Snow
Mt. Airy Lyrics
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Waiting for your return
Here, deep down in the dark
I rest my tired heart
I am too tired to sleep, too cold to move on
And follow you back into the gleam
So I lay under the snow
Where love cannot grow
The snow is playing its trick
Footsteps I cannot read
Here deep down in the dark
I rest my tired eyes
They are too blind to see and I’m too weak to move on
And follow you back into the gleam
So I lay under the snow
Where love cannot grow
Will someone please defreeze this water?
Follow you back
Back into the gleam
I’ll follow you back
Back into the gleam…
The opening lines of Mt. Airy's song Snow are a poetic description of a battle between light and darkness, mystery and wonder crashing against the bleakness of dark clouds and reeking winds. The battle unfolds across three terrible months, briefly relented, and then recommenced. The coming together of the two elements is then compared to the union of the poet and their loved one, with their hands described as birds in the trees, and their hips as shaping music that sings in praise of God.
The landscape is further explored as the river fails to find its way to the lake, surrendering instead to the mountains while the mountain's heart shatters at the sight of the poet's nervous hands. The union between the poet and their beloved is depicted as gentle and intimate, their love swelling inside the poet's heart as they greet the evening with wine and giddy yells. In a world of conflict, the poet turns to their love for comfort and finds solace in their embrace.
The last stanza moves away from the personal and focuses on the idea of collective struggle. Together, brothers and sisters link arms, marching to the rhythm of their weariness, committed to living their lives without fear and leaders, walking towards the valley, and the redemptive powers of light. The song celebrates the eternal battle and the eternal unity that emerges from it.
Line by Line Meaning
Mystery and wonder did light up the valley
The valley was illuminated by a sense of mystery and wonder.
To be beat back by dark clouds
However, this light was soon overcome by dark clouds.
And a harsh reeking wind
Along with a harsh and unpleasant wind.
And that battle staggered through three awful months
This struggle continued for three difficult months.
To stop for a minute
Only to briefly pause,
Just to start up again
Before starting once more.
Your hands like birds in the trees
Your hands move like birds in a tree.
If the trees themselves were all on fire
As if the trees were ablaze with flames.
Your hips on mine make a choir
When your hips touch mine, they create a beautiful harmony.
Singing 'Baruch atta adonai'
As if singing the Hebrew phrase 'Blessed are you, O Lord.'
And the river never made it to the lake
The river failed to reach the lake.
So the lake surrendered to the mountains
As a result, the lake gave in to the mountains.
And the mountain's heart did fucking break
This caused the mountain to feel devastated and heartbroken.
At the sight of your nervous hands
Seeing your hands trembling with anxiety.
And oh, my love, so gently breathing
My love, breathing so softly.
So my heart does softly swell
My heart swells warmly in response.
So her and me did greet the evening
My partner and I welcome the evening.
With much red wine and giddy yells
Celebrating with lots of red wine and joyful shouts.
In these times of wandering soldiers
During this period of displaced soldiers.
Building towers on ruined field
Erecting towers amidst destruction.
I hold my love to my belly
I hold my love close to my stomach.
And her feel breath fall across my hands
Feeling her breath gently move over my hands.
I have grown tired of the struggle
I have become weary of the fight.
And I've grown tired of making plans
Also, I am weary of planning.
I think I'll quit to the valley
I believe I will retreat to the valley.
Regain my strength and start again
Find renewed energy and begin anew.
Where once we were some clumsy army
Where we once formed a clumsy army.
And now we are just lazy hens
Now, we are merely idle chickens.
I think I'll quit to the valley
I believe I will leave and take shelter in the valley.
'Til the light moves me again
Until the light and inspiration lead me forward once more.
So let's link arms, sisters and brothers
Let us join arms, brothers and sisters,
And let's promise not to retreat
And vow not to surrender.
Well, there is glory in our failure
For there is honor in our defeat.
So let's march to the rhythm of fatigue
Therefore, let's carry on, even exhausted.
To live our lives without leaders
Living our lives without needing guidance from leaders.
To live in joy without fear
Finding happiness without experiencing fear.
Let's walk together to the valley
Together, let's journey towards the valley.
And let the lights redeem our tears
And let the light heal our sorrows.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Thorunn Egilsdottir, Mike Koster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind