Maybe its a silly question, but neither am I a native english speaker nor do I know much about Arlo Guthrie. I recently found the song "Darkest hour" and somehow I liked it. So I tried to understand what the lyrics are about. First I thought it was something like a "one-night-stand" with a more or less strange lady, told in a dreamlike manner. But I listened to the song several times and the more I listend the less I understood. And in the end I wondered what the whole song is about. What is this 10th of January thing ? And who is "Her Father and his friends"?
Can anyone of the experts give me an explanation?

Arlo always says the song came to him in a dream one night and he wrote it down. The next morning he woke up, saw it, wondered where it came from, and figured it must be his 'cos he couldn't remember it being anyone else's.....or something like that.

Hmmmph.

..... Whenever something comes to ME late at night, I usually have to change my sheets.

Last Jan 10th when I had no idea what was going on...I mentioned to Sherry that Jan 10th is Arlo's 1/2 year birthday....No point, I just thought I'd throw that in.

..... I'll get him ½ a present.