Song For A Winter's Night
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The lamp is burnin' low upon my table top
The snow is softly fallin'
The air is still in the silence of my room
I hear your voice softly callin'

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter's night with you

The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
My glass is almost empty
I read again between the lines upon each page
The words of love you sent me

If I could know within my heart
That you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter's night with you

The fire is dying now, my lamp is growing dim
The shades of night are liftin'
The mornin' light steals across my windowpane
Where webs of snow are driftin'

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love




On this winter's night with you
And to be once again with with you

Overall Meaning

The song "Song For A Winter's Night" by Sarah McLachlan describes the feeling of longing for someone who is not physically present, especially on a winter's night. The first verse paints a picture of a silent, snowy night, and the singer can hear a voice that is not there. The second verse references the shadows and smoke, and the singer is reading letters from someone describing their love, which only intensifies the feeling of missing them. In the final verse, as the night fades into morning, the singer realizes that they are alone and wishes to be with the one they love.


The song is filled with emotion, with the words "If I could only have you near, I would be happy just to hold the hands I love." It captures the universal feeling of missing someone, which is especially poignant during the winter months. The song is a tender reminder that even though the night may feel endless, the morning will eventually come with its own hopes and possibilities.


Overall, "Song For A Winter's Night" is a hauntingly beautiful song that captures the cold and quiet feeling of winter nights, and the longing for love and companionship during that time. It reminds us that while the winter months may be bleak, love and hope can always shine through.


Line by Line Meaning

The lamp is burnin' low upon my table top
The light from my lamp is fading away


The snow is softly fallin'
Snowflakes are gently descending from the sky


The air is still in the silence of my room
My surroundings are noiseless and motionless


I hear your voice softly callin'
I imagine the sound of your voice tenderly calling out to me


If I could only have you near
If only you were physically here with me


To breathe a sigh or two
To share a few sighs with each other


I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
I would find complete joy in just holding your hands


On this winter's night with you
I want to be with you during this wintery evening


The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
Smoke is emerging from my furnace into my room


My glass is almost empty
I am slowly emptying the contents of my glass


I read again between the lines upon each page
I am rereading the words on each page, looking for deeper meaning


The words of love you sent me
I am thinking about the loving words you previously sent to me


If I could know within my heart
If I had certainty in my heart


That you were lonely too
That you were also in a state of yearning


The fire is dying now, my lamp is growing dim
The fire in my fireplace is extinguishing and my lamp is becoming less bright


The shades of night are liftin'
The darkness of night is beginning to recede


The mornin' light steals across my windowpane
The light of day is slowly appearing on my window


Where webs of snow are driftin'
The falling snow has accumulated on my window, forming a white pattern


And to be once again with with you
And to have the pleasure of being together with you once again




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gordon Lightfoot

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Warrior6Out

The lamp is burnin' low upon my table top
The snow is softly falling
The air is still in the silence of my room
I hear your voice softly calling

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter’s night with you

The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
My glass is almost empty
I read again between the lines upon each page
The words of love you sent me

If I could know within my heart
That you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter’s night with you

The fire is dying
My lamp is growing dim
The shades of night are lifting
The morning light steals across my window pane
Where webs of snow are drifting

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter’s night with you
And to be once again with you



@romancedeamor4717

LYRICS
The lamp is burnin' low upon my table top
The snow is softly fallin'
The air is still in the silence of my room
I hear your voice softly callin'
If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter's night with you
The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
My glass is almost empty
I read again between the lines upon each page
The words of love you sent me
If I could know within my heart
That you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter's night with you
The fire is dying now, my lamp is growing dim
The shades of night are liftin'
The mornin' light steals across my windowpane
Where webs of snow are driftin'
If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter's night with you
And to be once again with with you



All comments from YouTube:

@iamtheeggman0036

The most beautiful love song ever written. As a young man I wished to find a girl who filled the longing this song brought me. Fifty years have now passed in a life of seventy years, I never found her and know I never will. Once, briefly, I was certain she was in my life but it didn’t last. Still I am thankful for her and our fleeting time together. I sincerely hope you find a person who thoughts of brings you warmth on a deep and lonely winter’s night. If you are young please don’t settle for less, please keep your heart open and let your love find them. They are searching for you as you are them.

@catc1660

It's never too late to find that perfect love 😊

@glennandric6846

What a beautiful post! You have found yourself...The greatest love of all!!😀

@JanetCole-mz8hq

❤ I was so blessed to find my late husband.
I had a love before him, too.
I was doubly blessed.
Both are gone from my life now , at 70 I have wonderful memories of them both.
Who knows what life has in store , don't give up on ❤

@irishmary2490

My husband used to sing this song and Gordon Lightfoot's "Beautiful" to me, playing the guitar so beautifully. He has passed on, but these songs bring him back to me....

@scotsam7590

Love, love, love.

@MsLulu215

Your husband sounds like he was an amazing husband. 😇

@nancymcfadden7308

Beautiful memories.

@dawordstud

Thank you for sharing this

@davesimmons9033

This song is amazing.

8 More Replies...
More Comments

More Versions