After Hours
The Velvet Underground feat. Nico Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you close the door
The night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out
And say hello to never
All the people are dancing
And they're having such fun
But if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
If you close the door
The night could last forever
Leave the wine glass out
And drink a toast to never
Oh, someday, I know
Someone'll look into my eyes
And say hello
You're my very special one
But if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
Dark party bars, shiny Cadillac cars
And the people on subways and trains
Looking gray in the rain
As they stand disarrayed
Oh, but people look well in the dark
And if you close the door
The night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out
And say hello to never
All the people are dancing
And they're having such fun
I wish it could happen to me
'Cause if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
I'd never have to see the day again
Once more
I'd never have to see the day again
The Velvet Underground’s “After Hours” is a song about introversion and wanting to escape the day-to-day monotony of life. The opening stanza serves as an invitation to enter a world where the night could last forever, where one could make a world without daylight. The singer expresses longing to experience the joy of dancing, but it is as if they feel excluded from this world of sunshine and laughter. If they close the door, they can create their own space, a space where they don't have to see the day again. The idea of being able to escape the day and to evade “seeing the day again” is a common theme throughout the song.
The second stanza alludes to the idea of alcohol as an escape, an elixir to help create a world of darkness with no daylight. The third verse seems like a nod to the bohemian underground lifestyle of the band members in the 1960s, with its dark party bars and shiny Cadillac cars, as well as the dreary existence of workers. The final few lines of the song reiterate the singer’s desire to escape reality and leave the day behind.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three
Counting in preparation for a statement
If you close the door
Closing oneself off from the world
The night could last forever
Timelessness when isolated
Leave the sunshine out
Avoiding brightness and positivity
And say hello to never
Accepting perpetual darkness
All the people are dancing
Observing those who are happy and carefree
And they're having such fun
Envying others' happiness
I wish it could happen to me
Longing for that same carefree feeling
But if you close the door
Choosing to remain isolated
I'd never have to see the day again
Avoiding the harsh realities of life
Leave the wine glass out
Indulging in escapism
And drink a toast to never
Celebrating the idea of never facing reality again
Oh, someday, I know
Hopefulness for a better future
Someone'll look into my eyes
Finding a special connection with someone else
And say hello
Acknowledging a special moment
You're my very special one
Feeling validated and cherished
Dark party bars, shiny Cadillac cars
Describing an alluring, exciting scene
And the people on subways and trains
Depicting mundane daily life
Looking gray in the rain
Expressing a lack of vitality and joy
As they stand disarrayed
Suggesting a sense of confusion and aimlessness
Oh, but people look well in the dark
Finding beauty in darkness
Once more
Repeating a previous sentiment
I'd never have to see the day again
Repeating the desire for avoidance of reality
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lou Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danielrocky683
1-2-3
If you close the door, the night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out and say hello to never
All the people are dancing and they're havin such fun
I wish it could happen to me
But if you close the door, I'd never have to see the day again
If you close the door, the night could last forever
Leave the wineglass out and drink a toast to never
Oh, someday I know someone will look into my eyes
And say hello - you're my very special one
But if you close the door, I'd never have to see the day again
Dark cloudy bars
Shiny Cadillac cars
And the people on subways and trains
Looking gray in the rain as they stand disarrayed
All the people look well in the dark
And if you close the door, the night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out and say hello to never
All the people are dancing and they're having such fun
I wish it could happen to me
'Cause if you close the door, I'd never have to see the day again
I'd never have to see the day again
(once more)
I'd never have to see the day again
@agothicuser1736
[Intro]
1-2-3
[Verse 1]
If you close the door, the night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out and say hello to never
All the people are dancing and they're having such fun
I wish it could happen to me
But if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
[Verse 2]
If you close the door, the night could last forever
Leave the wineglass out and drink a toast to never
Oh, someday I know someone will look into my eyes
And say hello -- you're my very special one--
But if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
[Bridge]
Dark party bars, shiny Cadillac cars
And the people on subways and trains
Looking gray in the rain as they stand disarrayed
Oh, but people look well in the dark
[Verse 1]
And If you close the door, the night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out and say hello to never
All the people are dancing and they're having such fun
I wish it could happen to me
'Cause if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
[Outro]
I'd never have to see the day again, once more
I'd never have to see the day again
@silviagarciacruz3634
After Hours
The Velvet Underground
Letras
One, two, three
If you close the door
The night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out
And say hello to never
All the people are dancing
And they're having such fun
I wish it could happen to me
But if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
If you close the door
The night could last forever
Leave the wine-glass out
And drink a toast to never
Oh, someday I know
Someone will look into my eyes
And say hello
You're my very special one
But if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
Dark party bars, shiny Cadillac cars
And the people on subways and trains
Looking gray in the rain,
As they stand disarrayed
Oh, but people look well in the dark
And if you close the door
The night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out
And say hello to never
All the people are dancing
And they're having such fun
I wish it could happen to me
Cause if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
I'd never have to see the day again,
Once more
I'd never have to see the day again
@razsztern1766
Fun fact: Lou Reed wrote this song, but felt like he couldn’t sing this song for being to innocent and pure for him. He let the drummer, Maureen Tucker, sing it, despite not being a singer at all. The result: a timeless masterpiece
@Wischmopp95
Innocent and pure? Huh, I always thought that song was about suicide, or at least about withdrawing yourself from life. But now that I think about it, it's probably just about wanting the night, and therefore the party, to last forever - maybe as a form of escapism from everyday life, but not, like, peacing out from life altogether.
@semnomesemnomesemnome5215
@@Wischmopp95 he wants a innocent voice to give a cynical look to the lyrics, he's talking bout suicide and depression, but he wants it to sound "pure" only to mock the morality, a "pure" voice singing such an unholy thing (for the Church suicide is unholy)
Well, at least That's what I interpreted
@franspan9872
I am glad "moe" Tucker is still alive!
@cmkasemichael
moe tucker by the jamc is a goated song, along with this one
@juanafinguer
Calm down brooo
@kickdogseal
Imagine this for a second: A song released 50 years ago that sounds like it was released by an indie band in 2019. How cool.
@cookiekingmaster8502
I’m kind of confused if this is from the 60’s and people are just being ironic or not
@foreversui
Cookieking Master lol yes the velvet underground is a band from the 60’s
@rireki_riri
@@cookiekingmaster8502 this is from 1969