Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a picture of cozy domesticity juxtaposed with an intense, almost destructive passion. Images of "flowers and fables" and "old town picnic tables" evoke a sense of gentle, established comfort. This is then contrasted with the visceral image of "oil's warm, cozy fires / Burning up a midnight storm," suggesting a force that consumes and transforms the ordinary.
The central tension lies in how this overwhelming "midnight storm" of emotion is both a product of and a catalyst for connection. The "December rains are snowing" sets a scene of cold, perhaps bleak, reality, but the narrator's love "got us blowing" through it. This love, this "midnight storm," is what the narrator seeks out, arriving specifically "to see you," implying it's a shared, intense experience.
The most striking craft element is the repeated phrase "Burning up a midnight storm." It’s an oxymoron: storms are typically destructive and chaotic, yet here it’s something that can be "burned up," implying it's a source of heat and energy, perhaps even a passion that consumes itself. The comparison to "teddy bears and wishing wells" for the feeling of knowing someone further emphasizes this blend of innocent comfort and profound, almost magical, emotional depth.
This lyrical construction is effective because it grounds an abstract, powerful emotion in tangible, if contrasting, imagery. The "midnight storm" isn't just a feeling; it's an active force that the narrator experiences and seeks, making the intensity of their connection feel both real and extraordinary. The lyrics suggest that true connection can transform even the most ordinary or bleak circumstances into something intensely alive.