After the release of her first album Open Doors (Revolving Records, 2003) C… Read Full Bio ↴After the release of her first album Open Doors (Revolving Records, 2003) Christine Owman started experimenting with sounds, noise, instruments, effect pedals and different ways to record. The flaws and restrictions she encountered in that process became the strength of her sound and a contrast to the flawless, super-produced, and compressed MP3s of today. Inspired by visual art, documentaries, and films Christine Owman also makes movie projections for all of her songs: “...They are another perspective of my music. And the contrasts they make express another side of me.” She is known for her captivating and unconventional performances and music that is a dichotomous blend of dreamy folk and raw distortion, reverb, bass and noise expressed through clever, uninhibited lyrics. With comparisons to Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, Björk, Portishead, and Air, Owman is a young woman eager to express herself without the limitations of conventional boundaries.

Goodnight
Christine Owman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Goodnight
Music & Lyrics by Christine Owman

I smell you on the first floor
Through the key hole in your door
But the calmness sees me through
Stops my goodnight kiss to you
And when morning wakes your eyes

I'll be done with my goodbyes

And when you open your door
I'll be standing there no more

Overall Meaning

At first listen, the lyrics of Christine Owman's Goodnight may appear to be a simple love song about saying goodnight to a lover. However, a closer look reveals a much deeper and more introspective message. The first line, "I smell you on the first floor," sets the tone for the rest of the song. It suggests a sense of longing for a lover who may be physically present but emotionally distant. The keyhole in the lover's door is symbolic of the emotional barrier between them. The singer longs to give their lover a goodnight kiss, but the calmness in their heart convinces them otherwise. This could suggest that the singer is hesitant to pursue the relationship further because they sense that it may not be healthy or fulfilling.

The second verse reveals that the singer is preparing to leave their lover in the morning. This further emphasizes the emotional distance between them. Despite their desire to be close to their lover, they know that they must say goodbye and move on. The final line, "I'll be standing there no more," drives home the finality of the situation. The singer has made the difficult decision to walk away, no matter how much they may yearn for their lover's embrace.

Overall, Goodnight is a poignant and introspective song that captures the bittersweet nature of love and loss. It explores the complexities of human relationships and the sacrifices that we often must make in order to find true happiness.

Line by Line Meaning

I smell you on the first floor
I perceive your scent on the ground level of the building

Through the key hole in your door
Looking through the small opening for a key in your closed door

But the calmness sees me through
However, the serenity helps me endure the situation

Stops my goodnight kiss to you
Prevents me from giving you my farewell kiss

And when morning wakes your eyes
When daylight prompts your eyes to open

I'll be done with my goodbyes
I will have completed my farewells

And when you open your door
And when you unlock and open your door

I'll be standing there no more
I will have already departed, and won't be present

Contributed by Ian F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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