January Hymn

Album: The King Is Dead (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Frontman Colin Meloy moved to a rural location ten minutes north of Portland, Oregon in late 2009 with his wife, the illustrator Carson Ellis, and their young son, Henry. This beautiful, stripped down tune was inspired by the first January Meloy and his family spent in their new home, when the winter brought three feet of snow. "Portland alone shuts down when there's any snow, but up here we just don't get touched," he told UK newspaper The Guardian. "We hardly get any services up here anyway, so when the snow came we were stranded for 10 days with no garbage, no mail." He added, smiling. "It was awesome. So that song is just about shoveling snow, and thinking about all the snow I shoveled as a kid."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Dean Pitchford

Dean PitchfordSongwriter Interviews

Dean wrote the screenplay and lyrics to all the songs in Footloose. His other hits include "Fame" and "All The Man That I Need."

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.