The Be Good Tanyas are an acoustic trio with folk and Americana influences,… Read Full Bio ↴The Be Good Tanyas are an acoustic trio with folk and Americana influences, hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia. They play a combination of original and traditional material, and are notable for their lush vocal harmonies.

The group features Frazey Ford (guitar, vocals), Samantha Parton (guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals) and Trish Klein (electric guitar, banjo, harmony vocals). Jolie Holland is a former member and also a frequent guest.

The story of the groups begins in early-to-mid ’90s in the Kootenay Mountains outside of British Columbia, where caravans of tree planters toiled each year to replenish the rich Canadian forests that suffer abuse by the lumber industry. Ford and Parton lived the vagabond lifestyle and made a rudimentary living as tree planters during the summer months and doing other odd jobs or traveling during the winters. When they met at a tree planters’ camp, they discovered a mutual love of music, but ultimately went their separate ways.

A few years later, Klein and Ford hooked up when both were attending music school in Nelson, British Columbia. For a time, the three of them headed in different directions: Ford went to Montreal and then Guatemala, Klein to Vancouver, and Parton traveled south through America with her dog Sherpa by her side, eventually settling in New Orleans. Chance brought the trio back together in Vancouver in the winter of 1999. By this time, each had been experimenting with many different styles of music – Ford was in a trip hop band in Montreal, Klein and Ford later formed the soul/folk band Saltwater June in Vancouver, and Parton had been touring the back roads of America with spoken word punk poet Chris Chandler as well as her country-duo side project, The Illegitimate Daughters of Johnny Cash.

Their luminous debut, ‘Blue Horse was named one of 2002′s Top 50 albums by Britain’s Q Magazine. The albums "Chinatown" followed in 2003 and "Hello Love" in 2006.

In 2008 the band took a break from touring and recording. Ford released her debut solo album, "Obadiah", in 2010. The band is scheduled to play the 2011 Winnipeg Folk Festival.

Rain and Snow
The Be Good Tanyas Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

And her cheeks were as red as a rose
As a rose, as a rose
And her cheeks were as red as a rose

Well I ain't got no use
For your red apple juice
And I'm not gonna be treated this a way
This a way this a way
And I'm not gonna be treated this way

I see you sitting in the shade
Counting every dime I've made
I'm so broke and I'm hungry too
Hungry too, hungry too
I'm so broke and I'm hungry too
I'm so broke and I'm hungry too

Well I married me a wife
She gave me trouble all my life
She ran me out in the cold rain and snow

Rain and snow, rain and snow
She ran me out in the cold rain and snow

Overall Meaning

The song "Rain and Snow" by The Be Good Tanyas tells the story of a man who has been married to a woman that has given him nothing but trouble all his life. The repeated line "She ran me out in the cold rain and snow" emphasizes that the singer has been pushed out of his warm and comfortable life and forced into a harsh and unforgiving world. The woman's sudden appearance in the second verse, "Combin' back her long yellow hair," creates a contrast between her youthfulness and the man's jaded attitude towards her. Her "cheeks were as red as a rose" could indicate that she is healthy and happy, further highlighting how the man has been left behind.

The third verse conveys the singer's anger towards the woman and his refusal to accept her mistreatment any longer. He says "I ain't got no use for your red apple juice" as a way of expressing his disinterest in her offerings and his desire to move on. The repetition of "this a way this a way" emphasizes his determination to no longer be treated poorly. The fourth verse reveals the man's poverty and hunger, further highlighting the difficult situation he has been forced into. The repeated line "I'm so broke and I'm hungry too" emphasizes his desperation and lack of options. The final verse repeats the first, emphasizing the cyclical nature of his problems.

Overall, "Rain and Snow" is a melancholic and powerful song that conveys the struggles of someone who has been pushed out of their comfortable life and forced to survive in adverse conditions.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I married me a wife
I'm stuck in a relationship with a woman who brings me nothing but trouble.

She gave me trouble all my life
My wife has been causing me problems since the day I married her.

She ran me out in the cold rain and snow
My wife has kicked me out of our home and left me all alone in the bitter cold.

Rain and snow, rain and snow
The weather is awful and I have nowhere to go.

She came a runnin on down the stairs
My wife appeared suddenly and without warning.

Combin' back her long yellow hair
She was preening and showing off her beauty, which only made things worse.

And her cheeks were as red as a rose
My wife seemed to be enjoying herself while I was miserable.

Well I ain't got no use
I have no interest or desire for something.

For your red apple juice
I don't want the things that my wife is offering me.

And I'm not gonna be treated this a way
I refuse to accept the mistreatment that I'm receiving from my wife.

This a way this a way
I will not tolerate this behavior any longer.

I see you sitting in the shade
I notice that my wife is enjoying herself while I'm struggling to get by.

Counting every dime I've made
My wife is keeping track of my finances and taking advantage of me.

I'm so broke and I'm hungry too
I'm in a dire financial situation and I'm struggling to survive.

Hungry too, hungry too
I'm not just broke, I'm also starving and can't afford to buy any food.

I'm so broke and I'm hungry too
My financial situation is so dire that I can't even afford to feed myself.

Well I married me a wife
I made a terrible mistake by getting into this relationship with my wife.

She gave me trouble all my life
My wife has been a thorn in my side for as long as I can remember.

She ran me out in the cold rain and snow
My wife has left me alone and destitute, with nowhere to turn for help.

Rain and snow, rain and snow
I am stuck in a terrible situation, with no end in sight.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: COX, JANSCH, MCSHEE, RENBOURN, ERROL THOMPSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Beelze Buth

5y↑19

Well I married me a wife
She gave me trouble all my life
She ran me out in the cold rain and snow
Rain and snow, rain and snow
She ran me out in the cold rain and snow
She came a runnin on down the stairs
Combin' back her long yellow hair
And her cheeks were as red as a rose
As a rose, as a rose
And her cheeks were as red as a rose
Well I ain't got no use
For your red apple juice
And I'm not gonna be treated this a way
This a way this a way
And I'm not gonna be treated this way
I see you sitting in the shade
Counting every dime I've made
I'm so broke and I'm hungry too
Hungry too, hungry too
I'm so broke and I'm hungry too
I'm so broke and I'm hungry too
Well I married me a wife
She gave me trouble all my life
She ran me out in the cold rain and snow
Rain and snow, rain and snow
She ran me out in the cold rain and snow

All comments from YouTube:

Beelze Buth

5y↑19

Peggy Koehler

7y↑4

Study what these fine ladies perform. What an incredible group. They have changed my perspective of live performance.

saxxi

13y↑5

So sweet and cold, dancing at rock bottom. One of the best song ever

Dead Money

I agree

Linda Mae Chover

12y↑3

Heard this at least ten years ago. Wasn't sure who did it. I think it is a very special version of this old song. Happy to have found it. Thanks for uploading.