Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Holmes
(Semi-)Official Website:
http://www.rupertholmes.com
Cold
Rupert Holmes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She is like a glacier mowing down a mountain,
Like a block of ice—she's hard but most of all she is so Cold."
Cupped her hand in mine, I thought that just might throw her.
Shivering, she backed away, and so I asked her,
"Should I close a window? Do you need somebody to hold?"
"Are you cold? Are you cold?
Should I turn up the heat much higher?
Are you cold? You seem cold.
Are you one of the ones who tease
Or are you just a deep freeze?"
She threw me a glance that cut me like a sleet storm,
Said, "I'm not that cold—I'm just a little choosy.
Every time a woman takes her time, some man says she's so Cold."
Poured some spanish wine, I finally get to know her,
Found that she was warm as currents in the Gulf Stream.
Later in her room, she asked with eyes of coffee and gold:
"Are you cold? Are you cold?
Should we lay down beside this fire?
Should I turn up the heat much higher?
Are you cold? You seem cold.
Are you one of the ones who tease,
Or are you just a deep freeze?"
I have tried to reach her. She's evaporated.
Why'd she have to leave before I said I loved her?
And although this feels like hell from all I've ever been told,
Still I'm cold. Feels so cold.
And this chill seems to cut right through you
Once you're warm, then the cold gets to you.
And it's cold. I'm so cold.
And I'm burning for you although
It feels like twenty below.
The song "Cold" by Rupert Holmes tells the story of a man attempting to understand and connect with a woman whom he perceives as cold and distant. The lyrics describe his futile attempts to break through her icy exterior and warm her up, both literally and metaphorically. At first, he is warned by someone else not to even try to touch her, but he ignores the warning and tries to offer her his hand. However, this only causes her to back away, reinforcing the image of her as cold.
The woman then explains that she is not actually cold, but simply "choosy." She implies that men often mistake a woman's desire to take things slowly as frigidity or emotional distance. The man eventually gets to know her better over a glass of Spanish wine and discovers that she is actually warm and passionate, with "eyes of coffee and gold." However, by the end of the song, she has disappeared, leaving him feeling cold and alone once again.
Holmes uses the imagery of coldness and warmth throughout the song to explore both physical and emotional states. The woman is described as being "like a glacier" and "a block of ice," while the man tries to warm her up with a fire and asks if she needs someone to hold. However, he also acknowledges that sometimes warmth can turn into coldness, as evidenced by his own feelings at the end of the song.
Overall, "Cold" is a complex and nuanced exploration of human connection and the struggle to overcome barriers to intimacy.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone pulled me over, said, "Don't try to touch her.
A stranger warned me about touching this girl.
She is like a glacier mowing down a mountain,
She's difficult to approach and seems unattainable.
Like a block of ice—she's hard but most of all she is so Cold."
She's emotionally cold and distant.
Cupped her hand in mine, I thought that just might throw her.
I tried to make a connection with her, but it didn't seem to work.
Shivering, she backed away, and so I asked her,
She physically withdrew from me, so I asked if she was cold.
"Should I close a window? Do you need somebody to hold?"
I offered to help her in any way that I could.
"Are you cold? Are you cold?
I continued to ask if she was feeling physically or emotionally cold.
Should we lay down beside this fire?
I suggested getting close to warm up.
Should I turn up the heat much higher?
I offered to make things warmer and more comfortable.
Are you cold? You seem cold.
I expressed my concern about her wellbeing.
Are you one of the ones who tease
I wondered if she was playing games.
Or are you just a deep freeze?"
Or if she was genuinely cold and distant all the time.
She threw me a glance that cut me like a sleet storm,
She gave me a look that was both sharp and cold.
Said, "I'm not that cold—I'm just a little choosy.
She clarified that she wasn't actually cold, just careful.
Every time a woman takes her time, some man says she's so Cold."
She's experienced men judging her for being cautious.
Poured some spanish wine, I finally get to know her,
We shared some wine and I finally got a chance to connect with her.
Found that she was warm as currents in the Gulf Stream.
Despite her initial coldness, I discovered that she was actually quite warm-hearted.
Later in her room, she asked with eyes of coffee and gold:
We continued to talk and she asked me a question.
"Are you cold? Are you cold?
She turned the question back on me, wondering if I was cold now.
Should we lay down beside this fire?
She suggested getting closer again.
Should I turn up the heat much higher?
She offered to make things even warmer for me.
Are you cold? You seem cold.
She still seemed concerned about my wellbeing.
Are you one of the ones who tease,
She wondered if I was playing games too.
Or are you just a deep freeze?"
Or if I was genuinely cold and distant like she seemed to be at first.
I have tried to reach her. She's evaporated.
I tried to keep the connection going, but it didn't work out.
Why'd she have to leave before I said I loved her?
I regret that I didn't have a chance to tell her how I felt before we drifted apart.
And although this feels like hell from all I've ever been told,
I'm going through a tough time, despite what I've learned from others' experiences.
Still I'm cold. Feels so cold.
I still feel emotionally cold and distant.
And this chill seems to cut right through you
The emotional coldness can feel almost physical.
Once you're warm, then the cold gets to you.
Once you open up emotionally, the coldness can feel even more intense.
And it's cold. I'm so cold.
I'm still struggling with emotional distance and isolation.
And I'm burning for you although
Despite feeling emotionally cold, I still have strong feelings for her.
It feels like twenty below.
The emotional coldness is almost unbearable.
Contributed by Sarah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.