It Sure Can Get Cold in Des Moines
Chilled Heart in Des Moines: Tom T. Hall's Frozen Tale
Lyrics
The Iowa weather was 13 below
The weather in Iowa was extremely cold, measuring 13 degrees below zero.
I had come to Des Moines for a radio show
The speaker had come to Des Moines for a radio show.
I awoke in the evening from a traveler's sleep
The speaker woke up in the evening after a traveler's rest.
With notions of something to eat
The speaker was thinking about getting something to eat.
The old elevator slid down past the floors
An old elevator descended past various floors.
My head and my eyes said "You should have slept more."
The speaker's head and eyes indicated fatigue, regretting not having slept more.
The man at the desk said the restaurant was closed
The desk attendant informed the speaker that the restaurant was closed.
Outside it was 14 below
Outside, the temperature had dropped even further to 14 degrees below zero.
The lounge was still open and so I walked in
The lounge was still open, and the speaker entered.
In place of my food I had two double gins
Instead of having a meal, the speaker had two double gins (alcoholic drinks).
I looked 'round the room, as a tourist would do
The speaker observed the room as a tourist would.
That's when I saw the girl in the booth
The speaker noticed a girl in the booth.
She sat there and cried in the smoky half-dark
The girl in the booth was crying in the smoky, dimly lit room.
The silent type crying that tears out your heart
The crying was silent but intense, emotionally affecting the speaker.
Her clothes were not cut in the new modern way
The girl's clothes were not in the modern fashion, and her suitcase looked worn.
And her suitcase had seen better days
The suitcase had seen better days, indicating a history of use.
Nobody asked her what caused her such pain
No one in the room asked the girl about her pain.
Nobody spoke up, yet no one complained
Despite the silence, no one complained or spoke up.
Without even asking, I knew why she cried
The speaker intuited the reason for the girl's tears without anyone asking.
Life is just like that sometimes
A reflection on the unpredictable and sometimes difficult nature of life.
The man at the desk said, "It's 15 below."
The desk attendant mentioned that the temperature had dropped to 15 degrees below zero.
The bellhop said "Yeah man, that's cold...that's cold."
The bellhop acknowledged the extreme cold.
I went back to my room and I wrote down this song
The speaker returned to the room and wrote this song.
Oh it sure can get cold in Des Moines
A concluding remark emphasizing the coldness experienced in Des Moines.
Comment