Lynn was born in Butcher Hollow, Van Lear, Kentucky in 1932. According to Songfacts, Loretta Lynn's superstar Country career started in 1960 when she recorded " I'm a Honky Tonk Girl " as her debut single. The song was a minor hit, climbing to #14 on Billboard's C&W Chart. By the late 1960s she had begun picking up various Female Vocalist of the Year trophies and in 1972 the singer became the first woman in history to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year trophy. Lynn dominated the Country charts throughout the rest of the decade and has continued to record hit records through the ensuing years. Her 50th anniversary year began with the award of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement on January 31, 2010.
Lynn released over 70 albums. She is the sister of country singer Crystal Gayle (born in Paintsville, Kentucky) and Peggy Sue, and is a cousin of Patty Loveless. Her father was a coal miner in Van Lear. Her biography was made into the 1980 film, Coal Miner's Daughter.
Don't Open That Door
Loretta Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gettin' closer with every step he takes
Lord, I'm so afraid that if I look out the window
I'll be tempted to repeat an old mistake.
[Chorus]
Don't open that door
To an old memory,
I locked it up tight
And threw out the key.
I've stood here before
Lord I can't stand no more
Won't go there again
Heart don't let him in
Don't open that door.
The stronger me has found the will to fight it
But now he's gone and the weaker side's in tears
Lord, it took so long to put the hurt behind me
If I don't look back the past can't find me here.
[Chorus]
Won't go there again
Heart don't let him in
Don't you open that door
In Loretta Lynn's song Don't Open That Door, the singer is struggling with the temptation to revisit a painful past memory. She hears familiar sounds approaching and fears that if she looks out the window, she will be tempted to repeat an old mistake. The chorus begs for the door to remain shut to an old memory. The singer has already locked the memory up tight and thrown out the key, but the fear of repetition is still present. The stronger side of the singer has found the will to fight the temptation, but the weaker side is in tears with the departure of the person associated with the memory. The hurt took a long time to leave, but the singer realizes that if she doesn't look back, the past will not find her. The song is a reminder to move forward by burying the past and embracing the present.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I hear familiar sounds down the sidewalk
I can hear footsteps approaching my house and they sound familiar.
Gettin' closer with every step he takes
The person I hear walking is getting closer to my house with each step.
Lord, I'm so afraid that if I look out the window
I am scared that if I look out the window, I will see the person who left me before.
I'll be tempted to repeat an old mistake.
If I see the person who left me before, I may be tempted to let them back into my life.
[Chorus]
The chorus emphasizes the importance of not reopening old wounds.
Don't open that door
Do not let the person who hurt you in, both literally and metaphorically.
To an old memory,
This warns against reopening old memories of past relationships that ended badly.
When he said goodbye
The song speaks of someone who left the singer's life, causing her heartache.
I locked it up tight
The singer put the pain and memories of the past behind her and moved on.
And threw out the key.
The singer does not want to relive those past emotions and locked them away forever.
I've stood here before
The singer has been in this situation before and does not want to repeat past mistakes.
Lord I can't stand no more
The singer has already dealt with the pain and heartache of a past relationship and cannot go through it again.
Won't go there again
The singer firmly resolves to not return to the past pain and heartache.
Heart don't let him in
The singer speaks to her own heart to not let the person who hurt her back in.
Don't you open that door
The song ends with a clear directive to not reopen the door to a painful past relationship.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLEY MCCABE, JERRY SALLEY, ROBIN LEE BRUCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
S Robin Dittrich
I continue praying for your healing recovery to health. Love you Loretta Lynn. You are the Queen of Country music.
angel liner
Sing it girl! Don't open that door! Dam you never lost that beautiful voice!😀
Linda Inman
She went from the Queen of country music to an Angel in heaven. RIP Miss Loretta
cowgirlo99
Great Song thanks for sharing:) She is one of our all time Singers no one will ever fill her music or deliver it the way she dose. I am one of her biggest fan have been scenes I could walk. My mother always let me listen to her on deca records we had in the house. She lost all of the great early ones of Loretta in a fire. Now I am still trying to find all of that great music. An today I found one!!!!!! yahooooooooooooo for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
derek harry
I love her voice.
Loydie Mason
nothing like Loretta Lynn..love her songs and music..Get well Loretta..I'm praying for you dear
Katrin Velasquez
Love her singgging
derek harry
I love this song too.
Mike Latoski
Great great song by the lady herself country music’s female hank Williams Loretta Lynn
lindalovesal
Thanks love this song.