Lyrics:

1987
Writer(s): Ian Anderson

You ever had a day like I had today,
When things are stacked up bad?
You look around and every face you see
Seems guaranteed to send you mad.

And you peer into those hallowed institutions.
And they bark at you from every side,
But the bite goes wide.

I see them running with their tails hanging low
Like dogs in the midwinter.
The prophets and the wise men and the hard politicos
Are all dogs in the midwinter.

Let the breath from the mountain still the pain.
Clear water from the fountain run sweeter than the rain.
Dogs in the midwinter. Dogs in the midwinter.

The boss man and the tax man and the moneylenders growl
Like dogs in the midwinter.
The weaker of the herd can feel their eyes and hear them howl
Like dogs in the midwinter.

Though the fox and the rabbit are at peace,
Cold doggies in the manger turn last suppers into feasts.
Dogs in the midwinter. Dogs in the midwinter.

You ever had a day like I had today,
Dogs in the midwinter.
You look around and every face you see
Dogs in the midwinter.

And you peer into those hallowed institutions.
And they bark at you from every side,
But the bite goes wide.

We're all running on a tightrope wearing slippers in the snow...
We're all dogs in the midwinter.
The ice is ever thinner. Be careful how you go
Like dogs in the midwinter.

And it's hard to find true equilibrium
When you're looking at each other down the muzzle of a gun.
Dogs in the midwinter. Dogs in the midwinter.