Lyric discussion by nonononononono 

Cover art for Houses On The Hill lyrics by Whiskeytown

Ryan (while with WT) said in an interview at World Café that he had the idea for this song after searching his ex-girlfriends' attic and finding some letters hidden away in a desk that belonged to her Mother. Her lover, died in WW2 and she never got over it, as many of you have already said.