* Ben Hudson (vocals & guitar)
* Joy Joseph (vocals & steel drum)
* Torville Jones (piano)
* Raphael Mann (Bass guitar)
* Wilkie Wilkinson (electric drums)
2x2
Mr Hudson & The Library Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the crisp still falling evening snow
Because they cut clean through the night I hope that they will
I hope they lead me to your door.
The music′s loud, the party's hot,
The people are the kind I like to
Sit and talk with a while,
So I drop her off, on the way,
She'll need a coat, it′s started snowing
Yeah, I′ll drop her off with a smile,
I'd love to stay but now I′m going.
Two by two the lovers slip,
Through the frozen streets of Birmingham.
Her complexion says it all, if only she would
Bring me alive as cotton falls.
The music's loud, the party′s hot,
The people are the kind I like to
Sit and talk with a while,
I'd love to stay but now she′s going,
So I drop her off, on the way,
She'll need a coat, it's started snowing
Yeah, I′ll drop her off with a smile,
I′d love to stay but now I'm going. (going. going)
I won′t feel the cold,
Not when I hear the music taking hold.
I won't feel the cold,
Not when I hear the music taking hold... of me.
The music′s loud, the party's hot,
The people are the kind I like to
Sit and talk with a while,
I′d love to stay but now she's going,
So I drop her off, on the way,
She'll need a coat, it′s started snowing
Yeah, I′ll drop her off with a smile,
I'd love to stay but now I′m going.
The song "2x2" by Mr Hudson & The Library is a melancholy yet hopeful song that is open to interpretation. The first verse describes two lovers walking through the snow, with the singer hoping that they will lead him to the person he's looking for. The second verse shifts the focus to the singer's own experience at a party he wants to stay at but has to leave because he's dropping off his companion with a smile. The "2x2" suggests a feeling of being alone and disconnected from others, a feeling that is heightened by the cold and snow. However, the music provides solace, and the singer finds comfort in it as he heads home.
The song seems to be about the search for connection and the longing to be with someone meaningful. The image of two people walking together through the snow is a powerful one, suggesting the comfort of companionship during an isolating time. Yet, the singer is left alone, left to find solace in the music. The music creates a sense of community, bridging the gap between people and providing a sense of shared experience, albeit temporary. The song's chorus repeats the sentiment that the music keeps the singer warm, even as he heads out into the freezing night.
Line by Line Meaning
Two by two the lovers step,
The lovers walk side by side through the snowy night one after the other.
Through the crisp still falling evening snow
The snow is falling lightly and the evening air is still and quiet.
Because they cut clean through the night I hope that they will
The singer hopes that the lovers' journey will bring them to his destination.
I hope they lead me to your door.
The singer hopes that the lovers will lead him to the door of his love interest.
The music's loud, the party's hot,
The party is lively and energetic with loud music.
The people are the kind I like to
The people at the party are the kind the singer enjoys being with.
Sit and talk with a while,
The singer likes to sit and have conversations with the people at the party.
I'd love to stay but now she's going,
The singer would like to stay at the party for longer, but his companion is leaving.
So I drop her off, on the way,
The singer offers to drop off his companion on the way to his destination.
She'll need a coat, it's started snowing
It has started snowing, so the singer reminds his companion to wear a coat.
Yeah, I'll drop her off with a smile,
The singer drops off his companion with a smile on his face.
I'd love to stay but now I'm going.
The singer reluctantly leaves the party because his companion is leaving, despite wanting to stay longer.
Two by two the lovers slip,
The lovers move quietly through the streets of Birmingham side by side.
Through the frozen streets of Birmingham.
The streets of Birmingham are frozen with snow and ice.
Her complexion says it all, if only she would
The woman's expression reveals everything, if only she would act on her feelings.
Bring me alive as cotton falls.
The singer asks the woman to make him feel alive like how cotton falling from the sky creates a magical winter wonderland.
I won't feel the cold,
The singer won't feel the cold because of the music and his feelings.
Not when I hear the music taking hold.
The singer's passion for music is so strong that he forgets the cold weather.
Not when I hear the music taking hold... of me.
The music completely engulfs the singer and distracts him from the cold.
Writer(s): ben hudson
Contributed by Noah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.