This Is a Fire Door Never Leave Open
The Weakerthans Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Headlights race towards the corner of the dining room
And half illuminate a face before they disappear
You breathe in forty years of failing to describe a feeling
I breathe out smoke against a window
Trace the letters in your name

Our letters sound the same
Full of all our changing
That isn't change at all
All straight lines circle sometime

You said, "Somewhere, there's a box full of replacement parts
To all the tenderness we've broken or let rust away"
Somewhere, sympathy is more than just a way of leaving
Somewhere, someone says, "I'm sorry"
Someone's making plans to stay

So tell me it's okay
Tell me anything or
Show me there's a pull
Unassailable

That will lead you there from the dark alone
To benevolence that you've never known
Or you knew when you were four and can't remember

Where a small knife tears out those sloppy seams
And the silence knows what your silence means
And your metaphors, as mixed as you can make them
Are linked like days, together

I still hear trains at night, when the wind is right
I remember everything
Lick and thread this string

That will never mend you or tailor more
Than a memory of a kitchen floor
Or the fire door that we kept propping open

And I love this place, the enormous sky
And the faces, hands that I'm haunted by
So why can't I forgive these buildings
These frameworks labeled home?





Headlights race towards the corner of the dining room
And half illuminate a face before they disappear

Overall Meaning

The Weakerthans’ “This Is a Fire Door Never Leave Open” is a song full of poetic imagery and introspection. The lyrics tell the story of two people whose lives have been defined by failures and missed opportunities, but who still cling to hope and the possibility of change. The first verse describes a scene where headlights race towards the corner of a dining room, casting light on a face before disappearing. This imagery is a metaphor for the fleeting moments of clarity and understanding that come to people in life before they fade into obscurity. The second verse muses on the idea of change, or rather the lack of it, and the way that people’s lives are shaped by circumstances outside their control. The chorus appeals for some kind of reassurance or sign that things will be alright, and that there are ways to move forward into something better. The final verse brings the song full circle, with the image of the headlights once again illuminating the face in the dining room. This time, however, the tone is different, with a sense of resolve and acceptance that wasn’t present before.


Overall, “This Is a Fire Door Never Leave Open” is a song that speaks to the human experience of loss, regret, and the hope for something better. It’s a song about the ways in which we’re all haunted by the past, but also about the possibilities for growth and change that exist in every moment. The lyrics are full of rich, evocative imagery, and the musical accompaniment provides a perfect backdrop for the emotional weight of the words.


Line by Line Meaning

Headlights race towards the corner of the dining room
The arrival of something new and possibly dangerous is approaching


And half illuminate a face before they disappear
The face, which is only partially seen, adds a layer of mystery to the arrival


You breathe in forty years of failing to describe a feeling
Years of attempts to articulate complex emotions have ultimately led to failure


I breathe out smoke against a window
Exhaling smoke against a window shows a sense of longing and isolation


Trace the letters in your name
The artist is reminiscing about someone from their past


Our letters sound the same
The emotions behind both the singer and the person they are thinking of are similar


Full of all our changing
Both people have gone through significant changes, as reflected in their emotions


That isn't change at all
Despite the changes they have gone through, there is an underlying similarity between them


All straight lines circle sometime
Things that seem simple at first can become complicated in time


You said, "Somewhere, there's a box full of replacement parts
Someone has the ability to fix things that have been broken or lost


To all the tenderness we've broken or let rust away"
The people involved in the situation were once gentle and tender but that has since been lost


Somewhere, sympathy is more than just a way of leaving
Sympathy can be more than just parting ways, it's a form of healing


Somewhere, someone says, "I'm sorry"
Apologies can lead to forgiveness and closure


Someone's making plans to stay
Someone is committed to being present and invested in a situation


So tell me it's okay
The singer is seeking reassurance


Tell me anything or
The artist is open to any form of support or validation


Show me there's a pull
The artist wants to be shown that things will work out in the end


Unassailable
This pull needs to be strong and unwavering


That will lead you there from the dark alone
The pull will provide guidance in moments of darkness and loneliness


To benevolence that you've never known
This pull will lead to a type of kindness the artist has not previously experienced


Or you knew when you were four and can't remember
This kindness may be reminiscent of childhood memories that are hard to recall


Where a small knife tears out those sloppy seams
The artist is undergoing some form of transformation that is painful yet necessary


And the silence knows what your silence means
The power of silence can be a form of communication and understanding


And your metaphors, as mixed as you can make them
The artist's words and expressions are complex and layered


Are linked like days, together
All the complexities and layers ultimately come together to represent a single moment in time


I still hear trains at night, when the wind is right
Past experiences can still be heard and felt, even as time passes


I remember everything
Memories can be both beautiful and painful but they remain with us always


Lick and thread this string
Continuing to hold onto the past can be a form of comfort and closure


That will never mend you or tailor more
While holding onto the past can bring comfort, it will never fully heal the artist


Than a memory of a kitchen floor
Memories can be comforting and provide a sense of stability


Or the fire door that we kept propping open
Holding onto memories of places and things that were once familiar can provide a sense of continuity


And I love this place, the enormous sky
There is an appreciation for the beauty of the present


And the faces, hands that I'm haunted by
Memories of people from the past continue to shape the present


So why can't I forgive these buildings
Despite the beauty of the present, there are things from the past that continue to hold the artist back


These frameworks labeled home?
The singer is grappling with what home truly means and how it influences their emotions


Headlights race towards the corner of the dining room
The arrival of something new and possibly dangerous is approaching (repeated for emphasis)




Lyrics © MOTHERSHIP MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: John K Samson, John P. Sutton, Stephen Carroll, Jason Tait

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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