So Cold the Night
Magnum Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

So cold the night
That darkens every waking hour
Let me in
I shall devour, all within

I hear the sound
The earth does tremble at my feet
Skies explode
At last we meet, anger flows

So sad, oh
So sad, oh

The wings that flew me here were glad
Like before I've never had
But there's always tomorrow
Strange dreams of sorrow

So sad, oh
So sad, oh

Deny me now
A thousand years would serve me well
But for me
Who can tell? Who can see?

I ride the storm
Of tearful faces wrapped in pain
Here I am
Am I to blame, if I ran?

So sad, oh
So sad, oh
So sad, oh

I ride the storm
Of tearful faces wrapped in pain




Here I am
Am I to blame?

Overall Meaning

Magnum's "So Cold the Night" is a haunting ballad that captures the pain and sorrow of a lost love. The opening lines, "So cold the night that darkens every waking hour, let me in, I shall devour all within," suggest a feeling of emptiness and sorrow. The musician is yearning for something or someone to fill the void, but is unable to find it. The lyrics continue to describe the intense emotions and turbulent feelings, as the skies explode and anger flows.


The song continues with the refrain "So sad, oh" which emphasizes the melancholic atmosphere of the song, setting a tone of helplessness and despair. The verses of the song detail the musician's journey, riding the storm of tearful faces wrapped in pain, searching for solace, and hoping for a better tomorrow.


The final lines of the song are a heart-wrenching plea to deny the musician's love, suggesting that it's better to be denied now than to suffer for a thousand years. The song is a powerful reflection on the pain of lost love and the struggles of moving on.


Line by Line Meaning

So cold the night
The night is very cold, which is causing discomfort and distress.


That darkens every waking hour
It's so cold that it's affecting everything they do throughout the night, causing all waking hours to be dark.


Let me in
As the song progresses, the singer requests access to a place that is uninviting and appears to be entrenched in sadness.


I shall devour, all within
The singer wants to be absorbed by the environment they're currently in, no matter how depressing it appears.


I hear the sound
The singer is being overwhelmed by environmental noise or internal turmoil of some sort.


The earth does tremble at my feet
The pressure and anxiety of the situation are causing the singer's apprehension to manifest in physical sensations.


Skies explode
The skies are figuratively exploding with emotion, as if there is a storm brewing.


At last we meet, anger flows
The eventual culmination of built-up emotions brings about a confrontation, resulting in anger.


So sad, oh
The repetition of 'So sad, oh' underscores the melancholy tone and mood of the song.


The wings that flew me here were glad
In the past, the singer's journey was filled with joy.


Like before I've never had
The singer has never experienced such joy before and is lamenting the fact that they may never experience it again.


But there's always tomorrow
Although the past was filled with joy, the singer is holding out hope for a better tomorrow.


Strange dreams of sorrow
The recurring dreams suggest that the singer is processing their sadness and attempting to find peace.


Deny me now
The singer is asking whoever is in charge of giving permission to do something to deny it now, suggesting they are ready for a change.


A thousand years would serve me well
The singer is willing to wait a long time for what they desire.


But for me
Despite their willingness to wait, the outcome is ultimately unknown.


Who can tell? Who can see?
Nobody can predict the future, and the singer is unsure what will happen next.


I ride the storm
The singer is bracing themselves and rising up to meet whatever challenges lie ahead.


Of tearful faces wrapped in pain
The current situation is causing those around them to be sad and in pain.


Here I am
The singer is resolute and ready for whatever comes their way.


Am I to blame, if I ran?
The singer is questioning whether they would be at fault for running away from the challenges they face.




Contributed by Harper L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions