20 Years of Snow
Regina Spektor Lyrics


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He's a wounded animal
He lives in a matchbox
He's a wounded animal
And he's been coming around here

He's a dying breed
He's a dying breed
His daughter is twenty years of snow falling
She's twenty years of strangers looking into each other's eyes
She's twenty years of clean
She never truly hated anyone or anything

She's a dying breed
She's a dying breed

She says I'd prefer the moss
I'd prefer the mouth
A baby of the swamps
A baby of the south
I'm twenty years of clean
And I never truly hated anyone or anything
Twenty years of clean
Twenty years of clean

But I got to get me out of here
This place is full of dirty old men
And the navigators with their mappy maps
And moldy heads and pissing on sugar cubes

But I got to get me out of here
This place is full of dirty old men
And the navigators with their mappy maps
And moldy heads and pissing on sugar cubes

While you stare at your boots
And the words float out like holograms
And the words float out like holograms
And the words float out like holograms
They say, feel the waltz, feel the waltz
Come on, baby, baby, now feel the waltz




Feel the waltz, feel the waltz
Come on, baby, baby, now feel the waltz

Overall Meaning

The song "20 Years of Snow" by Regina Spektor is a melancholy, contemplative piece about the passing of time and the search for meaning in life. The lyrics describe a wounded animal who lives in a matchbox and has been coming around to the singer's location. Despite its wounded state, it is a dying breed. The singer observes this creature with detachment, acknowledging but not feeling particularly close to it.


The focus then shifts to the daughter of the singer, who is twenty years old and described as "twenty years of snow falling." She is innocent and clean, having never truly hated anyone or anything. The singer describes her as a dying breed, which could be interpreted as a commentary on how rare it is to find someone who is genuinely kind in today's world. The daughter then expresses a desire to be a baby of the swamps or the south, showing a longing for a simpler, more natural way of life.


The song then takes a more cynical turn as the singer expresses a strong desire to leave the current location. The line "This place is full of dirty old men" suggests a sense of discomfort or danger, and the "navigators with their mappy maps" could be seen as a metaphor for people who are too focused on planning and strategy. The lyrics "And moldy heads and pissing on sugar cubes" are particularly striking and suggest a sense of decay and desperation. The final lines repeat the phrase "Feel the waltz" several times, perhaps suggesting that even in the midst of all this uncertainty and negativity, there is still beauty to be found if one is willing to search for it.


Line by Line Meaning

He's a wounded animal
He is a person who is emotionally hurt and vulnerable.


He lives in a matchbox
He is confined and trapped in a small space.


And he's been coming around here
He has been showing up repeatedly in this place.


He's a dying breed
He is a rare type of person who is disappearing from the world.


His daughter is twenty years of snow falling
His daughter is like snow, cold and detached, and she has been like this for 20 years.


She's twenty years of strangers looking into each other's eyes
She has been observing strangers and their interactions for the past 20 years.


She's twenty years of clean
She has been pure and untainted for the past 20 years.


She never truly hated anyone or anything
She has not experienced intense negative emotions towards anyone or anything in her life.


She says I'd prefer the moss
She prefers to be surrounded by nature, depicted by moss.


I'd prefer the mouth
She would rather speak up and communicate than remain silent or passive.


A baby of the swamps
She was born in a swamp-like environment, which symbolizes her difficult beginnings.


A baby of the south
She is from the southern region of a country, which could hold specific meaning or importance.


But I got to get me out of here
She needs to leave her current physical location, which may be causing discomfort or distress.


This place is full of dirty old men
The place she is at is crowded with lecherous, creepy men.


And the navigators with their mappy maps
There are people here who are guiding or leading while offering direction, but they may not even know where they are going.


And moldy heads and pissing on sugar cubes
The place has a sinister and unpleasant vibe or people who are taking drugs in a harmful way.


While you stare at your boots
While you are focused on yourself and your own problems.


And the words float out like holograms
The words being spoken are like an illusion or are intangible in nature.


They say, feel the waltz, feel the waltz
The people are trying to get someone to feel a certain rhythm or to fit into a certain vibe.


Come on, baby, baby, now feel the waltz
They are urging someone to actively participate in the dancing or the vibe they are trying to create.


Feel the waltz, feel the waltz
They continue to encourage and try to engage with someone to join in the energy they are creating.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: REGINA SPEKTOR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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