Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: singer-songwriter
Song Meaning of “Song for a Winter’s Night – Live” by Gordon Lightfoot
This hauntingly beautiful song, written by Canadian folk icon Gordon Lightfoot, is about the longing of heartache and nostalgia. The narrator is recalling the painful bittersweet memories of a former lover that he is unable to forget. The chorus declares that these feelings are so profound that it will remain with him through each ‘winter’s night’.
The imagery of nature that is used (snowflakes in the air, a fire crackling in the grate, etc.) suggests a sense of isolation and loneliness that he feels when thinking about her. Despite the sadness that this thought brings him, there is still a hint of hope that she may one day come back to him.
This song speaks to the universal feeling of yearning and loss that can be experienced in love and heartbreak. This is a stark reminder of the impermanence of feelings and relationships; though it may make us feel cold and alone, it is important to remember that we too, can push through the winter and wait for a brighter, warmer day ahead.