Regarding the pronunciation of "Bic": "You say it Bec, rather than Bic", she explains. "It's Chinese, it's a strange vowel sound which doesn't seem to translate in English. It means the colour of jade, which I suppose is just green."
Runga was born in Christchurch. Her mother, Sophia Tang, was a Chinese Malaysian lounge singer in Malaysia when she met Joseph Runga, a Māori soldier on leave from Vietnam. They both moved to New Zealand to live.
Runga grew up in Hornby, Christchurch surrounded by a musically-inclined family, and started recording songs with her sisters, Boh and Pearl, when she was only four years old. Runga's older sister Boh is now a vocalist in the New Zealand rock group Stellar*, while Pearl is a session singer.
She learned how to play drums at the age of eleven, and guitar at about fourteen. Runga also learnt to play the keyboard at around this time. She attended Cashmere High School, joining high school bands and performing with local jazz groups by her mid-teens.
Singles
* "Bursting Through" (1996)
* "Sway" (1997) #10 Australia (re-issue Ireland in 2004 went to #26)
* "Suddenly Strange" (1997)
* "Roll into One" (1997)
* "Hey" (1998)
* "Sorry" (1999)
* "Get Some Sleep" (2002) #75 United Kingdom #3 New Zealand #27 Ireland
* "Something Good" (2002) #4 New Zealand
* "Listening for the Weather" (2003) #14 New Zealand
* "Winning Arrow" (2005) #23 New Zealand
* "Say After Me" (2006)
Close the door
Bic Runga Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come sleep till tomorrow comes creeping.
Talk some more, till I grow tired,
Don't leave till you know that I'm sleeping.
Don't say goodbye, just slide away into the dark
And take with you my heart.
Come sleep till tomorrow comes creeping.
Down the hall they're talking lies,
Don't speak of the troubles you're keeping.
Don't fall behind, just know that everything is fine,
Knowing that you're mine.
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.
Don't say goodbye, just slide away into the dark
And take with you my heart.
In Bic Runga's song Close the Door Put Out the Light, the singer is asking their companion to stay with them until they fall asleep. The repetition of the phrase "Close the door, put out the light" creates a sense of intimacy and coziness, as if the two are alone in a private space. The singer is tired and wants to rest, but doesn't want to be alone. The lyrics "Talk some more, till I grow tired, Don't leave till you know that I'm sleeping" suggest that the conversation is keeping the singer awake, but they don't want it to end, they just want to be comforted after the talk has ended.
The second stanza, "Down the hall they're talking lies, Don't speak of the troubles you're keeping" creates a sense of tension or unease. The outside world is contrasted with the closeness of the singer and their companion. The singer doesn't want to hear about the outside world, they just want to be in the present moment with their loved one. The line "Don't fall behind, just know that everything is fine, Knowing that you're mine" implies that the companion might be hesitant to stay, but the singer reassures them that everything is okay as long as they're together.
In the final stanza, the singer acknowledges their weariness and the passing of time. The line "Waking hours will always fall away, When you feel that you're ready" suggests that the singer is content to pass the time with their companion, and that the outside world will fade away when they're together.
Overall, the song creates a sense of closeness, intimacy, and security. The repetition of the phrase "Close the door, put out the light" reinforces the sense of a private, intimate space, while the singer's desire for their companion's company creates a sense of emotional closeness.
Line by Line Meaning
Close the door, put out the light,
Let's create some peaceful ambiance by closing the door and putting out the light.
Come sleep till tomorrow comes creeping.
Let's rest until tomorrow shows up uninvited.
Talk some more, till I grow tired,
Let's converse until I become tired of it.
Don't leave till you know that I'm sleeping.
Please stay until you're sure that I'm deeply asleep.
Don't say goodbye, just slide away into the dark
Please don't say farewell, just quietly leave in the darkness.
And take with you my heart.
Take my heart along with you in your departure.
Down the hall they're talking lies,
Others are engaging in deceitful conversations down the hall.
Don't speak of the troubles you're keeping.
Don't mention the problems that are bothering you.
Don't fall behind, just know that everything is fine,
Don't get left behind, just acknowledge that everything is alright.
Knowing that you're mine.
Because you belong to me.
This day leaves me tired and heavy.
This day makes me feel exhausted and weighed down.
Waking hours will always fall away,
Waking hours will always disappear eventually.
When you feel that you're ready.
When you believe that you're prepared.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BIC (BRIOLETTE KAH) RUNGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind