Door by Caroline Polachek Lyrics Meaning – Unlocking the Layers of Self-Discovery and Love
Lyrics
I’m just another girl in a sweater
Perpetual novice
Signature on a check made out to you
Took ten laps ’round the planet
To prove what I wasn’t
And the door slams hard behind you
When you leave the house of judgment
Been waiting for regret to hit me
Some kind of reckoning
I waited for the drop, ’cause lately
The yang comes with yin
Back in the city
I’m just another girl in a sweater
Perpetual novice
Signature on a check made out to you
Now there’s the sunset
Salt in the wound, yeah
Sometimes I don’t know who I’m singing to
Who is the you who I sing to
When the house is empty?
You open the door
To another door, to another door
To another door, to another door
And I’m running through to you
You open the door
To another door, to another door
To another door, to another door
And I’m running through to you
And we’re waking up sore and dizzy
From a ten year concussion
And the rainfall makes you miss me
Even though you say it doesn’t
Back in the city
I’m just another girl in a sweater
Back in the city
Everything’s different
When we’re not together
You open the door
To another door, to another door
To another door, to another door
And I’m running through to you
You open the door
To another door, to another door
To another door, to another door
And I’m running through to you
Running, running, running, running, running
Running, running, running, running, running
Back in the city
I’m just another girl in a sweater
Perpetual novice
Signature on a check made out to you
Now there’s the sunset
Salt in the wound, yeah
Sometimes I don’t know who I’m singing to
Who is the you who I sing to
When the house is empty?
You open the door
To another door, to another door
To another door, to another door
And I’m running through to you
You open the door
To another door, to another door
To another door, to another door
And I’m running through to you
Running, running, running, running, running
Running, running, running, running, running
Running, running, running, running, running
Running, running, running, running, running
Oh, ooh, ooh, oh
Oh, ooh, ooh, oh
(Door, door, door)
Running, running, running, running, running
Running, running, running, running, running
Caroline Polachek has a way of turning the everyday into the ethereal. Her song ‘Door’ serves not only as a testament to her unique brand of pop but also as a conduit for a multitude of interpretations, all swirling in the metaphysical and deeply personal.
Delving into the lyrics of ‘Door,’ we discover a narrative that bridges the gap between inward reflection and outward journey. Polachek navigates the loss, the aftermath, and the perpetual cycle of seeking that which always seems just beyond the next threshold.
A Perpetual Novice In Life’s Learning Cycle
When Polachek describes herself as ‘just another girl in a sweater,’ she’s toying with the notion of commonplace invisibility and the internal struggle to stand out. Yet, she dubs herself a ‘perpetual novice,’ which can be read as a humble admission of always learning, always yearning, regardless of her successes.
The mere act of writing one’s ‘signature on a check made out to you’ hints at self-investment, personal commitment, and the sacrifices one makes for love or for chasing an elusive sense of self-worth.
The Doors We Open, and the Ones We Close Behind Us
The recurrent image of a door leading to another door becomes a compelling metaphor for the never-ending quest for fulfillment and understanding. It’s the journey versus the destination, an acknowledgment of life’s continuous transitions and the experiences we weave along the way.
Moreover, the ‘door slams hard behind you’ line captures the finality of decisions, the paths we choose to leave behind as much as the ones we opt to walk. It suggests a resignation to the choices made – whether they pertain to leaving a restrictive environment, a failed relationship, or a former version of the self.
The Hidden Meaning of Yin and Yang in Relationships
Caroline Polachek sprinkles a dash of eastern philosophy into ‘Door’ with the mention of ‘yang and yin.’ This duality represents the interdependence of opposites. In the context of the song, it symbolizes the balance of joy and pain in relationships, the push and pull that both separates and unites.
Awaiting the ‘reckoning’ or ‘regret to hit,’ Polachek may be addressing the unavoidable lows that follow the highs, or perhaps the comedown that follows an intense relationship. Thus, the yang with yin serves as commentary on the cyclical nature of life’s emotional landscape.
Heartache in the Echo of the City’s Silence
The different settings in ‘Door’ – from the anonymity of city life to the solitude of an empty house – parallel the dynamics of the song’s emotional state. It channels the loneliness that can be felt in a crowd and the profound question of ‘Who is the you who I sing to,’ which reveals a longing for connection or reflection on an absent lover.
Polachek’s lyrical feast serves up a dichotomy of place and identity while cleverly entwining the literal and metaphorical doors of her experiences and relationships.
Memorable Lines: A Chorus of Longing
The haunting repetition of ‘running through to you’ elevates the song to an anthem of yearning. The imagery of continuous motion, an unyielding chase, resonates throughout ‘Door’ as a testament to the ongoing pursuit of love, closure, or perhaps even self-acceptance.
It’s a line that sticks with you, carrying the weight of an unfulfilled desire, a chase that never seems to end. Each utterance of ‘running’ becomes heavier, filled with the persistence, desperation, and hope that colors our most personal quests.
