Interview with Keith Levene, July 2001.
Banging the Door
Public Image Ltd. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What do you want
You're irritating
Go away
It's not my fault
That you're lonely
Just look around
I think you'll find that
This is not a real home
The walls are so thin
The neighbours listen in
Keep the noise down
They're complaining
Humiliated
You were born and bred
Humble to the spoon fed
Why worry now
You're not dead yet
You've got a whole lifetime to correct it
You're wasting
Admiring hating
This lot are not happy heroes
Just better actors
A hundred and one dilations
And fifty seven varieties
Outside with the empties
Keep banging the door
Keep banging the door
Keep banging the door
I won't answer the phone
I won't answer the door
Reptilians
I won't let you in
If he knew we were here
I'm sure he'd let us in
I won't let you in
Alright, stop Nick
This is not a real home
The walls are so thin
The neighbours listen in
Keep the noise down
They're complaining
I won't let you in
If he knew we were here
I'm sure he'd let us in
I won't let you in
I won't let you in
Won't let you in
If he knew we were here
I'm sure he'd let us in
I won't let you in
If he knew we were here
I'm sure he'd let us in
Keep banging the door
Keep banging the door
Keep banging the door
I won't answer the phone
I won't answer the door
Keep banging the door
The lyrics of Public Image Ltd.'s song Banging The Door explores loneliness and isolation, and how people cope with it differently. The singer of the song, who seems to be blunt and unapologetic, tells a visitor to go away as they are irritating, and that it's not their fault that they are lonely. The singer then goes on to say that everyone has the same problem and that the walls of their home are thin enough for the neighbors to listen in. The singer then delivers a cutting line, "humiliated, you were born and bred humble to the spoon fed," suggesting that the visitor should be ashamed of themselves for their situation.
The song then takes a surreal turn as the singer talks about "reptilians" and a mysterious "he" who, if he knew they were there, would let them in. The song ends with the repeated chorus of "keep banging the door, I won't answer the phone, I won't answer the door." The minimalist music and repetitive lyrics add to the sense of isolation and despair conveyed by the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello
Opening line with greeting
What do you want
Asking the reason to approach
You're irritating
Not happy with the approacher
Go away
Requesting the approacher to leave
It's not my fault
Stating that the approacher's loneliness is not the singer's fault
That you're lonely
Accepting the approacher's loneliness
Just look around
Suggestion to the approacher to observe everyone
I think you'll find that
Providing an observation
Everyone has the same problem
Everyone is dealing with similar issues
This is not a real home
The environment the singer is in is not homely
The walls are so thin
The walls are not soundproof
The neighbours listen in
Neighbors eavesdrop on the happenings in the singer's place
Keep the noise down
Requesting the approacher to keep the noise low
They're complaining
Neighbors are not happy with the noise levels
Humiliated
Feeling ashamed because of the situation
You were born and bred
You were brought up
Humble to the spoon fed
You were kept grounded in spite of being privileged
Why worry now
Questioning the necessity of worrying now
You're not dead yet
Reminding the approacher that there's still a lot of life left to be lived
You've got a whole lifetime to correct it
Encouragement to make things right with the time left
You're wasting
Singer is of the opinion that the approacher is wasting life
Admiring hating
People are not what they seem
This lot are not happy heroes
The current situation and people are not something to idolize
Just better actors
People put on a good act
A hundred and one dilations
Various options
And fifty seven varieties
Further options to choose from
Outside with the empties
Outside and empty-handed
Keep banging the door
Insistence in demanding an entry
I won't answer the phone
Refusal to communicate through phone
I won't answer the door
Refusal to answer the door and let in visitors
Reptilians
Reference to conspiracy theories
I won't let you in
Continued refusal of entry
If he knew we were here
Talking about a possible third person
I'm sure he'd let us in
Belief that the third person would allow entry
Alright, stop Nick
The singer's request to Nick to stop something
Won't let you in
Continued refusal of entry
Keep banging the door
Emphasis in demanding an entry
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARTIN CLIVE ATKINS, KEITH LEVENE, JOHN LYDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@flinchey6962
Keith on bass, god the percussion on this record is the best as you can see U2 stole it for bullet the blue sky, Edge also tried imitating Keith’s guitar Public Image one of the most influential company’s ;)
@sexobscura
stop speaking the truth
@PostPunkFan
The drums on this track are SICK!
@vermilliongecko
Aren't they amazing? Who played the drums on this? Is it Martin Atkins?
@robertmora8241
and the bass, mate >> they're both sick all over PIL >> that's why we love them
@themScreamS
Vermillion 303 yep Martin Atkins co wrote with the bass player and John came into the studio and put the vocal and lyrics over it.Levine apparently keeps tapping a cymbal in the background
@MisAnnThorpe
@Vapor the Vicious Aren't they the only tracks on the album with bass guitar on them? Who would've thought at the time, that a PiL album without Wobble's bass (or anybody else's for the most part) would turn out to be their best. I doubt that would've been the case had it been Levene rather than Wobble that left.
@levoldunom
truth!
@Schizopantheist
"You were born and bred, humble to the spoon fed, why worry now you're not dead yet, you've got a whole lifetime to correct it"
Such a searing line, still comes into mind at times when I start to feel I'm not being the punk I would wish. Whatever Lydon went on to say or do he left his mark here and on metal box and it's etched into my mind until I die.
@robertobrasini5294
rip Keith