Unhappy girl
Left all alone
Playing solitaire
Playing warden to your soul
You are locked in a prison
Of your own device
And you can't believe
What it does to me
To see you
Crying
Unhappy girl
Tear your web away
Saw through all your bars
Melt your cell today
You are caught in a prison
Of your own device

Unhappy girl
Fly fast away
Don't miss your chance
To swim in mystery
You are dying in a prison
Of your own device

Overall Meaning

The Doors' "Unhappy Girl" addresses an individual – presumably a woman – who is trapped in her own mental and emotional anguish. The singer describes her as being "left all alone," playing solitaire, and acting as a "warden" to her soul. It's clear that the woman is struggling to see beyond her own pain and is caught in a self-imposed prison. The singer points out that he/she is affected deeply by the woman's emotional state, saying "you can't believe what it does to me to see you crying."

The song addresses the woman's need to break free from her self-imposed prison. The lyrics repeat the phrase "you are caught in a prison of your own device." However, the singer encourages the woman to break free by "tear[ing] your web away," "saw[ing] through all your bars," and "melt[ing] your cell today." The song suggests that the woman is missing out on the opportunity to experience the mysteries of life and that she is slowly dying in her own prison.

Overall, "Unhappy Girl" addresses the theme of breaking free from one's own emotional and mental limitations. The lyrics encourage the listener to see beyond their own pain and to take proactive steps to break free from their own self-destructive patterns.

Line by Line Meaning

Unhappy girl
The singer is addressing a girl who appears to be unhappy.

Left all alone
She seems to be alone, without anyone to talk or confide in.

Playing solitaire
She is spending her time playing a one-player game, probably as a way of distracting herself from her troubles.

Playing warden to your soul
She is regulating her own emotions, keeping herself in a self-imposed mental prison.

You are locked in a prison of your own device
She has created her own emotional cage and has no way of getting out without facing her feelings head-on.

And you can't believe what it does to me to see you crying
The singer is upset to see the girl in such a state, possibly because they care about her deeply.

Unhappy girl, tear your web away
The singer is urging the girl to break free of her own self-imposed restrictions and allow herself to feel and express her emotions to someone else.

Saw through all your bars, melt your cell today
She needs to forcefully remove the barriers that are keeping her trapped in her own thoughts and feelings.

You are caught in a prison of your own device
Her self-imposed prison is so tough to get out of that, without active help or support, she will never leave.

Unhappy girl, fly fast away
The artist is giving the girl a chance to leave that self-imposed mental confinement by moving on, both mentally and emotionally.

Don't miss your chance to swim in mystery
By breaking free of her own self-imposed mental barriers, the girl has the opportunity to experience new things and enjoy the unknown.

You are dying in a prison of your own device
Unless the girl faces her feelings directly, she will suffer mentally and emotionally for an extended period of time with no signs of a change.

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: John Densmore, Robby Krieger, James Morrison, Ray Manzarek

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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