Formed in 2006 over pints of cheap beer at East Vancouver’s notoriously violent Ivanhoe Hotel, The Dreadnoughts cut their teeth in the roughest dive bars in the city. They started by opening for (and earning the praise of) celtic-punk grandfathers The Real McKenzies, and since then have never looked back. Hauling a fiddle, an accordion, a mandolin, a tin whistle, guitars and drums into every venue that would have them, they quickly became known for their powerful, chaotic live performances. In three short years they have slowly but surely joined the ranks of Canada’s punk rock heroes.
Katie Bar the Door
The Dreadnoughts Lyrics
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He's looking for a savior, he's looking for a friend.
The Devil drinks in places you and I have never been.
So Katie, bar the door, and never let him in.
When I was just a young'un, Sir, I came without a sound.
She said this ship is sank and now a nice soldier's drowned.
Sir, damn I met the Devil on the backs of hostelry.
Well I was eighteen years old, I was down in the hull,
Of a prison ship bound for Australia.
Many good men believe, I'm the bastard of the sea,
And the ghost of a highwayman. Sails! Hurry up!
As a ghost I damned you, I brought you to the world,
Or I'd just shuck and sully seven miles below hell.
For dune strips and Covent ships and smiling bastards lay,
Counting out their pennies to escape another day.
Well I was eighteen years old, I was down in the hull,
Of a prison ship bound for Australia.
Many good men believe, I'm the bastard of the sea,
And a ghost of a highwayman. Sails! Hurry up!
So, Katie, bar the door, the Devil's here again.
He's looking for a savior, he's looking for a friend.
The Devil drinks in places you and I have never been.
So Katie, bar the door, and never let him in.
The Dreadnoughts's song, Katie Bar The Door, is a fast-paced and dynamic piece that addresses themes of sin, redemption, and the struggle for personal salvation. The lyrics characterize the Devil as being omnipresent and persistent, always looking for individuals who are lost or struggling. The chorus, "Katie, bar the door, the Devil's here again. He's looking for a savior, he's looking for a friend. The Devil drinks in places you and I have never been. So Katie, bar the door, and never let him in," warns the listener to be mindful of the Devil's everpresence and the temptation to give into his influence.
The song is peppered with references to nautical themes and the life of sailors at sea. The lyrics depict the singer as a young sailor who has experienced many hardships, including being on a prison ship bound for Australia. He's been accused of being the bastard of the sea and a ghost of a highwayman, which conveys the idea of someone who has a rebellious and tumultuous past. The song also portrays the Devil as someone who is envious of the singer's experiences and seeks to use them to his advantage.
Overall, Katie Bar The Door offers a unique and intriguing take on the idea of personal struggle, the consequences of sin, and the importance of being mindful of the Devil's influence. The song is an excellent example of The Dreadnoughts's ability to take unique themes and make them accessible to audiences through enjoyable melodies and dynamic performances.
Line by Line Meaning
Katie, bar the door, the Devil's here again.
The singer urges Katie to secure the door, as the devil has returned.
He's looking for a savior, he's looking for a friend.
The devil is searching for someone to save him or to befriend him.
The Devil drinks in places you and I have never been.
The devil frequents strange and unfamiliar places unknown to the singer and Katie.
So Katie, bar the door, and never let him in.
The singer advises Katie to not let the devil enter and to secure the door firmly.
When I was just a young'un, Sir, I came without a sound.
The singer recounts his past as a young boy who arrived unnoticed.
She said this ship is sank and now a nice soldier's drowned.
Someone informed the singer that a ship had sunk, and a soldier had passed away.
Sir, damn I met the Devil on the backs of hostelry.
The singer encountered the devil on the grounds of an inn.
We took three hundred British to the bottom of the sea.
Together with the devil, the singer caused the death of three hundred British sailors.
Well I was eighteen years old, I was down in the hull, Of a prison ship bound for Australia.
The singer recalls his time as an eighteen-year-old in the depths of a prison ship destined for Australia.
Many good men believe, I'm the bastard of the sea, And the ghost of a highwayman.
Many people think that the singer is a notorious criminal of the sea and a ghostly highwayman.
Sails! Hurry up!
The singer shouts to hurry up and set sail.
As a ghost I damned you, I brought you to the world, Or I'd just shuck and sully seven miles below hell.
The singer, as a ghost, has cursed and brought the listener into the world or else remained seven miles underground in hell.
For dune strips and Covent ships and smiling bastards lay, Counting out their pennies to escape another day.
The singer is describing the people who are gambling their money to survive another day in a rough situation.
Contributed by Jason W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.