Poison & Wine
Song DNA
A poignant ballad about love's complexities.
Cultural Context
Explores the duality of love and pain.
Listening Prompt
Notice the emotional weight in the vocals.
What to Expect
Maintains a steady emotional tone throughout.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: contemplative, melancholy
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 8/10 is in the upper band of our library. This song has a significant quiet-to-loud arc. For sensory-sensitive listening, set the opening volume well below your comfortable top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Sudden changes: none. Transitions are musically signaled — nothing will surprise you if you're only half-listening.
Texture: smooth.
Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.
Vocal style: soft vocals.
Where this sits in The Civil Wars's catalog
We have 10 songs from The Civil Wars in the library. Of those, 2 are rated Safe, 7 Moderate, and 1 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 8/10 sits above the artist average of 6.8, making it the #2 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
Other tracks from Barton Hollow
We have 7 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.
- Barton Hollow — safe DR 7
- The One That Got Away — moderate DR 6
- 20 Years — safe DR 5
- Dust to Dust — moderate DR 7
- I Had Me a Girl — moderate DR 6
- Same Old Same Old — moderate DR 7
2011 context
Released in 2011. We have 371 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.4/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 2010s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Why this rating
We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.
Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-05. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Email the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
Frequently asked about "Poison & Wine"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the sensory intensity of "Poison & Wine" by The Civil Wars?
"Poison & Wine" by The Civil Wars rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 8/10, none sudden changes, smooth texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "Poison & Wine" — what is its dynamic range?
"Poison & Wine" has a dynamic range of 8/10. Substantial quiet-to-loud arc. Start at a volume well below your top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Does "Poison & Wine" have sudden or surprising changes?
No. "Poison & Wine" has no sudden unsignaled changes. Every transition is musically telegraphed.
What is "Poison & Wine" best for?
In our library "Poison & Wine" is recommended for: anxiety relief, meditation. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Poison & Wine" released?
"Poison & Wine" is from 2011, on the album "Barton Hollow". It appears in our 2010s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Poison & Wine"?
We tag "Poison & Wine" as contemplative, melancholy. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Poison & Wine"?
The vocal style is soft vocals.
Should I listen to "Poison & Wine"?
"Poison & Wine" is Moderate intensity — fine for most listeners, but with enough dynamic activity that it works best as active listening rather than background.
Songs with the same DNA
smooth texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
What this song means to people
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