1) The Choir were a ro… Read Full Bio ↴There have been two bands known as The Choir:
1) The Choir were a rock band in the mid-1960s from Cleveland Ohio, best known for the oft-covered song "It's Cold Outside". With the addition of singer Eric Carmen, they became The Raspberries in 1970. The band consisted of Dann Klawon on rhythm guitar, Dave Smalley on vocals & rhythm guitar, Wally Bryson on vocals, lead guitar, & bass, and Jim Bonfanti on vocals & drums.
2) The Choir (originally The Youth Choir) is an atmospheric alternative Christian rock band, led by Derri Daugherty on guitar and vocals, Steve Hindalong on drums -- who also writes most of the band's lyrics -- and Dan Michaels on lyricon, electric flute and saxophone. Originally formed in Southern California in the early 1980s, the band members moved to the Nashville, Tennessee area in the 1990s. Past members include guitarist Marc Byrd and bass guitarists Michael Sauerbrey, Robin Spurs, Bill Batstone, and the late Tim Chandler.
Each band member also has a depth of musical history outside of The Choir. Hindalong produced four successful City On A Hill albums, writing the well-known song "God of Wonders" with Marc Byrd. Daugherty has been a member of the Christian-alterna-pop-supergroup The Lost Dogs since it started in 1991, and Hindalong joined the group in 2006. Chandler was the bass player for years for Daniel Amos and that band's alter egos The Swirling Eddies, and passed away in 2018. Byrd was a member of Common Children, recorded with his wife Christine Glass as Glassbyrd, and is currently half of the post-rock duo Hammock. Michaels has been a Senior Vice President of Fair Trade Services (formerly INO Records) since 2000.
Polar Boy
The Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Against your icy window
Perhaps you will allow polar boy in
So he can warm himself by your fire
Polar boy is looking for fire
You surely should avoid any risky innuendo
He'd like to thaw his frozen frame
Against your skin
Polar boy is playing with fire
Polar boy is playing with fire
Polar boy...
He does deserve to swing
He surely should be swinging from a noose
Now he's speeding through the school zone
Liquored up and loose
Likely to flip and burn in a fire
Polar boy is swallowing fire
Polar boy...
The Choir's song "Polar Boy" is a story about a boy who is desperately seeking warmth and connection in a cold and isolated world. He is depicted in the lyrics as standing outside someone's window, his purple nose pressed against the icy pane, hoping to be allowed in so he can warm himself by the fire. There is a sense of longing and vulnerability in these lines, as the polar boy seems to be desperately seeking connection and something to thaw out his frozen frame. However, there is also a warning hidden in the lyrics, as the chorus repeats the line "Polar boy is playing with fire," suggesting that the boy's desire for warmth and connection may be dangerous and destructive.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become darker and more foreboding. The line "He does deserve to swing" suggests that the polar boy may have done something wrong or harmful, and the subsequent lines about him speeding through school zones while drunk and likely to flip and burn add to the sense of danger and recklessness. Near the end of the song, the repeated chorus takes on a new meaning, as the line "Polar boy is swallowing fire" suggests that the boy's desire for warmth and connection has turned inward and become self-destructive.
Line by Line Meaning
He's got his purple nose pressed
Polar boy is standing outside in the cold with his nose pressed against your window, trying to get your attention.
Against your icy window
He is standing outside in the cold, looking through your window hoping to get a glimpse of warmth.
Perhaps you will allow polar boy in
He is asking if you will let him come inside and warm up by your fire.
So he can warm himself by your fire
Polar boy is hoping to thaw out his frozen body by sitting in front of your fire.
Polar boy is looking for fire
He is desperately seeking warmth and is willing to risk anything to get it.
You surely should avoid any risky innuendo
You should not engage in any suggestive behavior with polar boy, as it could be dangerous.
He'd like to thaw his frozen frame
Polar boy wants to warm up his whole body that has become frozen from the cold.
Against your skin
He wants to get close to you to absorb some of your body heat and warm himself up.
You know he's flaming with desire
Polar boy is burning with the desire for warmth and will do anything to get it.
Polar boy is playing with fire
He is taking risks in his quest for warmth and could end up getting hurt.
He does deserve to swing
Polar boy's risky behavior could lead to serious consequences.
He surely should be swinging from a noose
His actions could even lead to his death and punishment for what he's doing.
Now he's speeding through the school zone
Polar boy is behaving recklessly and could harm himself or others.
Liquored up and loose
He is under the influence of alcohol and is acting without inhibitions, which could lead to bad decisions.
Likely to flip and burn in a fire
Polar boy's reckless behavior is putting him at risk of getting hurt or even dying in a fire.
Polar boy is swallowing fire
He is taking on dangerous risks and is in danger of getting burned or hurt.
Polar boy...
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the danger and recklessness of polar boy's behavior.
Contributed by Aiden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.