The band's first official recording was the track "It's So Wonderful", released in 1983 on the compilation album What's Shakin', which also included early work from Undercover, Altar Boys and The Lifters. This song was one of the few times that lead singer Derri Daugherty wrote both lyrics and music; as the band developed, the majority of The Choir's lyrical output would come from drummer/percussionist Steve Hindalong. As Youth Choir, they released their debut album Voices in Shadows in 1984, with Mike Saurerbrey on bass; their first EP Shades of Gray followed a year later, when Dan Michaels joined the band.
The Choir made a high-profile move to Myrrh Records in 1986 with their next release, Diamonds and Rain. Dropping the "Youth" from their moniker, they would be known as The Choir from that point forward. This was followed by three more albums for Myrrh, which featured musical contributions from an array of Christian performers, including Charlie Peacock, Mark Heard, Steve Griffith of Vector and Gene Eugene and Riki Michele from Adam Again. The Choir's lineup also changed. Tim Chandler was the primary bass player until 1989's Wide-Eyed Wonder, as Robin Spurs replaced him on that album and tour, but she left the band during the recording of 1990's Circle Slide. Mike Sauerbrey returned to the band briefly for these recording sessions. Chandler would rejoin the lineup for the independently-released Kissers and Killers. Spurs would not play with the band again until 2017, when she performed on the Wide-Eyed Wonder reunion tour.
The Choir toured extensively during this time, notably as the first band on stage at the inaugural Cornerstone Festival in Chicago in 1984. They also performed at the Greenbelt Festival in England in 1986, and opened for Russ Taff on his nationwide tour in 1989. References to the band's tour experiences would remain an ongoing source of lyrical inspiration. During their Southern California period, The Choir's music was described by the Los Angeles Times as "magical songs that combine strains of murky psychedelia with pure pop." Billboard praised the band for its "dark poetic leanings, effects-laden guitars and strong melodic hooks". Hindalong's lyrics became known for their vulnerability and honesty, particularly about the challenges inherent in romantic relationships and the simple joys of family life.
15 Doors
Youth Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A light on in the hall
Could I step inside for one moment
And give my wife a telephone call?
So sorry to alarm you
I'm not gonna harm you
Don't call the night patrol
Just look at me shaking in the cold
I've been knocking on 15 doors
When you come in the morning
And say "how do you do"
Will you stand and stare in wonder
Cause I don't remember you?
I'll say, "Once I was a stranger
Once I was in need,
But you hid behind the door
And left me shaking on your front porch"
I've been knocking on 15 doors
"15 Doors" by Youth Choir is a poignant song that speaks to the theme of kindness and compassion. The lyrics follow a man who is desperately trying to find help while being rejected by every person he asks. The opening lines describe a man who sees a light on through someone's window, hoping to use their phone to call his wife. He pleads for them not to be alarmed and promises that he is not a threat to them. The line "Don't call the night patrol, just look at me shaking in the cold" suggests that the man has been turned away numerous times and is desperate for help.
The chorus repeats the line "I've been knocking on 15 doors," emphasizing the man's desperation and disappointment at being denied help. The final verse imagines a scenario in which the man has found someone who eventually remembers him and his hardship. The line "once I was in need, but you hid behind the door and left me shaking on your front porch" highlights the lyrics' central message that we should not turn away from those in need, but instead show kindness and compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw somebody in the window
I noticed someone standing by the window.
A light on in the hall
The hallway was illuminated.
Could I step inside for one moment
May I enter the premises for a brief period?
And give my wife a telephone call?
And make a phone call to my spouse?
So sorry to alarm you
I apologize if I caused any disturbance.
I'm not gonna harm you
I assure you that I have no intention of causing harm.
Don't call the night patrol
Please do not alert the authorities.
Just look at me shaking in the cold
Observe my trembling in the chilly weather.
I've been knocking on 15 doors
I have approached and knocked on the doors of fifteen different residences.
When you come in the morning
During your arrival in the morning.
And say 'how do you do'
Asking 'how are you' or greeting cordially.
Will you stand and stare in wonder
Will you be amazed and stand still?
Cause I don't remember you?
Because I cannot recall ever meeting you before?
I'll say, 'Once I was a stranger
I might reply, 'There was a time I was unknown
Once I was in need,
Once upon a time, I was in dire situations.
But you hid behind the door
However, you concealed yourself behind the door.
And left me shaking on your front porch'
And abandoned me to shiver on your doorstep.
Contributed by Savannah V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.