Keepsake
Robin Williamson & His Merry Band Lyrics


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By Robin Williamson

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
White all on the ground
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

Overall Meaning

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

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Comments from YouTube:

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.