Snow Man

Christmas in Belgium was different
Than the ones spent in L.A.
The Christmas I got no presents
Still me and my brother played
Near the ocean makin' the snow man
On his face we were makin' a smile
Cuz just like a daddy
The snow man had style

CHORUS:
Snow man, snow man
Another Christmas gone
I got a chess game this time
A bishop takes the pawn
Sometimes I wanna go back where
The ocean swallows the shore
I could still see him smiling
When my snow man is no more, no more

Winter seldom passing
Where the memory doesn't sway
2 the smell of a Christmas dinner
Shared the family way (Shared in the family way)
Everything seems so perfect
That nothing would dare go wrong
But tears come with the summer
So long, so long (So long)

CHORUS

Snow man

I look at my hands and I wonder
Will they ever make anyone smile
The way the snow man made me

CHORUS

(Snow man) {repeat till end}

Is this based on a true story? Which Christmas when he received no presents? The Chrsitmas in Belgium? The Christmas in L.A.? Which ocean? What is this song supposed to be about? Is this about his father dying? Is the melting snow-man John L. Nelson?

Haven't a Scooby Doo Jus. Anyone?

I think it's written fron Nona Gaye perspective about her father, Marvin. The lived in Belguim and Marvin was a cocaine user.

Sorry my spelling was a little off. Anyway, in the early eighties Marvin Gaye and his family lived in Belguim. In the mid nineties Nona recorded some music with Prince and I'm sure this song was written about her and her father. I don't think it has anything to do with Prince and his father.

rialb said:

That makes sense. It also makes the song sadder for some reason. The cocaine / snow euphemism didn't even cross my mind.

BinaryJustin said:

thanks for posting the lyrics, jus, i have never even heard the song.

I´d recommend you to go and get "DIVIDED SOUL", written by Dave Ritz ( music journalist, Marvin Gaye biographer and co-writer of Sexual Healing, receioved his credits only after Marvin died..) .It´s a great read...Ritz accompanied Gaye over a very long time span and describes all the ups and downs in Marvin´s life, his torn soul and his inner conflicts....I don´t think that the Snowman is a euphemism for Marvin Gaye´s cocaine addiction , I´d say it stands for the transitoriness of things/people you love...you never appreciate a good thing til it´s gone, sort of.
Melting away, you know.
Anyway, the song is written BY Prince but it´s ABOUT Nona and her father and their time in Ostende, Belgium...early eighties.
If you like Marvin Gaye, get a copy of DIVIDED SOUL...a great book about a great artist.
Fascinating read from beginning to end...

AH...that's such a beautiful song!!!

Also wasn't Marvin was shot by his religious father who hated Marvin's sexualization of religion? (ring any bells?). There's a shot sound effect in the song.
Anyway, shame this ong never saw the light of day, shows what a great songwriter P is, that he can emphasis and understand someone else's feelings and turn it into a cool song. I'd personally get rid of the weak drum machine beats though! Get John B on the kit and kick some live feeling into this track!