Cold
Waterdeep Lyrics
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Sweet is a song
Strange are the sounds that they made for you
Empty and gone
Long is my heart when I hear you tell
Of all that's been locked up and broken into
Lost is the sweetness of the mornings
Where all your secrets are held
Cold are the images of love and steel
Warm is your hand
Hard is the heart that won't let you feel
Soft is the iron in your land
Lost are the ships that are set to sea
Sinking them is sometimes in the plan
But you and I we have another way
We will sleep and dream of sand
Large is the swelling of the ocean's rage
So strong are its tides
It will pull you though you have a place
To anchor inside
Dark are the eyes that will never see
The kingdom of The Great Light
And my Lord, He smiles on everything
And to the meek, He gives delight
The lyrics of Waterdeep's "Cold" depict a dichotomy between coldness and warmth, both literally and metaphorically. The initial lines present the listener with an image of a heart being cold like the winter, followed by a contrast to this with the idea that a song is sweet. The sounds that they made for you are strange, empty, and gone, referencing the fleeting nature of beauty, and sorrow that accompanies losing something great. The singer describes their heart as being long when they hear about the things that have been lost, representing the depth of their emotional attachment to it. The sweetness of the mornings is an extension of the carefully held secrets of someone's life that have been lost.
As the song continues, the imagery deepens with references to cold, unfeeling hearts contrasted with warm hands, and hard hearts that do not allow feeling versus soft iron that still holds form. The notion of lost ships and the intentional sinking of them is a grim reference to the idea that sometimes we must let go of things, especially if they're not meant to be, and the gentle allusion to sand and dreaming is a way to cope with the loss. The final verse about the ocean's rage and the Kingdom of The Great Light is an allusion to the beauty and awe-inspiring power of nature. The Lord's role in this verse is one of care and love for everything in the world, and for those who are often overlooked and need assistance.
Overall, "Cold" by Waterdeep holds a hauntingly beautiful melody, with lyrics that contain rich metaphors and visual allusions. The song is an ode to the complexity and difficulty of emotive attachment, and the various ways we cope with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Cold is your heart in the winter
Your heart is cold during the winter season, showing a lack of emotion.
Sweet is a song
Songs can be sweet and pleasant to listen to.
Strange are the sounds that they made for you
The sounds given to you are unfamiliar and odd.
Empty and gone
There is a sense of emptiness and loss, as something is missing or no longer exists.
Long is my heart when I hear you tell
Of all that's been locked up and broken into
My heart aches and feels heavy when I hear about the things that have been kept hidden and damaged.
Lost is the sweetness of the mornings
Where all your secrets are held
The pleasantness of mornings, when secrets are kept, is now gone, indicating a loss of trust and openness.
Cold are the images of love and steel
The images of love and strength are portrayed as cold and unfeeling.
Warm is your hand
Your hand is warm and comforting, providing a sense of security.
Hard is the heart that won't let you feel
A heart that is unwilling to experience emotions is seen as tough and unyielding.
Soft is the iron in your land
The iron in your land is portrayed as gentle and flexible, opposite to its usual hard nature.
Lost are the ships that are set to sea
Ships that are sent out to sea are lost, implying the danger and risk associated with venturing out to sea.
Sinking them is sometimes in the plan
Sinking the ships may be a part of a plan or strategy.
But you and I we have another way
We will sleep and dream of sand
We have a different approach and will escape reality by sleeping and dreaming of something soothing, like sand.
Large is the swelling of the ocean's rage
The ocean displays intense emotions with a large and furious swell.
So strong are its tides
It will pull you though you have a place
To anchor inside
The tides are so forceful that it can uproot you even if you are anchored on the inside.
Dark are the eyes that will never see
The kingdom of The Great Light
Eyes that remain dark and never see The Great Light's kingdom represent a lack of enlightenment or understanding.
And my Lord, He smiles on everything
And to the meek, He gives delight
The Lord finds joy in everything, and those who are humble and lowly receive pleasure from Him.
Contributed by Wyatt V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Buffy Wells
10th fret, mostly hanging on the D chord