Three piece UK band who describe their music as ska/reggae/punk/rock. Whitm… Read Full Bio ↴Three piece UK band who describe their music as ska/reggae/punk/rock. Whitmore folded after playing a final show on September 17th 2005, and releasing two albums; 'Smoke the Roach' in 2002, of which the singles 'Alison' and 'On the Ceiling' achieved some success being shown on the music channel, P-rock, and 'Solstic Rise' in 2004.

Closing Doors
Whitmore Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's been so long since I last saw you
I hardly recognise your face
So many dreams of yours just fall through
No telling what this girl will do
I see you're trapped in your own situation
Close to tears and close to detonation
How many times do I have to ask you why?

Time to time I think about you
I think of all the shit we'd do
Then we'd fight just like you want to
How many wrongs to make you right?
Sat alone with a picture of you
Sat alone with our song too

Sat alone with an image of you
Sat alone with a bottle too

Overall Meaning

In Whitmore's song "Closing Doors," the singer is speaking to someone they haven't seen in a long time, and notes that many of their dreams have fallen apart. The singer sees that the person is trapped in their current situation, and is close to breaking down. The person is clearly struggling, but the singer cannot understand why they don't ask for help. The song touches on themes of isolation, frustration, and the inability to escape one's circumstances.

The opening verse is particularly poignant, as it emphasizes the physical distance between the singer and the person they are speaking to, highlighting how much has changed in the intervening time. The lyrics "hardly recognize your face / so many dreams of yours just fall through / no telling what this girl will do" allude to the fact that the person may have changed significantly since the last time they met, and that they are feeling lost and uncertain about their future. The singer is empathetic towards the other person, recognizing that they are "trapped" in their situation, and they seem frustrated that the person hasn't reached out for help.

Later on, the singer reminisces about their past with the person, noting that they used to have fun together, but would often fight. The line "how many wrongs to make you right?" suggests that the person they are speaking to may be acting in self-destructive ways, and that their behavior is causing them to spiral further into despair. The last verse is particularly somber, as the singer describes being alone with a picture of the person, with their song, and with a bottle of alcohol. This paints a picture of someone who is struggling to cope with the loss of the relationship, and who is turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with their pain.

Overall, "Closing Doors" is a haunting portrayal of one person trying to reach out to another who is stuck in a difficult situation, but who is unable or unwilling to ask for help. It touches on themes of loss, grief, and addiction, making for a powerful and emotional listen.

Line by Line Meaning

It's been so long since I last saw you
It's been a considerable amount of time since I've seen you

I hardly recognise your face
Your face has changed so much that I find it hard to recognise you

So many dreams of yours just fall through
I have noticed several of your dreams ending up in disappointment

No telling what this girl will do
It's hard to predict what this girl will do next

I see you're trapped in your own situation
You are stuck in a situation from which you cannot easily get out

Close to tears and close to detonation
You seem to be on the verge of crying or even exploding in anger

How many times do I have to ask you why?
I wonder how many times I've asked you the same question in the past

Time to time I think about you
Every now and then, I think about you

I think of all the shit we'd do
I remember all the things we used to do together

Then we'd fight just like you want to
Our fights were often initiated by you

How many wrongs to make you right?
I am unsure of how many mistakes you need to make before you realise your errors