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Snow Cherries from France Lyrics
i knew a boy who would
not share his bike
oh, but he let me go sailing
i swore that i
could survive any storm
oh then he let me go
"can you launch rockets from here?"
boy, i've done it for years
right over my head
and when i promised my hand
he promised me back
snow cherries from france
all that summer
we traveled the world
never leaving his own back garden
girls, i didn't know
just what it could be
oh, but he let me go sailing
you question me,
"can you ride anything?"
lord, do you mean like your mood swings
invaders and traders with
the best intentions
may convince you to go
"they look like pirates from here"
boy, i've been one for years
just keeping my head
and when i promised my hand
you promised me back
snow cherries from france
and then one day he said
"girl it's been nice,
oh, but i have to go sailing"
with cinnamon lips
that did not match his eyes
oh then he let me go
not share his bike
oh, but he let me go sailing
i swore that i
could survive any storm
oh then he let me go
boy, i've done it for years
right over my head
and when i promised my hand
he promised me back
snow cherries from france
all that summer
we traveled the world
never leaving his own back garden
girls, i didn't know
just what it could be
oh, but he let me go sailing
"can you ride anything?"
lord, do you mean like your mood swings
invaders and traders with
the best intentions
may convince you to go
"they look like pirates from here"
boy, i've been one for years
just keeping my head
and when i promised my hand
you promised me back
snow cherries from france
"girl it's been nice,
oh, but i have to go sailing"
with cinnamon lips
that did not match his eyes
oh then he let me go
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what a beautiful song! its really sad in a way...he\'s shown her all these amazing things then he decides to pick up and go
Just like my ex.
Thing that really sticks out to me here is 'and when I promised my hand he promised me back snow cherries from France'. They are teenagers, he is only a boy and she is a girl. He would 'not share his bike, oh but he let me go sailing'. Probably a euphemism for him not wanting to go all the way? France is the epitome of love, sensuality. So he lets her touch him. When she uses her hand, in return, he comes - snow cherries from France? Maybe way off!!!
I did wonder what was going on in this relationship, so I did consult some Tori interview stuff to see. In one interview, she talks about how she created this woman (who changed many times in the 7 years it took to figure her out), who "deep down, knew he was a wanderer. And she took the risk anyway." She is in love with a man with wanderlust - maybe both metaphorically AND literally. Tori also says, "deep down she knows that eventually he's going to go -- because that's what he does -- she offers her hand, after a fashion, and he offers her snow cherries from France, which sound delicious, but don't exist." He cannot give anything over to her but his fantasy and can only bring him with her so far before he needs to go off again.
What a beautiful song, but so sad.
It strikes me as a first love/losing virginity song. She loves the boy but he is distant and he "let me go sailing." He makes love to her but he's not in love with her and then by the end of summer it's over. "Riding" and "cherries" seem to be pretty straightforward metaphors: but brilliantly realized. The song crystallizes heartache in a very subtle way. Genius.
I’ve always loved this song so much, especially the line “Cinnamon lips that did not match his eyes” I image it means warm lips, cold eyes.