Prairie Town
The Wailin' Jennys Lyrics


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When it rains it snows in this prairie town
There's a good three inches on the ground
It seems I'll be losing any peace I've found

I see your face all over this town
But I know you're nowhere to be found
You're far away, you're safe and sound
Far from this prairie town
Far from this prairie town

So leaving seems the thing to do
When I'm here I'm lost in thoughts of you
And in my dreams I'm city bound

But if you ask me to come to you
To leave these fields and these skies of blue
You know I'd be leaving my sacred ground

Leaving this prairie town
Leaving this prairie town

No one's love comes close to yours
Nothing's what it was before
My eyes are heavy and my heart is sore

Leaving this prairie town
Leaving this prairie town

When it rains it snows in this prairie town
And we just watch it fall to the ground
And wait for love to come around

So ask me in that way you do
And I'll leave these fields and I'll come to you
And watch my heart as it breaks in two





I'm leaving this prairie town
I'm leaving this prairie town

Overall Meaning

The Wailin' Jennys' song 'Prairie Town' talks about the struggles of being in a small town where life may be peaceful, but there aren't many opportunities for growth. The lyrics depict a snowy town, and the singer is reminded of their loved one whom they cannot be with because they are far away. The singer feels a sense of longing and restlessness and dreams of the city where they can find more exciting prospects. As the song progresses, the singer realizes that as much as they yearn for their loved one, leaving their roots behind - their sacred ground - is tough.


The song shows a sense of complexity in human emotion wherein people struggle with their identity and the desire to grow but long for their roots. The unreliability of life is apparent in the way the weather changes so suddenly, and the song speaks to how the singer feels uncertain about their future. The singer longs for love, which seems elusive, and the song culminates with the possibility that they might leave everything behind and move forward with the hope of finding love.


Line by Line Meaning

When it rains it snows in this prairie town
The weather in this town is unpredictable and constantly changing, causing discomfort and inconvenience.


There's a good three inches on the ground
The weather has left a significant amount of snow on the ground, making it difficult to get around and disrupting daily life.


It seems I'll be losing any peace I've found
The snow has added to the already tumultuous state of emotions that the singer is experiencing and has disrupted any sense of calm they may have had.


I see your face all over this town
The memory of the person the artist is missing is pervasive and constantly on their mind, even in everyday surroundings and situations.


But I know you're nowhere to be found
Despite the constant reminders of this person, they are not physically present and the artist is left with a sense of emptiness.


You're far away, you're safe and sound
The person the singer is missing is not nearby, but is instead living a comfortable and secure life elsewhere.


So leaving seems the thing to do
The singer believes that leaving the town is the solution to their emotional turmoil and longing for the person they are missing.


When I'm here I'm lost in thoughts of you
Being in the town only intensifies the artist's thoughts and emotions regarding the person they are missing.


And in my dreams I'm city bound
The artist dreams of being in a different place - the city - in order to escape their current situation and emotions.


But if you ask me to come to you
If the person the artist is missing were to invite them to their location, the artist would be willing to leave the prairie town.


To leave these fields and these skies of blue
The singer is willing to abandon their current surroundings - the open fields and blue skies - for the chance to be with the person they are missing.


You know I'd be leaving my sacred ground
The artist considers the prairie town to be special and meaningful to them, but they are willing to leave it behind in order to be with the person they are missing.


No one's love comes close to yours
The love of the person the singer is missing is unparalleled and cannot be matched by anyone else's love.


Nothing's what it was before
Things have changed since the person the singer is missing has been gone, and nothing feels the same as it did before.


My eyes are heavy and my heart is sore
The emotional toll of missing this person is causing the singer to feel weighed down, both physically and emotionally.


And we just watch it fall to the ground
The artist and their community are simply watching the snow fall, helpless to the uncontrollable changes happening around them.


And wait for love to come around
Despite the pain and discomfort caused by their current circumstances, the artist and others in the community are still holding out hope for love to return and alleviate their longing and suffering.


So ask me in that way you do
If the person the singer is missing were to ask them to come to their location in a particular, meaningful way, the singer would be compelled to go and reunite with them.


And I'll leave these fields and I'll come to you
If asked, the singer is willing to abandon their current surroundings and come to be with the person they are missing.


And watch my heart as it breaks in two
Despite the desire to be with the person they are missing, leaving their current surroundings will still be difficult and painful for the artist.




Contributed by Evelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Linda Pettigrew

Discovered them on Pandora and The Wailin Jenny’s is my most listened to channel. Totally calming and perfected harmonies! Would so love to see them live.

Kevin Perry

That is where I found them. On a bluegrass channel.

Scott Ingram

Fell in love with this song and the band the first time I heard it on Prairie Home Companion.

Lark Pescosolido

Very calming, loving melodies, I've seen them several times. Angels here on our earth, sharing their thoughts and talents with rest of us. Thank you Ruth, Nicky & Heather

Jeanne Harrington

Catching up with them again. There vocals are a calming phenomena

Lunay LeZarde

Gorgeous stuff. I'm adding this to my playlist "Exquisite Listening," and that's something that doesn't happen to just any song.

Steve Cox

Such perfect and unique harmonies are welcome

Michael LaBeau

this band's talent and sound just move me so hard...love everything they do!

Maddie

My friend showed me this song, and it honestly just feels like someone can read into my thoughts. I love it.

Jerome Nevins

Wonderfully lush harmonies and strings... thank you.

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