Cold Shoulder
Tony Justice Lyrics
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At our house tonight
Slow music playing
Soft candle light
Her lips I keep tasting
The warm red wine
I'm there in her arms
But it's all in my mind
Snow is piled high
On the highway tonight
I'm a ship lost at sea
On this ocean of white
Eighteen wheels anchored
Somewhere out of Boulder
Wish I could hold her
Instead of hugging
This old cold shoulder
This old highway
Is like a woman sometimes
She can be your best friend
But she's the real jealous kind
She's a lady that leads me
To the life I dream of
And the mistress who keeps me
From the ones that I love
Snow is pilled high
On the highway tonight
I'm a ship lost at sea
On this ocean of white
Eighteen wheels anchored
Somewhere out of Boulder
Wish I could hold her
Instead of hugging
This old cold shoulder
God wish I could hold her
Instead of hugging
This old cold shoulder
The lyrics of Tony Justice's song Cold Shoulder tell a story of a truck driver who is on the road away from his loved one. While there's a fire burning bright and slow music playing with soft candle light at their house, he is left reminiscing about the warmth of his lover's arms and the taste of her lips which he keeps tasting through the warm red wine. Despite the strong desire to be with her, he finds himself lost at sea on an ocean of white due to the piled snow on the highway. He feels like a ship anchored somewhere out of Boulder with nothing but this old cold shoulder for warmth. Through the metaphor of the highway, Tony Justice portrays it as a woman that can be a truck driver's best friend, leading him to the life he dreams of, but at the same time, the mistress that keeps him from the ones he loves.
The lyrics of Cold Shoulder are particularly relatable to those who work in the trucking industry. The song expresses the loneliness, longing, and isolation that long-distance truckers feel while being away from their loved ones for an extended period. The lyrics also highlight the hardships that truckers have to endure due to weather changes and hazardous road conditions during wintertime. Despite the difficulties, the metaphor of the highway being a woman and a trucker's best friend provides a sense of comfort that road can still be a familiar companion during a long journey.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a fire burning bright
The atmosphere at home is romantic and passionate, with a blazing fire lighting up the whole room.
At our house tonight
This is happening in his own house, with his partner who he longs to have by his side.
Slow music playing
The music playing in the background is peaceful and calming in nature, setting the mood.
Soft candle light
Dim candlelights are enhancing the ambiance, increasing the intensity between the two partners.
Her lips I keep tasting
The memory of the kisses shared between them is fresh in his mind, making him long for more.
The warm red wine
The pleasure of the drink adds to the romantic setup, evoking strong and emotional feelings among them.
I'm there in her arms
He envisions himself wrapped up in her loving embrace, which brings him comfort.
But it's all in my mind
He is just imagining the moment, which is only happening in his thoughts.
Snow is piled high
The roads are blocked by thick layers of snow, making travel harder for him.
On the highway tonight
He is traveling on the highway, which is filled with snow, limiting his journey.
I'm a ship lost at sea
He feels like he is adrift and confused, with nowhere to turn, as if he is lost in a vast ocean.
On this ocean of white
The deserted and snow-clad highway is vast, calm, and peaceful, like the ocean waves, but darker and duller.
Eighteen wheels anchored
The reference to eighteen wheels refers to his truck and confirms his profession as a truck driver, where he is stationary now.
Somewhere out of Boulder
The location is somewhere outside Boulder, Colorado, a landmark that helps the listener connect more with the story.
Wish I could hold her
He yearns to hold his beloved, as this thought clouds his mind.
Instead of hugging
He wants to embrace his partner, rather than feeling the lonely embrace of his truck.
This old cold shoulder
The reference of 'cold shoulder' is an expression that signifies a lack of interest, which is what he feels from his truck, rather than the warmth he wants to receive from his partner.
This old highway
The highway has remained the same, offering him experiences that remind him of his past- a bonding sensation.
Is like a woman sometimes
The love-hate relationship with the highway is easily related to the same as his relationship with women.
She can be your best friend
The highway has been his guide many times, like a friend in hard times.
But she's the real jealous kind
The highway is unpredictable, and it's hard to know what it's going to bring forth at times, which is similar to a woman's possessive behaviour.
She's a lady that leads me
The road has always provided new paths and destinations, like a lady leadning him to a new story.
To the life I dream of
The highway holds the power to take him closer to his dreams- a life of passion and pursuit.
And the mistress who keeps me
The mistress refers to his job, which leaves him mesmerized and occupied.
From the ones that I love
His job keeps him from his family and partner, denying him the pleasure of living with those he loves.
God wish I could hold her
An emotional out-pour by the singer wishing to hold his beloved, to whom his heart is emotionally attached.
Instead of hugging
Here, the meaning remains the same, with him longing for her embrace.
This old cold shoulder
The loneliness he feels in his truck, unable to embrace her or share his life with her, is similar to getting a cold shoulder from a person you want to engage with.
Writer(s): Blazy Kent E, Williams Kim Edwin, Brooks Troyal Garth
Contributed by Harper N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.