Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
The Decemberists
Performer
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Colin Meloy
Composer
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
The Decemberists
Producer
Tucker Martine
Mixing Engineer
Rich Hipp
Assistant Recording Engineer
Christopher Walla
Producer
Roger Seibel
Mastering Engineer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
It was a cold night
And the snow lay 'round
I pulled my coat tight
Against the falling down
And the sun was all
And the sun was all down
And the sun was all
And the sun was all down
[Verse 2]
I am a poor man
I haven't wealth, nor fame
I have my two hands
And a house to my name
And the winter's so
And the winter's so long
And the winter's so
And the winter's so long
[Verse 3]
And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes on what I'd found
[Verse 4]
It was a white crane
It was a helpless thing
Upon a red stain
With an arrow in it's wing
And it called and cried
And it called and cried so
And it called and cried
And it called and cried so
[Verse 5]
And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes on what I'd found
My crane wife, my crane wife
My crane wife, my crane wife
[Verse 6]
Now, I helped her
And now I dressed her wounds
And how I held her
Beneath the rising moon
And she stood to fly
And she stood to fly away
And she stood to fly
And she stood to fly away
[Verse 7]
And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes on what I'd found
My crane wife, my crane wife
My crane wife, my crane wife
[Verse 8]
My crane wife arrived at my door in the moonlight
All star bright and tongue-tied, I took her in
We were married and bells rang sweet for our wedding
And our bedding was ready when we fell in
[Verse 9]
Sound the keening bell
And see it's painted red
Soft as fontanelle
The feathers and the thread
And all I ever meant to do was to keep you
My crane wife
My crane wife
My crane wife
[Verse 10]
We were poorly, our fortunes fading hourly
And how she vowed me, she could bring it back
But I was greedy, I was vain and I forced her to weaving
On cold loom, in a closed room, with down wove
[Verse 11]
Sound the keening bell
And see it's painted red
Soft as fontanelle
The feathers and the thread
And all I ever meant to do was to keep you
My crane wife
My crane wife
My crane wife
[Verse 12]
There's a bend in the wind and it rakes at my heart
There is blood in the thread and it rakes at my heart
Rakes at my heart
Heart
Heart
Heart
[Verse 13]
Heart
Heart
Heart
Heart
Heart
Heart
Heart
Heart
[Verse 14]
My crane wife
Written by: The Decemberists

