Much has been written about Townes Van Zandt’s songwriting and his addiction to alcohol and that by the time he wrote this heart wrenching song (1985) it was apparent the level of his addiction was always going to be a problem [he died ten years later at a mere 52] and clearly he was singing about facing forces inherent in life’s darker journey but it stands as an extraordinary document of an alcoholic facing his mortality perhaps IMO. As the text below notes it stands as one of the greatest songs ever written
Townes van Zandt - Snowin' on Raton
"TOWNES VAN ZANDT WROTE "SNOWIN' ON RATON" LIKE A MAN WHO ALREADY KNEW HE COULD NOT BE SAVED.
There is no drama in the song. No angry confrontation with fate. No desperate plea for redemption. Only the quiet image of a weary traveler watching snow drift across Raton Pass from the window of a moving train.
By the time Townes wrote "Snowin' on Raton," years of wandering, addiction, loneliness, and hard living had already shaped the man behind the music. Yet the song carries an unexpected stillness that sets it apart from many of his most heartbreaking compositions.
"You cannot turn the circles of the sun."
It's one of the most unforgettable lines Townes ever wrote. But understanding why it resonates so deeply requires looking beyond the lyrics themselves—and into the life of a songwriter who spent much of his existence searching for something he could never quite hold onto."
Townes van Zandt - Snowin' on Raton
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