Raised in Velma, Oklahoma, Diffie worked in a foundry while playing local nightclubs in Oklahoma and moved to Nashville in 1986 to work for Gibson Guitar Corporation.
His first album arrived in 1990 when country music was thriving commercially and creatively. His first single, a sensitive traditional country ballad, Home, reached No. 1, although Diffie quickly counted on novelty hits to sustain his career. For instance, his other No. 1 hits are Pickup Man, Bigger Than the Beatles, Third Rock From the Sun and If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets). Toward the end of the 1990s, Diffie lost his chart momentum and left Epic Records following his 2001 album, In Another World. Subsequently, he toured with Mark Chesnutt and Tracy Lawrence on the Rockin' Roadhouse tour.
In 2013, Diffie collaborated with Aaron Tippin and Sammy Kershaw on the album All in the Same Boat, and cut the single "Girl Riding Shotgun" with D Thrash of the Jawga Boyz. This was followed in 2019 by a vinyl album called Joe, Joe, Joe Diffie.
Diffie passed away from complications of coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 29, 2020.
Behind Closed Doors
Joe Diffie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lord, don't she make me proud
She never makes a scene
By hangin' all over me in a crowd
'Cause people like to talk
Lord, don't they love to talk
But when they turn out the lights
I know she'll be leavin' with me
Then she lets her hair hang down
And she makes me glad that I'm a man
Oh, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors
My baby makes me smile
Lord, don't she make me smile
She's never far away
Or too tired to say "I want you"
She's always a lady
Just like a lady should be
But when they turn out the lights
She's still a baby to me
'Cause when we get behind closed doors
Then she lets her hair hang down
And she makes me glad I'm a man
Oh, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors
Behind closed doors
Joe Diffie's song "Behind Closed Doors" talks about the public perception and private reality in relationships. The song starts by talking about how his partner makes him proud but never making a scene in public by hanging all over him. He acknowledges how people love to talk, but when they are alone, she becomes relaxed and lets her hair down. This is a metaphor for her revealing her true self – her desires, and her thoughts – to him, which she keeps hidden from society's judgmental eye.
The song highlights that people keep up appearances in public and hide their true selves, which is only exposed to their partner behind closed doors. The lyrics "when we get behind closed doors, then she lets her hair hang down" signifies how the woman becomes less conscious and more comfortable in their private space, revealing aspects of her personality that are personal, emotional, and sexual. The line, "Oh, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors," indicates how society tends to judge people based on their public image, whereas behind closed doors, people are more relaxed and open.
Overall, "Behind Closed Doors" is a song about how our private lives differ from our public personas. It portrays the idea that people tend to hide their true identity in the outside world, putting on a façade to fit in with social norms, but let their guard down and expose their raw emotions in their private lives.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby makes me proud
I feel a sense of pride when I am with my significant other
Lord, don't she make me proud
Her actions and character make me feel prouder
She never makes a scene
She is well-behaved and composed in public
By hangin' all over me in a crowd
She is not physically clinging to me in public to avoid unnecessary attention
'Cause people like to talk
People enjoy talking about the personal life of others
Lord, don't they love to talk
The love of gossip is prevalent among people
But when they turn out the lights
Away from the public eye
I know she'll be leavin' with me
She will leave with me to spend our personal time together
And when we get behind closed doors
When we have private time
Then she lets her hair hang down
She becomes more relaxed and comfortable
And she makes me glad that I'm a man
She provides me with joy and happiness
Oh, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors
Our private life is hidden from others
My baby makes me smile
She brings a lot of happiness and joy to my life
Lord, don't she make me smile
Her actions and characteristics bring more joy and happiness to me
She's never far away
She is always around me
Or too tired to say 'I want you'
She is always ready to express her love to me
She's always a lady
She behaves in a sophisticated and elegant manner
Just like a lady should be
She fits the idealized image of how a woman should act and look like
She's still a baby to me
She remains youthful and innocent in my eyes
Behind closed doors
In private, away from the public eye
Writer(s): K. O'DELL
Contributed by Adeline N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.