Since co-founding The Incredible String Band in the 60s, Robin Williamson has been a key figure at the forefront of the folk revival in Europe and America and, since the 80s, the storytelling revival. He has authored a number of books from his home in Cardiff, Wales, including The Craneskin Bag (re-telling and re-versifications of Celtic lore) and Celtic Bards, Celtic Druids (co-authored with R.J. Stewart). Robin is Honorary Chief Bard of The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. In 1975 as the ISB dissolved, Robin relocated to Los Angeles for a period and soon began work recording a tremendous body of new songs and a backlog of material that didn’t fit the repertoire of the late period String Band. These songs hark back to the glory days of the Incredible’s; based around the majestic acoustic ensemble playing of the Merry Band, this long out-of-print album is a highlight of Williamson’s storied career.
Keepsake
Robin Williamson & His Merry Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will remember
Even when I'm dead
A long winter's night
You came stealing to my bed
O and the snow was falling
But it's warm with me
Let fall you velvet gown
Chorus:
Your fater snores
Your mother sighs
We hear them through the wall
I remember a long winter's nigth
I remember it all
Ah whisper you love me
Talk soft and low
With your hands like white birds
And your breasts like snow
How could I be born too soon
Or you be born too late
You rightly lying with me
And your lips against my face
The song "Keepsake" by Robin Williamson & His Merry Band is a heartfelt tribute to a moment shared between two lovers on a cold winter night. The opening lines, "I will remember / Even when I'm dead," speak to the power and longevity of memory. The singer recalls a night when his lover came to him, seeking warmth and solace in his bed. The image of the snow falling outside juxtaposed with the intimacy and passion shared between the two lovers creates a vivid and powerful scene.
The chorus of the song is simple but effective in reinforcing the idea of memory and how it can transcend time and distance. The snoring of the lover's father and the sighing of the mother can be heard through the wall, adding a touch of realism to the romantic and dreamlike atmosphere.
The second verse continues to explore the physical and emotional connection between the two lovers. The singer begs his lover to whisper her love to him softly and tenderly, comparing her hands to white birds and her breasts to snow. The final lines of the song ask the rhetorical question of how it is possible for them to exist in different times, as they lay wrapped in each other's arms.
Overall, "Keepsake" is a powerful and evocative song that illustrates the enduring power of love and memory.
Line by Line Meaning
I will remember
I will always remember this moment
Even when I'm dead
I will carry this memory even into the afterlife
A long winter's night
It was a cold, dark night
You came stealing to my bed
You quietly entered my bed
O and the snow was falling
The snow was falling heavily
White all on the ground
The snow covered everything in white
But it's warm with me
Despite the cold, being together kept us warm
Let fall you velvet gown
Take off your dress and be comfortable
Your fater snores
Your father is snoring loudly
Your mother sighs
Your mother is sighing heavily
We hear them through the wall
We can hear their noises from the next room
I remember a long winter's nigth
I fondly recall that cold winter night
I remember it all
I remember every detail
Ah whisper you love me
Speak to me softly about your love for me
Talk soft and low
Speak in a calming voice
With your hands like white birds
Your hands are as light as white birds
And your breasts like snow
Your breasts are soft and smooth like snow
How could I be born too soon
I am grateful to have met you when I did
Or you be born too late
It is unfortunate that we did not meet earlier
You rightly lying with me
You rightfully should be lying here with me
And your lips against my face
I feel your warm breath and soft lips against my face
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark Harwood
The tragedy of time.
pbird
Thanks, I looked for that forever, couldn't remember the name of the song!!
Mark Harwood
Sometimes an internet search using a few remembered lyrics does the job.
Ben Fell
Love this song but in the light of #metoo it sounds a tad dated! Same problem with “Me and My Woman” by the incomparable Roy Harper.