When the Wind Was Green

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a relationship's arc, mirroring seasons and the changing color of the wind. Initially, the "green wind" of spring signifies a fresh, vibrant beginning, a time when love felt alive and present, "on my lips" with a "kiss was fair." The presence of "you were there" anchors this idyllic start, suggesting a shared experience of nascent joy and connection. The imagery shifts to a "red wind" in summer, described as "summer wine" and then directly linked to the lover's lips. This color change signifies a deepening passion and intimacy, where the wind itself becomes a sensual force, "caressed my face and it tossed my hair." Again, the constant refrain, "You were there," emphasizes the shared nature of this heightened emotional state. The turning point arrives with the arrival of fall, where love "came tumbling, stumbling down." The metaphor of leaves losing to frost and then "flying, crying / In a brown wind dying" powerfully conveys the decay and loss of that initial vibrancy. The wind's color has now become "brown," a stark contrast to the earlier green and red, signaling the end of the passionate season. Finally, the lyrics confront the stark reality of winter, where the wind is "white like the swirling snow." This finality suggests a chilling end to the relationship's warmth. The narrator concludes that the "wonderful things to be seen / When the wind is green" are now lost, implying a profound sense of regret and the irreversible nature of what has passed. The cyclical imagery, from green to red to brown to white, underscores the natural progression from love's bloom to its inevitable decay.