The ink lines that would shape young, self-produced, singer/songwriter Hayden Calnin and his budding musical career were drawn in his teen years after his father gave him a guitar at age 14. He hasn’t gone a day since without playing it.
Dabbling in bands through his teen years led him to add drums and piano to his repertoire, until at the age of 17 he finally decided to give singing a go.
Calnin's guitar-driven sound is complemented by a selection of husky, honest harmonies and delicate folk-pop melodies.
Shutters
Hayden Calnin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No warmth on toes
This house, it yells at me
Stay home, be free from she
And we are safe from any harm
In our home, no light or charms
Just us all on our own
It's day or night
Can't tell the right
Smoke up, smoke quick
Get up, get fixed
And we are safe from any harm
In our home, no light or charms
Just us all on our own
No one we all are grown
Shutters, break me
Shutters, hate me
Shutters, need me
Shutters, make me
Hayden Calnin's song "Shutters" is a hauntingly beautiful reflection on the isolation that comes with addiction. The song begins with the description of a cold and dark house that seems to be screaming out for attention. The singer feels trapped inside this house, and the only way out seems to be to stay home and away from the person or thing that is causing them harm. The lyrics express a sense of safety within the confines of the home, yet with no light or charms to lift the darkness. The singer feels like they are on their own, fully grown, and responsible for their own fate.
The second half of the song is more frantic in its delivery, showcasing the internal struggle of addiction. The day and night have blurred together, and the singer is now smoking to cope with their pain. There is a sense of urgency in the lyrics as the singer feels the need to take action to alleviate their suffering. The refrain repeats the word "shutters", which can be interpreted as a reference to both the actual shutters on the house and the shutting down of the singer's emotions. The shutters seem to simultaneously break, hate, need, and make the singer, showing the complicated relationship between addiction and safety.
Overall, "Shutters" is a powerful song that delves deep into the darkness of addiction and the desire for safety and control. The haunting melody and sparse instrumentation create a sense of isolation that perfectly complements the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
It's dark, it's cold
The environment around is not conducive to comfortable living and feels undesirable.
No warmth on toes
There's no warmth or comfort, implying that the living conditions are definitely not good.
This house, it yells at me
The house is emoting a feeling of negativity and unpleasantness, making the situation more disheartening.
Stay home, be free from she
The home feels like a safe space away from the troubles outside.
And we are safe from any harm
The sense of security and safety is formed when they are in their own space.
In our home, no light or charms
The home does not exhibit any elements of charm or beauty.
Just us all on our own
The sense of seclusion and seclusion is implied, where they don't want to interact with anyone else.
No one we all are grown
They are all grown up and do not seek approval or support from anyone else.
It's day or night
The concept of time is irrelevant since they remain inside their house most of the day.
Can't tell the right
The artist is lost and unsure of what is right and wrong.
Smoke up, smoke quick
The situation is stressful, and indulging in substance abuse is a coping mechanism.
Get up, get fixed
The artist is attempting to improve their mood through substance abuse.
Shutters, break me
The singer is having trouble keeping their barriers up and wants to expose their true self.
Shutters, hate me
The singer is feeling overwhelmed and wishes to receive criticism in order to feel normalcy.
Shutters, need me
The singer is having an identity crisis and needs validation to confirm their worth.
Shutters, make me
The artist desires to break free from their constraints and evolve.
Contributed by Isabella J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Faith Dawson
This song is so beautiful, it just makes me think of pure isolation, not scared of dying but scared of living in a sense. As if just there and waiting for everything to pass and slowly waiting to fade away
Player Clark
Hang in their
W
so beautiful i feel like i wanna go to the cliff right into the ocean and stand like that for a couple ofweeks
Jaques Mayol
This is really something. You'r going right into my phone...
Alex Cordova
It's dark, it's cold
No warmth on toes
This house, it yells at me
Stay home, be free from she
And we are safe from any harm
In our home, no light or charms
Just us all on our own
No one we all are grown
It's day or night
Can't tell the right
Smoke up, smoke quick
Get up, get fixed
And we are safe from any harm
In our home, no light or charms
Just us all on our own
No one we all are grown
Shutters, break me
Shutters, hate me
Shutters, need me (And we are safe from any harm)
Shutters, make me (In our home, no light or charms)
Shutters, need me (Just us all on our own)
Shutters, make me (No one we all are grown)
annie losiie
Wish this was on Spotify :(
Ravenshelter
It was, but it has been removed unfortunately :/
sugar haze
Awesome!