Kiwi songbird Amber Claire is something of a rare species on the New Zealan… Read Full Bio ↴Kiwi songbird Amber Claire is something of a rare species on the New Zealand musical landscape – delicate in sound but powerful in emotion, and almost impossible to categorise due to the chameleon-like qualities of her music.

Her debut album, ‘Love & Such’, released here in the middle of 2004 was incredibly well-received, with critics and audiences alike likening her extraordinary voice to that of famed songstresses such as the enigmatic Sarah McLachlan and Celine Dion.

In a local music environment driven by the resurgence of kiwi artists getting their fair share of radio time, it is usually the rock, hip-hop, R&B and pop artists that get most of the attention. So it comes as a surprise to most that ‘Love & Such’ sold more copies than many of the artists featured on the more youth formatted stations.

Amber Claire is very much her own person, a fact that becomes abundantly clear on her second album Great Escape. She has gone through many changes since her first, gold-selling album was recorded and has embraced a whole new set of challenges and passions.

Great Escape is also very different stylistically, as Amber finds her own groove as an artist. The major musical difference between this album and her debut is its lack of electronic interference, with Amber herself saying, "the tracks on the first album that really worked were those that used a live band – and I carried that success onto this album. I feel like I could go and play anywhere with the songs that you find here." It also succeeds in bringing her beautifully subtle voice to the fore, so its compassion and delicate nuances can be fully realised. Amber’s own favourite vocalists are Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and Peter Gabriel, and she aims to achieve the same use of her voice as an instrument as they do.

Close the Door
Amber Claire Lyrics

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Close the door, put out the light
Come sleep 'til tomorrow comes creeping
And talk some more 'til I grow tired
Don't leave 'til you know that I'm sleeping

Don't say goodnight
Don't slide away into the dark
And take with you my heart

Close the door, put out the light
Come sleep 'til tomorrow comes creeping
And down the hall they're talking lies
Don't speak of the troubles you're keeping

And don't fall behind
Just know that everything is fine
And knowing that you are mine

Don't say goodnight
Don't slide away into the dark
And take with you my heart

Close the door, put out the light
This day leaves me tired and heavy
Waking hours will always fall away
When you feel that you're ready

And don't say goodnight

Just slide away into the dark
And take with you my heart

Overall Meaning

In Amber Claire's song "Close the Door", she sings about a desire to stay connected and close to her loved one in the shadows of the night. Through the lines "Close the door, put out the light, come sleep 'til tomorrow comes creeping," she is inviting her lover to stay with her in the darkness and keep talking until she falls asleep. She wants him to be there with her until she's fully embraced by sleep, unable to bear the thought of him leaving her.

The lyrics also make a reference to the idea of people talking lies down the hall. This could be interpreted in many ways, but perhaps it speaks to the problems and struggles of the outside world that the characters of the song are trying to escape from. They just want to be together for a while longer, without the weight of the world bearing down on them. It's as if they're trying to create a moment of peace in a world that's always in chaos.

In the chorus, Amber Claire encourages her lover to not say goodnight, to not slide away into the darkness, and to take her heart with him. It's as if she's holding on tight to this moment of love and connection, wanting it to last forever, even though she knows it can't. She ends the song by inviting him to slide away into the dark, promising to keep her heart with him as he goes.

Overall, "Close the Door" is a beautiful song about the desire to stay connected with a loved one, even when the world around us is full of chaos and lies. It speaks to the human need for intimacy and belonging, a desire to hold on to love and connection as tightly as possible.

Line by Line Meaning

Close the door, put out the light
Shut the door and turn off the light

Come sleep 'til tomorrow comes creeping
Let's sleep until the next day comes slowly

And talk some more 'til I grow tired
Let's have discussions until I feel tired

Don't leave 'til you know that I'm sleeping
Don't go until you're sure I'm asleep

Don't say goodnight
Don't bid me goodnight

Don't slide away into the dark
Don't leave quietly without saying anything

And take with you my heart
And take with you my love and affection

And down the hall they're talking lies
Someone is spreading false rumors down the hall

Don't speak of the troubles you're keeping
Don't talk about your sorrows and worries

And don't fall behind
Don't be left behind

Just know that everything is fine
Be aware that everything is all right