After signing with Hollywood Records, Lovato released their pop rock debut album, Don't Forget (2008), which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Its follow-up, Here We Go Again (2009), debuted at number one in the U.S., while its title track reached number 15 on the Hot 100. Lovato's third studio album, Unbroken (2011), experimented with pop and R&B and spawned the U.S. platinum-certified single "Skyscraper". They released her eponymous fourth album in 2013, which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, and contained the top-ten international hit "Heart Attack". Lovato's fifth and sixth albums, Confident (2015) and Tell Me You Love Me (2017), infused soul and mature themes; they earned a Grammy Award nomination for Confident, while "Sorry Not Sorry", the lead single from Tell Me You Love Me, became her highest-charting single in the U.S., reaching number six. After a hiatus, Lovato released their seventh album, Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over (2021), which reached number two on the Billboard 200.
On television, Lovato has starred as the titular character on the sitcom Sonny with a Chance (2009–2011), served as a judge on the music competition series The X Factor USA for its second and third seasons, and appeared as a recurring character on the musical comedy Glee (2013–2014) and the sitcom Will & Grace (2020). They also starred in the television drama film Princess Protection Program (2009), the animated comedy film Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017), and the musical comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020).
Lovato has sold over 24 million records in the United States[6] and has also received numerous accolades, including an MTV Video Music Award, 14 Teen Choice Awards, five People's Choice Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, a Guinness World Record, and was included on the Time 100 annual list in 2017. An activist for several social causes, Lovato's struggles with an eating disorder and substance abuse have received considerable media attention, in response to which they published the self-help memoir Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year (2013) and released the documentaries Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated (2017) and Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil (2021). In 2021, Lovato had come out as nonbionary.
open
Demi Lovato Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Times have changed in just a few months
Neighbors complaining from the fights & why can't things be the same
And maybe I'm just a little bit cautious
Of what I'm gonna say
When I tell you I can't live this way
I don't know what to expect from someone who's so insane
Without another fight
I'm tired of the hurting
Is it really worth it?
Am I all alone again?
Cause I'm kinda feeling like I'm screaming with my mouth shut
When it's really open
The only noises in my head
Are consumed of your voice
From all the pain & hatred
How long can you kick somebody down
Before a foot breaks?
Why can't I get through the night
Without another fight
I'm tired of the hurting
Is it really worth it?
Am I all alone again?
Cause I'm kinda feeling like I'm screaming with my mouth shut
When it's really open
And I knew that you would fabricate
This situation just for
The sake of your need for attention
I'm sick of always being the one
To always break down,always melt down
In the end
And maybe this time
It's a sign that independence & I
Are finally catching on
I don't need you to rely on
Why can't I get through the night
Without another fight
I'm tired of the hurting
Is it really worth it?
Am I all alone again?
Cause I'm kinda feeling like I'm screaming with my mouth shut
When it's really open
Spitting fire back & forth now
Times have changed in just a few months
In "Open," Demi Lovato sings about the struggles of a toxic relationship. The song speaks of two people who are constantly fighting, with the neighbors even complaining. The imagery of "spitting fire back & forth now" provides insight into the intensity of the arguments. Despite all the fighting, the singer is hesitant to voice their feelings and concerns, wondering "why can't things be the same?" Although they long for peace, they find themselves unable to escape the cycle of fighting.
The lyrics also delve into the singer's inner turmoil. They feel like they're "screaming with [their] mouth shut" and unheard, even though they are "kinda feeling" like they're screaming "when it's really open." Through these lines, Lovato touches upon the feeling of helplessness that can come with toxic relationships. The singer wonders if their relationship is "really worth it," and if they are "all alone again." Ending the song on the same line as the beginning, "spitting fire back & forth now / times have changed in just a few months," Lovato brings the song full circle while highlighting the speed at which a relationship can deteriorate.
Line by Line Meaning
Spitting fire back & forth now
Engaging in heated arguments or confrontations with frequent outbursts
Times have changed in just a few months
Things have changed noticeably within a short period of time
Neighbors complaining from the fights & why can't things be the same
The neighbors are bothered by the fights, and the singer wishes for things to return to how they were before
And maybe I'm just a little bit cautious
The artist is hesitant and careful about what they say next
Of what I'm gonna say
The artist is conscious of their words and their potential consequences
When I tell you I can't live this way
The singer is ready to express their dissatisfaction with the current situation
I don't know what to expect from someone who's so insane
The singer has concerns about the unpredictable behavior of the other person
Why can't I get through the night
Without another fight
I'm tired of the hurting
Is it really worth it?
Am I all alone again?
Cause I'm kinda feeling like I'm screaming with my mouth shut
When it's really open
The artist is tired of the constant arguments and the associated pain, and wonders if it's worth the effort for this relationship. Despite being vocal about their thoughts, they feel unheard and alone
The only noises in my head
Are consumed of your voice
From all the pain & hatred
How long can you kick somebody down
Before a foot breaks?
The artist is plagued by negative thoughts related to their partner, and questions how much longer they can bear the emotional strain
And I knew that you would fabricate
This situation just for
The sake of your need for attention
I'm sick of always being the one
To always break down,always melt down
In the end
The artist realizes that the other person created this situation to gain attention, and expresses their exhaustion from always being the one to break down
And maybe this time
It's a sign that independence & I
Are finally catching on
I don't need you to rely on
The singer sees this as a sign that they are better off independent, and don't need to rely on the other person anymore
Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
LbyMhd
13 year old me LIVED for this song GOD..... i'm 26 now and it STILL hits
Rebecca Adriana
Same, was 11 then, now 24
Anna Elizabeth Sanabio
Sis, I love it too. I'm 25! Hahaha
jasmine
I wonder if she comes back to these songs to this day and just gets nostalgia bc I sure the hell do listening to them omg
Alexys
I wish this, shadow, and trash were on albums so bad
SHIVIKIM
THIS IS THE KIND OF SONG THAT MAKES ME THINK: "SHE REALLY DIDN'T NEED DISNEY TO MADE A RECORD".
Alexandra Reid
I remember listening to this on her MySpace :)
Taylor Michelle
This should have been on her first album.. it's amazing.
Kayla-ThatsMe
these older songs are pretty dark. its sad. but sometimes the best art comes from pain. her new songs are so awesome too though.
astrochelz96
Why wont they let her put this on her CD? Its an amazing song with meaning. I love this song, stronger and shadow.