever on your lips

Keep me in your thoughts when winter's knocking
Hold me when the snow begins to drift

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Maggie Rogers's "Drift" speak to a sense of loneliness and longing for connection. The opening lines, "Won't you tread lightly 'cause the house is sleeping / Won't you tread lightly down the stairs" set a hushed, intimate tone, suggesting a desire for quiet consideration and respect for the songwriter's emotional state. This sense of vulnerability continues throughout the song, as Rogers pleads with her lover not to leave her alone when the sun rises ("Will you leave me lonely in the dawn") and asks for them to hold her through the winter when the snow begins to drift.

The refrain of "Keep me in your prayers when you are wandering / Keep me forever on your lips / Keep me in your thoughts when winter's knocking / Hold me when the snow begins to drift" reaffirms this desire for emotional closeness, even when physical distance separates the two lovers. The final stanza encapsulates this bittersweet longing, as Rogers invites her lover to stay and hold her close, but acknowledges that they are ultimately destined for different paths.

Overall, "Drift" is a poignant and emotional song that captures the complexities of relationships and the yearning for connection even in periods of separation.

Line by Line Meaning

Won't you tread lightly 'cause the house is sleeping
Please be careful not to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of my home.

Won't you tread lightly down the stairs
Please be cautious while walking down the stairs as the floorboards make a lot of noise.

Will you leave my lonely when the sun is creeping Up from the horizon over there
Will you abandon me when the night is over and the day begins?

Won't you tread lightly the floorboards are creaking Won't you tread lightly when you're gone
Please walk carefully so as not to be heard, especially when you're leaving.

Will you leave me lonely when the day is breaking Will you leave me lonely in the dawn
Will you desert me at daybreak, when everything is still drowsy and peaceful?

Keep me in your prayers when you are wandering
Remember me in your thoughts when you're traveling, and wish me well.

Keep me forever on your lips
Always keep me in your heart and remember me.

Keep me in your thoughts when winter's knocking
Think of me when the cold weather arrives.

Hold me when the snow begins to drift
Embrace me when the snow starts falling, to better endure the chilly weather.

Won't you stay a while and we could sleep in Won't you stay a while and warm my skin
Won't you spend more time with me and stay in bed with me awhile?

But I know you're headed for another lifetime Be another til you're back again
I know you have other responsibilities, but be someone else and come back refreshed.

Writer(s): Maggie Rogers

Contributed by Julian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS