Close the door
Mary Beth Peil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come calling
Soon enough they′re gone
The twilight
Is falling
Lamps will soon go on
And where does summer go?
Summer used to last endlessly
Children all in white
Running down the sand
To me...
To me...
These strangers
Sent packing
What do they expect?
So grasping
So lacking
Why not be direct?
The beating of my heart
After they depart
Lying wide awake
Through the night
Will you ever come
Running home to me?
You might...
You might...
I've believed so long
I have dared to hope
That the door might open
And that you might enter
Playing hide and seek
Kisses on my cheek
The lamps begin to glow
In my heart, I know
You′re a lie that I've waited for
Tell them all to go
Tell them all - no more!
Tell them I close the door
In "Close the Door," Mary Beth Peil sings about the passing of time and how it impacts her relationships with others. The first verse speaks of the fleeting nature of strangers who come and go from our lives, and how quickly the day turns into night. She then laments about the passing of summers and how they used to last forever when she was a child, but now seem to fly by without notice. The chorus shifts to a deeper personal longing for a loved one to return home to her, as she lies awake at night with the beating of her heart.
The second verse addresses the frustrations she feels with those who come into her life and then leave just as quickly, without any genuine connection or sincerity. She longs for directness and honesty in all her relationships. The bridge speaks of her hope and belief that someone special will come into her life and complete her, playing hide and seek, giving her kisses on the cheek, and opening doors to a life full of love and companionship. However, in the end, she realizes that this person is just a lie she has been waiting for and must close the door on any other distractions or false hopes.
Overall, "Close the Door" is a hauntingly beautiful ballad about the passage of time and the fleeting nature of relationships. It speaks to our desires for deep and meaningful connections with others, and the pain we feel when those connections are lost or never materialize.
Line by Line Meaning
These strangers
Referring to the people in her life who come and go.
Come calling
They come in and out of her life at their own discretion.
Soon enough they're gone
They don’t linger or stay very long in her life.
The twilight
Referring to when the sun sets and the sky is just before it becomes dark.
Is falling
The day is ending and night will soon come.
Lamps will soon go on
It will soon be dark and indoor lights will be turned on.
And where does summer go?
A rhetorical question about how quickly time passes.
I will never know
Time passes quickly and without realization or notice in life.
Summer used to last endlessly
A nostalgic memory of when time seemed limitless in the past.
Children all in white
Outside playing and enjoying the freedom and simplicity of childhood.
Running down the sand
The beach is a place of freedom and happy memories, full of movement and laughter.
To me... To me...
The memories will always belong to her and they will always make her happy.
These strangers
The people who come and go in her life, sometimes without her consent.
Sent packing
She doesn’t want or need them in her life any longer.
What do they expect?
She doesn’t understand why they keep coming back despite being unwanted.
So grasping
They take too much or demand too much from her life.
So lacking
They don’t bring enough or give enough to make their presence worthwhile.
Why not be direct?
She’d rather they tell her what they want instead of trying to grab things from her life sneakily.
The beating of my heart
Referring to the feeling of anxiety and pain she gets once they leave.
After they depart
Once she’s alone and they’re no longer in her life.
Lying wide awake
She can’t sleep, as her thoughts and worries keep her up.
Through the night
Referring to the hours between sun set and sun rise.
Will you ever come
Referring to the one she truly wants and hopes will stay.
Running home to me?
She wants them to be with her, have a home and not keep her waiting.
You might... You might...
Hopeful expectation that the one she loves may return.
I've believed so long
She’s been patiently waiting for them to come into her life for a long time.
I have dared to hope
She has been brave enough to wish and dream that they will finally come.
That the door might open
The barrier between them might finally break down.
And that you might enter
The one she loves will come into her life as she’s been waiting for them.
Playing hide and seek
A common activity which represents the pursuit of the one she loves.
Kisses on my cheek
Physical and emotional expression of love.
The lamps begin to glow
The indoor lights are switched on and the darkness recedes.
In my heart, I know
She has feelings for the one she loves.
You’re a lie that I've waited for
The hope of love is becoming less real and almost a lie to her.
Tell them all to go
She needs all the unwanted strangers to leave her life, so as to make space for someone special.
Tell them all - no more!
She wants a new beginning and the one she truly loves.
Tell them I close the door
She is cutting off all the negativity and toxic people in her life to find joy and love with the one she truly wants and hopes for.
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.