Auster released her first album when she was 16. The album was collaboration with Brooklyn-based musicians One Ring Zero. She drew lyrical inspiration from her father’s (author Paul Auster) English translations of French surrealist poems. The album was highly acclaimed in France and quickly found an audience throughout Europe.
Following that album, she met writer/musician Barry Reynolds who has worked with Rufus Wainright, Marianne Faithful, Antony & the Johnsons and Grace Jones and began collaborating on material. The album features the first recording of “Square Moon” a track co-written by Barry and Antony Hegarty (Antony & the Johnsons). "I tend to gravitate towards material that can be a little dark,” says Sophie. The unreleased material Auster has been working on for the past two years has been a huge evolution for the gifted and prodigious 25-year-old singer/songwriter.
“The material has matured and grown as I have gotten older. It’s a process to hone in on your own style. I think a lot of what I have been doing over the past few years is discovering my voice.” In 2012 Auster completed work on her record, Red Weather, released in November 2012.
The Door
Sophie Auster Lyrics
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I saw a child dreaming and he was screaming
He was screaming, he was screaming
His body thrashed and shook, his arms and legs were tied
Bound so tight he couldn't breathe, bound so tight he couldn't breathe
I tried to rush to his side but my feet stopped moving
All tired, all worn out, I felt myself give in
My sanity grew thin, grew thin, grew thin, grew thin
And I was the one who was screaming
Bound so tight I couldn't breathe, bound so tight I couldn't breathe
I knew there was nothing left
And there wasn't
And there isn't
Sophie Auster's song The Door is a haunting and evocative piece that speaks to the experiences of trauma, fear and powerlessness. The song begins with the singer opening a door, only to find a child within, tied up, thrashing and screaming. The scene is powerful and overwhelming, and the singer's instinctual response is to move towards the child to try and help. However, her feet are stopped, and she is overcome with exhaustion and a sense of helplessness that is palpable.
The child's screams are intense and disturbing, and the singer can do nothing as she watches the scene unfold in front of her. Her sanity begins to slip, and she feels herself losing control as the child's screams continue. Eventually, the child stops screaming and leaves the room, leaving the singer alone and bound, unable to move or do anything to help. The singer's final realization that there is nothing left to do, and that there never was, is a stark and powerful indictment of the sense of helplessness that trauma can cause.
The Door is a powerful and moving song that speaks to the experiences of those who have been victimized by trauma and abuse. With its haunting melody and powerful lyrics, it captures the sense of fear, powerlessness and isolation that many sufferers experience, and gives voice to those who have been silenced. Through its evocative imagery and powerful message, The Door is a song that will linger with listeners long after they have heard it.
Line by Line Meaning
I opened the door to see what was inside
I decided to explore something that was unknown to me.
I saw a child dreaming and he was screaming
I witnessed a child having a nightmare and shouting in terror.
He was screaming, he was screaming
The child's fear was so intense that he kept shouting non-stop.
His body thrashed and shook, his arms and legs were tied
The child was struggling so much that he was physically contorting, but he was also restrained, unable to escape his fear.
Bound so tight he couldn't breathe, bound so tight he couldn't breathe
He was tied up so tightly that it was difficult for him to even breathe or speak.
I tried to rush to his side but my feet stopped moving
I wanted to help him but for some reason, I was unable to physically approach him.
All tired, all worn out, I felt myself give in
I was so overwhelmed and exhausted that I couldn't keep fighting anymore.
My sanity grew thin, grew thin, grew thin, grew thin
The stress and fear of the situation were causing me to lose my grip on reality.
The child stopped screaming, I saw him leave the room
The child's fear abated and he disappeared from my sight.
And I was the one who was screaming
I was the one who unintentionally became the embodiment of the child's fear, and it was now me who was screaming.
Bound so tight I couldn't breathe, bound so tight I couldn't breathe
I felt restrained and unable to escape the fear that now overwhelmed me.
I knew there was nothing left
I realized that there was no escape from the fear and helplessness that had overtaken me.
And there wasn't
The situation was truly devoid of any hope or solution.
And there isn't
Even now, the fear and helplessness remain in my memory, a haunting reminder of the experience.
Contributed by Matthew T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.