The kids, they walk to school
In snow that’s seven stories high
They get frostbite
But they seldom whine
The ones we find in springtime
They seem to thaw just fine
Oh, the northern life.

The men, they like to fix things
And they mostly live outside
They wear big beards
And their speech is terse
And if they cut their leg off
With a chainsaw that’s gone wild
They just say
It could be worse.

Chorus
The beer flows freely
Underneath the tepid summer sun
Summer bugs are thick as winter’s ice
And if you blink
Summer’s gone
There’s snow on the ground
Oh, the northern life.

The women are strong and sturdy
And their hands are cold as ice
But they’ll warm up
If you can polka dance
And they look at you suspiciously
If you act a little too nice
Oh, the northern life.

Now I am a northern man
But then again, not quite
I’ve only lived here
Most of my life
The freedom to be frozen
Is the northerner’s birthright
Way up north
Oh, the northern life

Final chorus

The beer flows freely
Underneath the tepid summer sun
Summer’s bugs are thicker than winter’s ice
And if you blink
Summer’s gone
There’s snow on the ground
Oh, the northern life
Way up north
The northern life
I am still here
Maybe I’m not that bright
Let’s raise a glass
To the northern lights.

©2022 Craig Hansen