Mark Sandman (September 24, 1952 – July 3, 1999) was an American singer, so… Read Full Bio ↴Mark Sandman (September 24, 1952 – July 3, 1999) was an American singer, songwriter, musical instrument inventor and multi-instrumentalist. An indie rock icon and longtime fixture on the Boston music scene, Sandman was best known as the lead singer and slide bass player of the band Morphine.

Sandman was also known as a prominent member of the Boston blues band Treat Her Right and the founder of Hi-n-Dry, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based recording studio and independent record label.

Sandman was born into a Jewish American family in Newton, Massachusetts. He graduated from college but worked a variety of blue-collar jobs, including construction, taxi driving, and commercial fishing. Sandman once noted he would often earn considerable overtime pay, which allowed him to take leave of work and travel outside of New England to places such as rural Colorado -- the setting for a number of Treat Her Right and Morphine songs, including "Thursday", "The Jury", and "I Think She Likes Me".

Along with Morphine, which he formed in 1989, Sandman was also a member of the bands Sandman, Candy Bar, the Hypnosonics, Supergroup (with Chris Ballew), and the Pale Brothers. He also performed as a guest with the Boston jazz band Either/Orchestra.

On July 3, 1999, Sandman collapsed on stage at the Giardini del Principe in Palestrina, Latium, Italy (near Rome) while performing with Morphine. He was soon pronounced dead of a heart attack at the age of 46. Sandman was survived by his girlfriend Sabine Hrechdakian, his parents Bob and Tel Sandman, and his sister Martha Holmes. Morphine immediately disbanded following his death, though the surviving members briefly toured with other musicians, creating Orchestra Morphine as a tribute to Sandman and the band's music.

Snow
Mark Sandman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

First it snowed
Then it snowed
Then it snowed and it snowed and it snowed and it snowed

Then it rained
Then it rained
Then the rain made it worse as it froze it against my face

I never needed more than you before to keep me warm
You wrapped me up in a blanket of snow

Then it snowed
Then it snowed and it snowed and it snowed and it snowed

Now listen to the snow fall down

I never needed more than you before to keep me warm
You wrapped me up in a blanket of snow

And we got into the car
Went riding around
Pulled into a parking lot, spun some donuts
Then we turned on the radio to hear the weather report

"A thick blanket of snow covered most of the New England area earlier today. And the expected forecast for the rest of the week calls for snow... That's right. Snow, snow, and more snow."

All alone
All alone
All alone in a blanket, in a blanket a blanket of snow

And it snowed,
And it snowed,
And it snowed,

And it snowed,
And it snowed.

Overall Meaning

Mark Sandman's "Snow" is a song that captures the beauty, isolation, and loneliness that come with a heavy snowfall. The song begins by simply repeating the phrase "First it snowed, then it snowed" over and over again. This repetition creates a hypnotic and meditative mood, and it feels as if we are being lulled by the snowfall. As the song progresses, the snow continues to fall relentlessly, turning into freezing rain that makes the singer's face numb.

Despite the weather, the singer says that they only ever needed their lover to keep them warm. The metaphor of the lover as a blanket of snow is both beautiful and chilling, as it suggests that the singer's lover is as cold and lifeless as the snow that surrounds them. The second verse shifts the focus to a car ride with the lover, which provides a brief respite from the isolation of the snow. However, the weather report on the radio reminds them that the snow will keep coming, and the song ends with the singer alone and wrapped in a blanket of snow.

The song's repetitiveness and minimalism create a somber and introspective mood that is typical of Mark Sandman's music. The lyrics suggest a sense of loss, loneliness, and melancholy, but they also evoke a beauty and nostalgia that is unique to snowy landscapes. In many ways, the song is a reflection on the cyclical nature of life and nature, and how we are all just small parts of a larger, ever-changing world.

Line by Line Meaning

First it snowed
The snow began falling for the first time

Then it snowed
The snow continued to fall

Then it snowed and it snowed and it snowed and it snowed
The snowfall was intense and prolonged

Then it rained
Subsequently, there was rain following the snow

Then it rained
The rain continued to fall

Then the rain made it worse as it froze it against my face
The raindrops froze against the face, compounding the discomfort caused by the cold

I never needed more than you before to keep me warm
I used to find comfort and warmth in your presence

You wrapped me up in a blanket of snow
Being together with you felt like a warm embrace despite the cold weather

Then it snowed
The snowfall resumed

Then it snowed and it snowed and it snowed and it snowed
The snowfall was intense and prolonged, once again

Now listen to the snow fall down
Take a moment to appreciate the quietness of the falling snow

I never needed more than you before to keep me warm
I used to find comfort and warmth in your presence

You wrapped me up in a blanket of snow
Being together with you felt like a warm embrace despite the cold weather

And we got into the car
We both got into the car

Went riding around
We drove aimlessly

Pulled into a parking lot, spun some donuts
We arrived at a parking lot and performed spinning doughnuts with the car

Then we turned on the radio to hear the weather report
We turned on the radio to find out about the current or upcoming weather forecast

"A thick blanket of snow covered most of the New England area earlier today. And the expected forecast for the rest of the week calls for snow... That's right. Snow, snow, and more snow."
The weather report indicated that there was already a significant amount of snow in the area, and more snow was expected throughout the week

All alone
Being by myself

All alone
Being by myself, without your company

All alone in a blanket, in a blanket a blanket of snow
Being completely isolated, surrounded by snow

And it snowed
The snowfall resumed

And it snowed
The snow continued to fall

And it snowed
The snowfall persisted

And it snowed
The snow kept coming

And it snowed
The snow didn't stop falling

Contributed by Gavin W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

Jerry Abitz

10y↑13

This song is magical. According to the Sandman documentary Cure For Pain: The Mark Sandman Story, it was snowing mightily when he first left home for good to embark on his travels. This song is so simple, yet so perfect, and the call and response between the vocals and harmonica have a very unique sound. Huge Morphine and Sandman fan here.

ToniElka

6y↑2

This storm was written after a big storm in MA during the mid 80's when Mark lived in Cambridge, but all his songs sprang from a deep well. I haven't seen the documentary but like knowing that fact. I wonder how it was known by the filmmakers as it wasn't a story I knew.