The Key
Black Stone Cherry Lyrics

Out here there's a hole in the sky
The singer is in a surreal, otherworldly place where even the sky is not what it seems.

Doors open to the other side
There are strange, unexplained portals nearby that lead to other dimensions.

I saw a two headed dog fightin' over a bone
The singer has witnessed something impossible and bizarre, like a two-headed dog fighting over a bone.

Black haired woman turn into crows
The surreal environment is unpredictable, and even people can undergo supernatural transformations, like a black-haired woman turning into a group of crows.

I gotta take a step back and think this through
Despite the strangeness of the situation, the artist is attempting to maintain his composure and think logically about the situation.

Gotta know it's true
The singer needs to confirm his reality and determine whether what he's experiencing is real or a hallucination.

I gotta know if I'm livin' in a dream
The singer has to determine whether he's actually awake, or if he's in a vivid dream or hallucinating.

Is this what it seems
The artist is unsure about what's happening, and needs to ascertain whether he can trust his senses and impressions.

Gotta know anyone believes
The artist wants confirmation from others that they are experiencing the same thing and that he's not alone in his experiences.

How did I get lost, what's the final cost
The artist needs to figure out how he ended up in this surreal environment, and determine whether there are going to be any lasting consequences to his experience.

Could you please help me find the key
The singer is asking for assistance in understanding and interpreting his experience, and determining the key to the mystery.

Out here, under the willow tree
The environment has shifted to a different location, under a willow tree.

Deep down is where you'll find the key
The answer to the mystery is not on the surface, but requires deeper exploration and understanding.

I've been here once before maybe in a dream
The singer can't help but feel that this surreal environment is somehow familiar, and may have even experienced it before in a dream or hallucination.

Thylacines play tambourines
The singer is faced with bizarre and surreal images, like thylacines playing tambourines, which adds to the overall sense of unreality that he feels.

Out here the sayin' goes
The artist is in a place where there are local sayings and traditions that he needs to learn about.

Off with the lights and on with the show
There may be dangers or threats present, but the environment is also theatrical and performative, with a sense of spectacle and display.

Once it's dark the children play
The surreal environment is not only unpredictable, but also potentially dangerous, and the singer is witnessing strange and unsettling behavior from children.

They all join hands and dance around the grave
The behavior of the children is not only strange, but also ominously symbolic, like dancing around a grave.