Sweet Thing
Winter Night Lyrics

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Tree tops are swaying
But the roots plan on staying
I can see my reflection
On snowy white mountains

Winter Night let's go unionize
The rain is freezing, falling
Hideaway 'til the sun escapes

We'll sleep away the cold night

Stand and keep awake
As the fever sets and starts to break
The fog is lifting from the southern gates
But I will never see another day

Across the frozen white valley
Stands a fortified army
They're mining the hills
For all the people they killed

Winter Night let's go unionize
The rain is freezing, falling
Hideaway 'til the sun escapes
We'll sleep away the cold night

Stand and keep awake
As the fever sets and starts to break
The fog is lifting from the southern gates
But I will never see another day

They're chasing shadows away

And keeping children at length
To mend the fault lines they've cracked

Overall Meaning

These lyrics tell a story of a dark and cold winter night. The image of the swaying treetops and snowy white mountains creates a beautiful and serene scene, but there is an underlying tension as the roots plan on staying put, refusing to be swayed by the wind. It seems as though this scene is being observed through a reflection, adding a sense of detachment to the storytelling. The lyrics then shift to a call to unionize from Winter Night, perhaps indicating a struggle for power or a desire for unity. The rain is described as freezing, adding to the sense of danger and discomfort.

The verses then transition into a call to hideaway until the sun comes out before sleeping away the cold night. There is a sense of urgency mixed with weariness in these lyrics. As the fever sets in and starts to break, the listener can feel the relief even as the fog lifts from the southern gates. But then we are hit with the reminder that the singer will never see another day.

The final verse takes a darker turn, as we learn that there is an army in the valley, mining the hills for all the people they've killed. It's unclear who this army is or what their motivations are, but it's clear that they are dangerous and have already caused a lot of harm. The lyrics end with a bittersweet image of them chasing shadows away while keeping children at length to mend the fault lines they've cracked. It's a sad image of people trying to fix the damage they've caused, but still keeping others at arm's length.

Line by Line Meaning

Tree tops are swaying
The trees are moving with the wind

But the roots plan on staying
Despite the movement of the trees, they are firmly rooted

I can see my reflection
The singer sees their own image reflected on the snowy mountains

On snowy white mountains
The mountains are covered in white snow

Winter Night let's go unionize
The artist is calling for people to band together in the winter night

The rain is freezing, falling
The precipitation is cold enough to freeze

Hideaway 'til the sun escapes
The singer suggests taking shelter until the sun comes out

We'll sleep away the cold night
They plan to sleep through the night to avoid the cold

Stand and keep awake
The artist is urging someone to stay awake and alert

As the fever sets and starts to break
The sickness is starting to improve

The fog is lifting from the southern gates
The mist is clearing up in the south