Most children grow up in ‘phases’ – I was given no time for that. I took on the mental weight of an adult the moment I stepped out of that tiny TACA airplane… and into the rest of my life. In fact, the only evidence that I even had a childhood exists in a black 32×17 Rubbermaid trunk. I bought the trunk to protect my books, CDs, and photo albums from the Honduran heat and humidity. Today, I keep the trunk in my closet. It contains stacks of letters from my 8th grade Sunday school class… wishing me well, wishing me luck. It contains letters I wrote to myself… promising myself I would get out alive. It contains the jewelry I wore the day I was kidnapped… the photographs that were taken minutes before it happened, photographs of a dear friend who gave his life so that I could live. It contains fragments of a life that I shut away until now…
When I began writing for this album, I opened the trunk for the first time in years. The overwhelming smell of dark mahogany, coffee, and burning sugarcane (the smell of Honduras) hit me like a wall, and I knew that all the memories I’d stifled were begging to be brought to life. I also knew that I was being presented with a choice: I could let these memories, and the experiences that they represent, cuff me, paralyze me, and make me bitter… or I could turn them into something beautiful… something that other people could relate to and, hopefully, find comfort in. This is my gift.
Under My Bed
Amy Kuney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come to my window, my house is asleep
I?ll leave a light on for you
The chain-linked fence slaps against the wind?s cheek
Breaking the silent curfew
Chorus 1:
Through cupped hands, we make plans
Though harm sleeps, our instincts
Are fighting to keep us awake
Come and live under my bed
Verse 2:
(My) closet is where all the wild things hide
When I?m alone they take charge
But your flashlight?s a gun
Yellow bullets of light
Battles my fear of the dark
Chorus 2:
Through cupped hands, we make plans
So they won?t take us away
Though harm sleeps our instincts
Are fighting to keep us awake
Come and live under my bed
It?s what I?ve always wanted
Verse 3:
Wake ups are hiccups I have in my dreams
I hold my breath till I?m blue
Though pins and needles my put me to sleep
I?ll never lose feeling for you
Chorus 3:
Through cupped hands, we make plans
So they won?t take us away
Though harm sleeps our instincts
Are fighting to keep us awake
Come and live under my bed
It?s what I?ve always wanted
Don?t tell anybody especially grown-ups
'Cause grown-ups would not understand
So come and live under my bed
The song "Under My Bed" by Amy Kuney is a beautiful depiction of childhood fears and the comfort that we find in our loved ones. The song invites the listener to come to the window of the singer's house, whose occupants are asleep, and promises to leave a light on for them. The noise of the chain-linked fence against the wind's cheek disrupts the silence of the night, breaking the curfew, and setting the stage for the ensuing drama. The lyrics evoke a sense of danger and fear, and the singer urges the listener to come and live under her bed to escape the potential harm and danger that might threaten them. The chorus repeats the refrain "Through cupped hands, we make plans" as they try to protect themselves from harm, and the lyrics suggest that the fear of the dark can be overcome by a flashlight that becomes a beacon of safety.
The second verse highlights the imagination and playfulness of childhood where the singer's closet is where all the wild things hide, and her fear of the dark is vanquished by her partner's flashlight that transforms into a gun firing yellow bullets of light. The third verse talks about the challenges of facing childhood fears, represented by the "hiccups" in her dreams, and the feeling of losing oneself, yet the singer promises that they will never lose feelings for one another. The song's central theme is the comfort that we find in each other, our instincts to fight against harm, and the sanctuary that we offer each other when we are afraid.
Line by Line Meaning
Come to my window, my house is asleep
I invite you to my house when it's quiet and still.
I?ll leave a light on for you
I'll make sure it's not too dark and scary for you when you come.
The chain-linked fence slaps against the wind?s cheek
The fence is making noise as the wind blows, breaking the silence.
Breaking the silent curfew
Getting away with staying up late, despite needing to be quiet.
Through cupped hands, we make plans
We whisper our secret plans to keep ourselves safe.
So they won?t take us away
So that no one can take us from our safe place.
Though harm sleeps, our instincts
Even when we think we're safe, we still have to be careful.
Are fighting to keep us awake
We have to be alert to stay safe and protect ourselves.
Come and live under my bed
Stay with me in my secret hiding place.
(My) closet is where all the wild things hide
My closet is a scary place where imaginary monsters live.
When I?m alone they take charge
I'm especially scared of the monsters when I'm by myself.
But your flashlight?s a gun
Your flashlight helps protect me from the monsters.
Yellow bullets of light
The light from the flashlight scares the monsters away.
Battles my fear of the dark
Using the flashlight helps me not be so afraid of the dark.
Wake ups are hiccups I have in my dreams
Bad dreams wake me up suddenly.
I hold my breath till I?m blue
I get so scared that I stop breathing for a moment.
Though pins and needles my put me to sleep
Even if my body feels tingly and uncomfortable, I won't stop thinking about you.
I?ll never lose feeling for you
I'll always care about you, no matter what.
Don?t tell anybody especially grown-ups
This is our secret and we shouldn't tell anyone who might not understand.
'Cause grown-ups would not understand
Adults might not understand why we need to hide and be scared.
Contributed by Isaiah W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.