Meaning of "Like the Weather" by 10,000 Maniacs

The lyrics in "Like the Weather" by 10,000 Maniacs portray a sense of emotional and physical lethargy. The color gray that dominates the sky reflects the narrator's mood, feeling trapped and unable to escape their melancholy. The repetition of shivering in their bones and a quiver in their voice demonstrates their emotional vulnerability and the overwhelming weight of their sadness. The narrator longs for someone to scold or pull them out of their four-poster dull torpor, suggesting a yearning for external assistance to break free from their mental and emotional stagnation. They acknowledge that it has been a long time since they felt better, but they continue to hold onto hope, saying their prayers nightly in the hopes that this emotional state will pass. The lyrics suggest that the narrator is unable to find motivation within themselves and needs someone or something external to bring warmth and light back into their life. The repetitive question of where the sun is hiding reflects their longing for a brighter, happier existence. Overall, "Like the Weather" portrays the experience of depression and the yearning for someone or something to bring a change in the narrator's emotional state.