The Winds Blow Cold
An analysis of a song and what I was trying to say.
I am struggling this week to divide my time between recording sessions, getting my 2024 taxes in order, phone conversations with siblings about how to help my hospitalized sister, preparing for a songwriter session, rehearsing, and writing this column. I guess this is what we call life. Juggling all these responsibilities while staying calm is the trick.
Here’s a link to the Songwriter Session in Davenport.
When I was a kid, I never thought about what the adults in my life might be going through. Sometimes kids pick up certain cues or get a sense of what might be happening, but I don’t recall adults—mainly my parents—talking about other people or themselves. They kept a lid on things that might upset the kids.
So why did I write The Winds Blow Cold? I think I was trying to paint a picture of certain aspects of my childhood. My best friend, Theresa Finnegan, lived across the street from our family on Duff Avenue in Ames. The Finnegans were Catholic, and for the most part, for every child they had, my family also had a child of the same age and in the same grade. We Lutherans also had what would be considered a large family by today’s standards—just like the Catholics—minus a kid or two.
"I didn’t really solve any deep-seated problems by writing this song. It’s made up of bits and pieces of memories and is partly based on my sister’s friend, not mine. But it did help me get a few things off my mind and onto the page. It helped me say it’s OK if you didn’t have an idyllic childhood. No one does.
Maybe The Winds Blow Cold because time marches on and you can’t go back. As time marches on the winds blow colder and the memories dim. Perhaps I captured a time.
The Winds Blow Cold Your mother kept a candy dish On the dining room buffet Bright-colored candy, cellophane wrapped And it's probably there to this day You lived across the street from me Raised on the rosary, and I on a Protestant prayer Nothing ever frightened you The sticks or the stones they threw You just didn't seem to care Chorus: Now the winds blow cold The winds blow cold Dandelion chains Listening to the rain With a bird’s-eye view from the tree You always looked out for me We got in such trouble When we picked the flowers From Mrs. McGavren's yard "Well, I'm gonna run away You'll never see me again" But I never got too far When we were autumn's child You stayed with us a while Your mother went away No one would say just why Look us right in the eye And say, "'Cause she cries and cries all day" Chorus Embrace the branches of the willow tree Swing with her to and fro Until your arms hurt Because of the grip Fall to the ground when you let go It was red light, green light On the grass London Bridge falling down Duck, duck, goose Then you moved away The thimble was never found Chorus