Gundersen's music banks on strong lead vocals, boasting a poetic and lyrical charm, backed by ambient backgrounds of strings and percussion. Gundersen's music has been called a blend of melancholy folk and electric euphoria, occasionally drawing comparisons to the likes of Elijah Wyman, David Wilcox, and Damien Rice. Drawing the attention of crowds across the South Puget Sound region, Noah Gundersen regularly performs in a variety of settings, ranging from small college basements to more prestigious venues such as the Triple Door, the Crocodile Cafe, and the Columbia City Theater.
Gundersen and his younger sister usually create studio work on their own - together they have produced two EPs, a live album, and most recently two full length albums:
• Brand New World EP (Noah Gundersen) - 2008
• Live at The Triple Door (Noah Gundersen & The Courage) - 2008
• Saints & Liars EP (Noah Gundersen & The Courage) - Oct. 9, 2009
• Fearful Bones (The Courage) - Sept. 11, 2010
• Family (Noah Gundersen) - Aug. 6, 2011
Official site: noahgundersenmusic.com/
Winter
Noah Gundersen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Old trends, old friends
Fitting for the month that Michael died
Buried in a stone cold riverbed, where the watershed divides
Oh come colder weather
Oh come something better please
Clear skies, dry eyes
Am I colder than the air in this town
I have been a stone cold riverbed, if still I am alive
But maybe
Someday
Maybe you'll forgive me
Because I've been a mayday son
I'm withered, weathered by the setting sun of your summer
If I could be anyone
These days I'd be someone different
So I could hold you now
But you slip away like a changing maple leaf
And try to find any dry land that I can
For the last time, though I have loved you
You keep slippin' away, slippin' away and I am finished with
All the chaos and the ticking clock
The college life, the bomb that drops
And blows the whole damn thing to bits
Freezing are my fingertips in this cold
In this cold, cold town
We make such different people
Climbing into different beds at night
With both such different feelings
Mine are overwhelming, are yours
I might be screaming while you're
Dreaming without any concern
It took so long for me to find
That I can't try anymore
And if I said I'm sorry
Too many times before it's 'cause I
Just wanted desperately to make you love me
Darling, if the sun could shine in
Brighter than all your distractions
I would climb in to help
And light myself on fire
In "Winter," Noah Gundersen reflects on the passage of time and its impact on relationships. The song's opening lines allude to the transience of trends and friendships, marking time's effect on human connections. Gundersen then directs his attention to the season of winter, symbolizing both the literal coldness of the months after fall and the figurative chill of a dying relationship. He reflects on his own emotional state, stating that perhaps he is even colder than his surroundings.
Throughout the song, Gundersen acknowledges the ways in which he has hurt the person he is addressing, apologizing for being a "mayday son" and expressing a desire to be someone different. The song's final lines suggest that he understands the depth of his mistakes and the unlikelihood of redemption: he wants to set himself on fire, offering a desperate symbol of guilt and love.
Overall, "Winter" is a powerful ode to the inevitability of change and the pains of growing apart from someone who was once deeply loved.
Line by Line Meaning
All things pass with time
Everything eventually fades away with time
Old trends, old friends
Trends and friends from the past also fade away with time
Fitting for the month that Michael died
Appropriate for the month of Michael's death
Buried in a stone cold riverbed, where the watershed divides
Metaphor for death, being buried where water divides in a cold riverbed
Oh come colder weather
Looking for something refreshing or new in life
Oh come something better please
Hoping for something better to come along
All things freeze with time
Just like things pass with time, things can also freeze or become stagnant
Clear skies, dry eyes
A peaceful moment or time of solitude for the artist
Am I colder than the air in this town
The artist may seem cold or emotionless in their current surroundings
I have been a stone cold riverbed, if still I am alive
Metaphor for feeling dead inside, even though still living
But maybe
There is still a small chance for hope
Someday
There is always hope that things will improve in the future
Maybe you'll forgive me
Hopeful that the other person will forgive the singer
Because I've been a mayday son
A call for help or distress to the other person
I'm withered, weathered by the setting sun of your summer
The other person's summer or happy time has left the singer feeling worn out
If I could be anyone
A desire to change oneself for the better
These days I'd be someone different
Desire to be a better person than before
So I could hold you now
Desire to hold and be with the other person
But you slip away like a changing maple leaf
The other person slips away or changes, just like the changing of seasons
And try to find any dry land that I can
Trying to find any stability or safe ground in a difficult situation
For the last time, though I have loved you
The last time feeling regret towards the end of the relationship
You keep slippin' away, slippin' away and I am finished with
The other person continues to drift away, leaving the artist finished with trying to hold on
All the chaos and the ticking clock
Feeling overwhelmed by life's chaos and the pressure of time
The college life, the bomb that drops
The pressure of college life and the anxiety that comes with it
And blows the whole damn thing to bits
Metaphor for the singer's life falling apart
Freezing are my fingertips in this cold
Feeling cold both physically and mentally
In this cold, cold town
The town or environment is a metaphor for the singer's state of mind
We make such different people
The two people are fundamentally different from one another
Climbing into different beds at night
Sleeping in different places, without each other
With both such different feelings
The feelings between the two continue to differ and cause tension
Mine are overwhelming, are yours
The singer's feelings are intense and overpowering
I might be screaming while you're
Metaphor for the artist feeling unnoticed while the other person peacefully goes on with their life
Dreaming without any concern
The other person is able to dream and have a peaceful mindset despite the tension between them
It took so long for me to find
The realization that the relationship might end has taken a toll on the artist
That I can't try anymore
The exhaustion from trying has set in and the singer has given up
And if I said I'm sorry
Apologizing for their actions toward the other person
Too many times before it's 'cause I
The apology has been offered many times before
Just wanted desperately to make you love me
The singer's actions were driven by their desire to be loved by the other person
Darling, if the sun could shine in
If there was hope or positivity, the singer would be more optimistic
Brighter than all your distractions
The other person's distractions or problems can make it hard to see the light of hope
I would climb in to help
If there was a chance for help or a solution, the artist would jump in to take action
And light myself on fire
Metaphor for the singer being willing to do whatever it takes for the other person
Contributed by Madelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Sladeium
Still as relevant as it was back when I heard this over 10 years ago.
@theogofguitar
The thing that makes this great is because it isn't. It is honest, it isnt perfect, it is truth. It gives you chills, it is personal, and universal. It is beautiful and a reminder of dark ugly truths. Noah is the epitome of what a great folk singer is nowadays. He is not universally acclaimed, yet he has a following, his music is known to those who need to know it ,and those who don't somehow will find it. As a struggling artist, if I could get half of what he has I could die happy
@dianepurcell9840
My son, Michael, just passe about a week ago. Jaw dropped open listening to this. Thank you
@xxy7472
Goddamn, I started it and thought, yeah this isn't bad. Then, it just kept getting better and better and now, goddamn. I miss you so much, the memories a song can bring back. Am I right?
@colbyjcobain8282
I absolutely adore heartfelt folk music such as this.
So much effort & passion & beauty in one song. Definitely shakes my heart & brings a tear to my eye. Thanks for the post 💕
@TMAbassist
Wow, almost 50,000 views now. I found this song years ago when it was in the hundreds. Noah deserves so much more views. Probably one of the most talented underrated musicians out there. I'm glad he's becoming more popular.
@anthonycbash
Thanks so very much for this song, Noah! It is as honest and as heartbreaking as it gets. The emotion in your voice says it all.
@ancaeva4002
This song is so emotional i think it's the first time when i feel a tear on my corner of my eye .brilliant
@Th3SideProject
This is the first song I ever heard by Noah Gundersen. ^-^ I love this song so much. He is truly such a gifted musician. <3
@h.m.barnes166
Thank you sooo much for this song! Last year I fell in love with a boy whose favorite season was winter, he led me along and then crushed my heart. This song helped me get through that first little while. Lots of tears later, I am stronger. Thank you for that!!!!!