Two Doors Down
µÂ»³ÌØ.ÓÈ¿ÏÄ·(Dwight Yoakam) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two doors down there's a jukebox
That plays all night long
Real sad songs
All about me and you
Two doors down thee's a barmaid
That serves 'em real strong
That's how I make it through
Two doors down there's a heartache
That once was my friend
Two doors down there's a memory
That won't ever end
Two doors down there's a barstool
That knows me by name
And we sit there together
And wait for you
Two doors down there's a bottle
Where I take out my shame
And hold it up
For the whole world to view
Two doors down there's a pay phone
But no calls come in
Two doors down there's a memory
That won't ever end
From the hotel to the barroom
Is just a stumble and a fall
And sometimes when it gets bad
I've been known to crawl
Freedom from sorrow
Is just two doors away
I'll escape for a short time
But I know I can't stay
Two doors down is where they'll find me
When you're finally through
Taking what's left of my life
Two doors down is where they'll leave me
When payment comes due
For the hours I've spent there each night
Two doors down I'll be forgotten
But until then
Two doors down there's a memory
That won't ever end.
In Two Doors Down, Dwight Yoakam sings about a man who is trying to escape the pain of a broken relationship by drowning his sorrows in a bar located two doors down from his hotel room. The man finds solace in the jukebox, which plays sad songs about him and his ex-girlfriend. The barmaid serves him drinks that help him forget his troubles, and he shares his feelings with the barstool that knows him by name. He also confesses his shame to a bottle of alcohol that he holds up for the world to see. The payphone nearby rings only in his imagination, and the memory of his lost love is a constant presence two doors down. He knows he has to leave, but he cannot escape his thoughts and emotions.
The song portrays the universal theme of heartbreak and the human tendency to seek refuge in temporary pleasures. The man's attempt to cope with his pain through alcohol and music serves as a warning to listeners that such remedies only delay the healing process. The lyrics highlight the loneliness and isolation that can result from the breakdown of a relationship, and the man's hopeless situation suggests that he may be stuck in this cycle of self-destruction for the rest of his life. Ultimately, Two Doors Down is a poignant reflection on the fragility of human relationships and the devastating effects they can have on individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Two doors down there's a jukebox
There's a jukebox two doors down.
That plays all night long
It plays music throughout the night.
Real sad songs
The songs it plays are sad.
All about me and you
The songs are about the singer and someone else.
Two doors down thee's a barmaid
There's a barmaid working two doors down.
That serves 'em real strong
She serves strong drinks.
Here lately
Recently.
That's how I make it through
Drinking is how the singer copes with things.
Two doors down there's a heartache
The singer is experiencing heartache.
That once was my friend
The experience of heartache is familiar to the singer.
Two doors down there's a memory
There's a memory two doors down.
That won't ever end
It will never go away.
Two doors down there's a barstool
There's a barstool two doors down.
That knows me by name
The barstool is familiar to the singer.
And we sit there together
The singer and the barstool are often together.
And wait for you
The singer is waiting for someone.
Two doors down there's a bottle
There's a bottle of alcohol two doors down.
Where I take out my shame
The singer drinks to forget his shame.
And hold it up
The singer acknowledges his shame openly.
For the whole world to view
He doesn't try to hide his shame.
Two doors down there's a pay phone
There's a pay phone two doors down.
But no calls come in
Nobody calls the singer on the pay phone.
From the hotel to the barroom
The singer goes from his hotel to the barroom.
Is just a stumble and a fall
The distance between the two is short, and the singer has trouble getting there.
And sometimes when it gets bad
When things get really tough,
I've been known to crawl
The singer sometimes crawls to get to the barroom.
Freedom from sorrow
The singer wants to escape from his sorrow.
Is just two doors away
The singer thinks he can escape from his sorrow by going two doors down.
I'll escape for a short time
The singer will only find temporary relief.
But I know I can't stay
He can't stay there and escape his problems forever.
Two doors down is where they'll find me
People will find the singer two doors down.
When you're finally through
When the person the singer is waiting for is done with him.
Taking what's left of my life
When the person takes the last of what the singer has to give.
Two doors down is where they'll leave me
The singer will be left two doors down.
When payment comes due
When the singer has to pay for his actions.
For the hours I've spent there each night
For the time the singer has spent in the barroom each night.
Two doors down I'll be forgotten
Eventually, the singer will be forgotten.
But until then
For now.
Two doors down there's a memory
There's a painful memory two doors down.
That won't ever end.
The memory will last forever.
Contributed by Nicholas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.