The band were founded at the University of Dundee in 1994 by Lightbody, Mark McClelland, and Michael Morrison of Shrug. After briefly using the name Polarbear, releasing the EP Starfighter Pilot (1997) and losing Morrison as a member, the band became Snow Patrol in 1997 and added Quinn to its lineup. Their first two studio albums, Songs for Polarbears (1998) and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001), released by the independent record label Jeepster Records, were commercially unsuccessful. The band then signed to the major record label Polydor Records in 2002.
Connolly joined Snow Patrol in 2002, and after their major-label debut album, Final Straw, the following year, with "Run", the album's biggest hit, the band rose to national fame. The album was certified 5x platinum in the UK. Their next studio album, Eyes Open (2006), and its hit single, "Chasing Cars"—reported in 2019 to be the most-played song of the 21st century on UK radio—propelled the band to greater international fame. The album topped the UK Albums Chart and was the best-selling British album of the year. In 2008, Snow Patrol released their fifth studio album, A Hundred Million Suns; then, in 2009, they released their first compilation album, Up to Now; and, in 2011, their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires, was published. The band released their seventh album, Wildness, on 25 May 2018.
During the course of their career, Snow Patrol have won seven Meteor Ireland Music Awards and been nominated for six Brit Awards and one Grammy. Final Straw, Eyes Open, and A Hundred Million Suns have sold ten million copies worldwide, combined.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Patrol
Studio albums
Songs for Polarbears (1998)
When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001)
Final Straw (2003)
Eyes Open (2006)
A Hundred Million Suns (2008)
Fallen Empires (2011)
Wildness (2018)
Dark Roman Wine
Snow Patrol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As the night rolls us up in its arms
And the square of your thumbs and your fingers
Is the blanket of the sky that's so warm
I know it's late but I can't help but think here
That the day hasn't shown all its cards
Now it's out to the stars of the ocean
Picking out all the stars that we like
Between finger and thumb
You laugh as you pass me the night
As if it's too fragile to hold
And I hold it so close to my chest
With your hands in my hands
You say this is just how we'll rest
Until light turns to sound
Now your eyelids they faint and they shiver
Like the wings of the last bird to leave
For the south for the heat for no reason
I watch as they fly for sheer joy
The wind shakes the branches above us
And the car shaved the ground at our backs
But the dark roman wine in our bloodstreams
Makes the cold just a word, just a sound
Picking out all the stars that we like
Between finger and thumb
You laugh as you pass me the night
As if it's too fragile to hold
And I hold it so close to my chest
With your hands in my hands
You say this is just how we'll rest
Until the light turns to sound
The lyrics to Snow Patrol's song Dark Roman Wine suggest a moment of intimacy and connection between two people as they embrace the beauty and wonder of the night sky. The singer seems to be fully in the moment, hanging on the hook of the other person's splendor as they both take in the warmth of the blanket of stars above them. Despite the lateness of the hour, the singer can't help but feel that the day hasn't shown all its cards yet, hinting at further mystery and magic waiting to be revealed. Both people are content to stay put, not wanting to retrace their steps to the car, simply enjoying the beauty of the night as it unfolds.
As the two gaze at the stars, they pick out ones they like and hold the night between their finger and thumb, laughing as they pass it back and forth. The other person seems to treat the night as something delicate, something that is too fragile to hold, while the singer holds it close to their chest, cherishing the moment. The song then shifts to the other person's eyelids, which faint and shiver as they watch a bird take flight. The wind shakes the branches above them and the car behind them, but the singer and the other person defy the cold by indulging in the dark roman wine in their bloodstreams. As the song comes to a close, the two hold hands, content to rest until light turns to sound.
Overall, the lyrics to Dark Roman Wine seem to suggest a moment of unity and intimacy between two people, as they celebrate the beauty of the night and the world around them. The song's vivid imagery and poetic language help to create a powerful and evocative atmosphere that captures the feeling of being lost in a moment.
Line by Line Meaning
I will hang on the hook of your splendor
I will stay captivated by your loveliness
As the night rolls us up in its arms
As we are embraced by the night
And the square of your thumbs and your fingers
The space between your fingers represents the expanse of the sky
Is the blanket of the sky that's so warm
The vastness of the sky provides a comforting warmth
I know it's late but I can't help but think here
Although it's late, I can't stop pondering
That the day hasn't shown all its cards
The day has more surprises in store
Now it's out to the stars of the ocean
The night has shifted its focus to the stars on the ocean horizon
Let's not retrace our steps to the car
Let's not go back to where we came from
Picking out all the stars that we like
Selecting our favorite stars from the night sky
Between finger and thumb
Between our fingers
You laugh as you pass me the night
You share the night with me, laughing
As if it's too fragile to hold
As if the night is delicate and easily broken
And I hold it so close to my chest
I hold the night close to myself
With your hands in my hands
As we hold hands
You say this is just how we'll rest
This is how we will find peace and rest
Until light turns to sound
Until the dawn breaks and noise fills the air
Now your eyelids they faint and they shiver
Your eyelids are getting heavy and trembling
Like the wings of the last bird to leave
Like the wings of the final bird to fly away
For the south for the heat for no reason
For no other purpose than to fly to the warmth of the South
I watch as they fly for sheer joy
I watch as they fly purely for the thrill of it
The wind shakes the branches above us
The wind rustles the branches overhead
And the car shaved the ground at our backs
The car we left behind is now far away
But the dark roman wine in our bloodstreams
The intoxicating effect of the wine is coursing through us
Makes the cold just a word, just a sound
The wine makes us forget about the cold outside
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARRET LEE, GARY LIGHTBODY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Being Dee
I will hang on the hook of your splendor
As the night rolls us up in its arms
And the square of your thumbs and your fingers
Is the blanket of the sky that's so warm
I know it's late but I can't help but think here
That the day hasn't shown all its cards
Now it's out to the stars of the ocean
Let's not retrace our steps to the car
Picking out all the stars that we like
Between finger and thumb
You laugh as you pass me the night
As if it's too fragile to hold
And I hold it so close to my chest
With your hands in my hands
You say this is just how we'll rest
Until light turns to sound
Now your eyelids they faint and they shiver
Like the wings of the last bird to leave
For the south for the heat for no reason
I watch as they fly for sheer joy
The wind shakes the branches above us
And the car shaved the ground at our backs
But the dark roman wine in our bloodstreams
Makes the cold just a word, just a sound
Picking out all the stars that we like
Between finger and thumb
You laugh as you pass me the night
As if it's too fragile to hold
And I hold it so close to my chest
With your hands in my hands
You say this is just how we'll rest
Until the light turns to sound
Savannah Carkid
now, ive just recently become a huge snow patrol fan. gary's voice is mesmerizing in everything he does. but in this performance however, it's so calming and pure. i can't put into words how this song makes me feel, but its a great feeling.. simplicity at its finest. thank you so much for uploading this.and to make it better, this was uploaded on my birthday. snow patrol forever.
Rossana Guillén
Savannah Carkid Happy birthday 4 years later!!!
Jay W
Such a big venue but his voice fills the whole place and silences everybody with pure emotion, magical probably the best word
Kate Jordan
Oh my goodness!
I have been a fan of you guys since approx. 2001. How could I have missed this song??
You played it in Hamburg last night and I was hooked. You are such a gifted poetic singer and it was just awesome to see you enjoy yourself so much on stage. It definitely transported. Thank you and enjoy the tour
rna
@pekki1964 that gazza started as a poet before became a songwriter & is a lover of literature think is part of why his lyrics are always more musical poetry than just songs
pekki1964
yes, same for me. I heard it in Brusssels for the first time. <3 <3 amazing song, beautiful lyrics <3
LillaLill1976
Every time I listen to it I'm completely overwhelmed. The song, the voice, Gary - it's just perfection!
Hana Švecová Šankova
poslouchám jí rok, co mi umřel přítel
All About Whitey.
This song is absolutely exquisite. Gary’s voice and songwriting is out of this world, what a gift. If there is one voice I could listen too for the rest of my life, it would be Gary’s. He is a such a beautiful human being & what he has done for us in 2020 has been incredible. ♥️♥️
Eccentric Lullaby
This song haunts me with its beauty.