C
When winter's shadowy fingers
       Dm7
First pursue you down the street
         C
And your boots no longer lie
            Dm7
About the cold around your feet
         C
Do you spare a thought for summer
        Dm7
Whose passage is complete
       C
Whose memories lie in ruins
        Dm7
And whose ruins lie in heat?
     C      Em
When winter
Dm7                C     Dm7
  Comes howling in


[Verse 2]
          C
When the wind is singing strangely
        Dm7
Blowing music through your head
         C
And your rain splattered windows
         Dm7
Make you decide to stay in bed
        C
Do you spare a thought for the homeless tramp
       Dm7
Who wishes he was dead?
         C
Oh, pull up your bedclothes higher
          Dm7
Dream of summertime instead
       C    Em
When winter
Dm7                C      Dm7
    Comes howling in


[Verse 3]
       C
The creeping cold has fingers
        Dm7
That caress without permission
       C
And mystic crystal snowdrops
        Dm7
Only aggravate the condition
          C
Do you spare one thought for the traveller
      Dm7
With no secure position
         C
Who's turned and spurned by village and town
           Dm7
At the magistrate's decision?
       C      Em
When winter
Dm7                C     Dm7
    Comes howling in


[Verse 4]
           C
When the turkey's in the oven
          Dm7
And the Christmas presents are bought
      C
And Santa's in his module
         Dm7
He's an American astronaut
          C
Do you spare one thought for Jesus
          Dm7
Who had nothing but his thoughts
         C
Who got busted just for talking
         Dm7
And befriending the wrong sorts?
       C      Em
When winter
Dm7                C
    Comes howling in
        Dm7
When winter
     C        Em   Dm7
When winter
Dm7
comes,
Dm7              C
comes howling in