An Old Raincoat Won
Rod Stewart Lyrics

Did you ever stand and shiver
Have you ever felt so cold that you started shivering uncontrollably?

While looking at a freezing river?
Have you ever stood by a river on a cold day and felt the chill to your bones?

Have you froze to the bone
Have you ever felt so cold that it went right down to your bones?

With just a coat to keep you warm?
Did you have only a coat to protect you from the cold?

To keep you from a howlin' wind
The coat was there to shield you against the fierce howling of the wind

To keep you from a howlin' wind, now listen
The coat was not just for warmth, but specifically to protect against a howling wind

Have you perished in the drizzling rain?
Have you ever died (or nearly died) due to exposure to a light but persistent rain?

Tried to light a lift but all in vain
Have you ever attempted to start a fire for warmth, but it failed to light?

With your sock on your head
Were you so desperate for warmth that you used a sock as a makeshift hat?

And that old coat on your back
And the only thing keeping you warm was your trusty old coat

To keep you from the drizzlin' rain
The coat was there to shield you against the drizzling rain

Oh, to keep you from the drizzlin' rain, goodbye
Saying farewell to the coat for its services rendered in keeping one safe from the rain

Did you sleep in a graveyard when it snowed?
Have you ever slept in a graveyard during a snowstorm?

Laid your head on an isle like me
Did you lay your head on a pile of leaves, like I did?

With the Times on your face
With the newspaper serving as a makeshift blanket for one's face

And that old coat on your back
And the only thing that kept you warm was your trusted old coat

That kept you from withering away, good God
The coat was essential in keeping you alive during the harsh winter weather

It just kept you from withering away
It was the coat's function to save you from succumbing to the cold

And did you ride a lift on a steam train? Now listen
Have you ever hitched a ride on a steam train?

Had the misfortune not to pay your fare
Did you run into the misfortune of not having enough money for your fare?

Thrown off the next stop
Were you kicked off the train at the next stop (because of not paying the fare)?

Thrown in the doorway of a shop
You were unceremoniously thrown out into the street and into a doorway of a store

Oh, that old school coat to keep you from the wind, and that ain't all
The coat was an old school type of garment, designed specifically to protect you from the wind

Have you had some good friends on the road with ya
Have you had the fortune of traveling with good friends?

Who'd stand by you through thick and thin?
Friends who would support you in any situation, not just the good times

Here's to Kevin and Ben, Susie and Len
Here's a toast to some named friends who stood by the singer's side

And that coat which never lets you down
An ode to the coat as a reliable companion that has never failed to provide warmth

It never, never, never lets you down
The coat has never failed to do its job of keeping one protected from the cold

That old coat which never lets you down
The song concludes with a final tribute to the trusty old coat

Kept me from the drizzlin' rain
One more nod to the coat's function in keeping one dry during drizzling rain

And oh, kept me from the drizzlin' rain
Re-emphasizing the coat's importance as a guardian against rainy weather