Performing Songwriter calls Hutchinson, "...A master of introspective ballads filled with understated yearning and an exquisite sense of metaphor." The twenty-six year old describes her style as "lyric-based, folk-pop, with a whole lot of small town idealism and one devastating break up thrown in for good measure." Among her influences she is quick to include poet Mary Oliver along with the likes of David Grey, Patty Griffin, Greg Brown and Shawn Colvin. Her songs are characterized by a weathered but unselfconscious optimism, a love of language and of the natural world. Having grown up in a town of 5,000 people, "just outside the National Historic District," her songs possess all the charm of Lake Wobegon, tempered by a sweet and timeless voice.
Leonids
Meg Hutchinson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stumbled out into cold weather we did not talk in the
car
I was still drunk hours later you woke me up on
account of the stars
Climbed out on the roof for a while lay side by side
in that beautiful dark
And I almost forgot the pins in my heart
Almost forgot what was tearing us apart
We left the shape of our bodies in the frost
For a while I was ahead of all that we'd lost
I remember mornings when our breath hung on the air
I remember evenings when our edges disappeared
Chorus:
There's a certain kind of freedom
In letting go of such a dream
Out beyond all ideas of belonging
That's where my love begins, that's where my love
begins
And I almost forget the pins in my heart
almost forget what is tearing us apart
i can still see the shape of our bodies in the frost
for a while i am ahead of all that we've lost
The song "Leonids" by Meg Hutchinson tells the story of a relationship that has ended and the aftermath of it. The lyrics are reflective and introspective, shedding light on the pain and confusion that come with the end of a relationship. The first verse describes a situation where the singer has had too many drinks and stumbles out into the cold weather. There is a sense of distance between the two people as they do not talk in the car. Later on, when the singer is drunk and sleeping, their partner wakes them up to look at the stars together. There is a moment of beauty and intimacy as they lay side by side on the roof, looking up at the night sky.
The chorus captures the conflicting emotions of the singer. They almost forget about the pins in their heart, or the pain of the relationship ending. They also almost forget what tore them apart in the first place. There is a sense of nostalgia and longing as they remember the moments they shared, leaving the shape of their bodies in the frost, and being ahead of everything they lost. The second verse captures the singer's memories of their time together when even their breath hung in the air and their edges disappeared. The song ends on a note of hope, with the idea that letting go of the dream of belonging and finding freedom in that can be the beginning of true love.
Line by Line Meaning
After I knew it was over had one too many in that bar
After realizing our relationship was over, I drank too much at the bar.
Stumbled out into cold weather we did not talk in the car
We didn't speak while driving through the cold after leaving the bar.
I was still drunk hours later you woke me up on account of the stars
Hours later, while still intoxicated, you woke me up to look at the stars.
Climbed out on the roof for a while lay side by side in that beautiful dark
We climbed onto the roof and laid next to each other in the dark sky.
Chorus:
Refrain from the song's main melody.
And I almost forgot the pins in my heart
I almost forgot the emotional pain that we caused each other.
Almost forgot what was tearing us apart
I almost forgot what drove us apart and ended our relationship.
We left the shape of our bodies in the frost
Our bodies left imprints in the frost where we lay down together.
For a while I was ahead of all that we'd lost
For a brief moment, I felt like I had moved past the loss of our relationship.
I remember mornings when our breath hung on the air
I remember cold mornings when we could see our breath in the air.
I remember evenings when our edges disappeared
I remember evenings when our differences didn't matter, and we connected on a deeper level.
There's a certain kind of freedom
There's a sense of liberation.
In letting go of such a dream
By relinquishing a particular dream, it is possible to find peace.
Out beyond all ideas of belonging
Moving past the concept of belonging and finding something deeper.
That's where my love begins, that's where my love begins
It is from this place that my love develops and grows stronger.
And I almost forget the pins in my heart
I almost forget the emotional pain we caused each other.
almost forget what is tearing us apart
I almost forget the primary reason for our separation.
i can still see the shape of our bodies in the frost
I still have vivid memories of our bodies leaving imprints in the frost.
for a while i am ahead of all that we've lost
For a brief moment, I feel like I've surpassed the loss of our relationship and am moving forward.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: MARGARET E HUTCHINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind