Mark Linkous.
Dog Door
Sparklehorse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want a little dog
I saw a little dog
His name is happy
Well this is me
Old
I could be a shopkeeper
She got a six foot pitchfork
I see the wrecking-ball
Back over here together
She got me here with or without
She got me coming through the dog door
She got me coming through the dog door
I said pitchfork
Oh step-ladders
You oughta walk away
But you can't
She got me gone back here
But don't sit there
She let me keep the deck-chair
She got me coming through the dog door
She got me coming through the dog door
Pitchfork (pitchfork)
Crowbar (crowbar)
Clawhammer (clawhammer)
Hot tar (hot tar)
She got me through her middle name
But she can make it rain
She got a small-town chill
And she's starving in the belly wheel
She got me coming through the dog door
She got me coming through the dog door
Pitchfork (pitchfork)
Crowbar (crowbar)
Clawhammer (clawhammer)
Hot tar (hot tar)
The song "Dog Door" by Sparklehorse is a cryptic and enigmatic song that appears to be about a tumultuous relationship. The lyrics seem to be describing a woman who is both dangerous and alluring to the singer. The opening lines, "Oh mother I want a dog, I want a little dog, I saw a little dog, his name is happy," suggest that the singer is seeking comfort and companionship in a pet due to his troubled relationship with the woman. The line "She got me here with or without" implies that she has a hold over him whether he likes it or not.
The woman is described as having a six-foot pitchfork and being capable of wielding it as a weapon. The imagery of a "wrecking-ball" also alludes to her ability to destroy things. However, despite her violence, the woman also offers the singer some kindness. She lets him keep a deck-chair, and he seems grateful for her gesture of generosity. The repeated refrain "She got me coming through the dog door" seems to represent the singer's willingness to enter her world despite the danger it poses.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh mother I want a dog
I desire to have a dog and I am expressing it to my mother
I want a little dog
I wish to have a small-sized dog
I saw a little dog
I have seen a small-sized dog somewhere
His name is happy
That small-sized dog's name is Happy
Well this is me
This is the current state I am in
Old
I am aging
I could be a shopkeeper
I have the potential of being a shopkeeper
We'll call 'em
We will name them
She got a six foot pitchfork
She has a tool for farming called a pitchfork, which is about six feet long
I see the wrecking-ball
I can visualize the heavy iron ball used for demolitions
Back over here together
We are back in this place, together once again
She got me here with or without
She brought me here, with or without my consent
She got me coming through the dog door
I am entering through the dog door
I said pitchfork
I repeated the word 'pitchfork'
Oh step-ladders
I mentioned step-ladders
You oughta walk away
You should leave this place
But you can't
You are unable to do so
She got me gone back here
She brought me back here
But don't sit there
I should not sit in that place
She let me keep the deck-chair
She allowed me to possess the deck-chair
Pitchfork (pitchfork)
I uttered the word 'pitchfork' again
Crowbar (crowbar)
I mentioned a tool called 'crowbar'
Clawhammer (clawhammer)
I referred to another tool named 'clawhammer'
Hot tar (hot tar)
I spoke of 'hot tar'
She got me through her middle name
I got through her, using her middle name
But she can make it rain
She is capable of bringing about rainfall
She got a small-town chill
She has a cold demeanor similar to that of people in small towns
And she's starving in the belly wheel
She is hungry yet trapped in an endless cycle
She got me coming through the dog door
I am entering through the dog door again
Pitchfork (pitchfork)
I mentioned 'pitchfork' another time
Crowbar (crowbar)
I spoke of 'crowbar' again
Clawhammer (clawhammer)
I repeated the term 'clawhammer'
Hot tar (hot tar)
I repeated 'hot tar' again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KATHLEEN BRENNAN, THOMAS ALAN WAITS, FREDDY MARK LINKOUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric Barry Comedy
This was one of the first songs I associated with BDSM when I came to learn of it haha
Gene Hughes
What had that dog been eating? Or about to eat.
rustmonster
Assuming Tom waits is cool with it this is a decent video for this song
rustmonster
That said the audio quality is a little subpar
Music_Radar
Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan 🤘
JacksContent
@rustmonsterthat's how the song normally sounds
Peregrine Covington
Nastiest beat drop ever lol