In the Closet by Michael Jackson Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Intricacies of Desire and Secrecy
Lyrics
Is it worth the giving, is it worth the try
You cannot cleave it, or put it in the furnace
You cannot wet it, you cannot burn it
She wants to give it
(She wants to give it, she wants to give it) Dare me
(She wants to give it, she wants to give it)
She wants to give it
(She wants to give it, she wants to give it) Yea
(She wants to give it, she wants to give it)
One thing in life you must understand
The truth of lust woman to man
So open the door, and you will see
There are no secrets
Make your move, set me free
Because there’s something about you baby
That makes me want to give it to you
I swear there’s something about you baby
Just promise me, whatever we say
Whatever we do to each other
For now we take a vow to just
Keep it in the closet
If you can get it, it’s worth a try
I really want it, I can’t deny
It’s just desire, I really love it
‘Cause if it’s aching, you have to rub it
She wants to give it
She wants to give it
(She wants to give it, she wants to give it) Dare me
(She wants to give it, she wants to give it)
She wants to give it
(She wants to give it, she wants to give it) Yea
(She wants to give it, she wants to give it)
Just open the door, and you will see
This passion burns inside of me
Don’t say to me, you’ll never tell
Touch me there, make the move
Cast the spell
Because there’s something about you baby
That makes me want to give it to you
I swear there’s something about you baby
Just promise me, whatever we say
Or do to each other
For now we’ll make a vow to just
Keep it in the closet
Because there’s something about you baby
That makes me want to give it to you
Because there’s something about you baby
That makes me want to give it to you
Because there’s something about you baby
That makes me want to give it to you
Because there’s something about you baby
That makes me want to give it to you
Because there’s something about you baby
That makes me want to give it to you
Because there’s something about you baby
Just promise me, whatever we say
Or do to each other
For now we’ll make a vow to just
Keep it in the closet
She wants to give it,
She wants to give it, oh she want’s to give it
She wants to give it, oh she want’s to give it
She wants to give it,
She wants to give it, oh she want’s to give it
She wants to give it,
She wants to give it, oh she want’s to give it
Delving into the intricacies of Michael Jackson’s ‘In the Closet,’ we encounter a mosaic of desire wrapped in the shroud of secrecy. This track, from his 1991 album ‘Dangerous,’ throbs with an intensity that teeters on the edge of the forbidden. It invites listeners into a private world where passions are whispered and the promise of discretion is paramount.
The allure of ‘In the Closet’ lies not just in its sultry beats or Jackson’s trademark vocal inflections but in the enigma of its lyrics. This exploration peels back the layers of the song’s verses, probing the depths of its themes and the provocative questions it poses about love, lust, and the clandestine affairs that dance in the shadows of our candid selves.
Deciphering the Dance of Desire
The phrase ‘In the Closet’ conjures a vivid playground of the secretive and the sensual. Jackson’s lyrics speak directly to the heated heart, the magnetic pull of an attraction so strong it demands to be hidden away, locked behind closed doors. From the outset, ‘She’s just a lover, who makes me high’ sets a tone of intoxication and addiction to another’s touch, a desire so potent it defies reason.
The question, ‘Is it worth the giving, is it worth the try,’ hints at the risk involved in succumbing to such an overpowering impulse. The singer is fully aware of the stakes, yet he seems helplessly drawn to the flame of requited ardor. It’s the universal gamble of the heart—weighing the worth of temporary bliss against the potential for lasting scars.
The Unbreakable Vow of Secrecy
‘Just promise me, whatever we say / For now we take a vow to just / Keep it in the closet’—these lines form the chorus’s haunting refrain, a pact made under the pressure of pulsating rhythms. The directive ‘Keep it in the closet’ serves as both an admonition and an invitation, a caution to keep the fire contained, yet it holds an undeniable allure.
It’s the tension between the need for honest expression and the equally compelling need to protect oneself from the repercussions of being exposed. The ‘closet’ becomes a metaphor for the internal struggle we face when we harbor feelings that society or circumstance deem unacceptable or premature to unveil.
The Metaphor of the Unyielding Element
With vivid lyricism, Jackson sings, ‘You cannot cleave it, or put it in the furnace / You cannot wet it, you cannot burn it.’ Here, he introduces an immutable force—perhaps referencing the essence of true desire, unyielding and resistant to any attempts at eradication or refinement.
In dissecting these words, they also evoke a sense of permanence, something that, once sparked, can neither be extinguished nor easily forgotten. The nature of such desire is intrinsic, as much a part of us as the elements, and just as impossible to alter.
A Chorus of Concealed Truths
The backdrop to Jackson’s confession is a repetitive chant from the unnamed lover: ‘She wants to give it.’ These words strike like a drum, a rhythmic reminder of mutual yearning and the seductive pull of prohibited territory. Yet, the simplicity of the repetition carries a complexity—despite the passion, there’s a silence they’ve agreed upon, a dance around the full expression of their feelings.
In this repeated line lies the core of the song’s suspense, the constant push and pull between revelation and concealment. The use of ‘dare me’ serves as both a challenge and a plea, a bravado that masks an underlying vulnerability and apprehension.
Moments of Memorable Invocation
Among the song’s striking lines, ‘Touch me there, make the move / Cast the spell’ stands out as a moment of intimate invocation. It’s a call to cross forbidden boundaries, to give in to the sorcery of touch. The language of casting spells alludes to the enchantment that happens behind closed doors, where feelings and actions are shielded from the outside world’s judgments.
Combined with the palpable tension of the song’s beats and Jackson’s impassioned delivery, these lyrics are an entreaty that reaches beyond the music, beckoning the listener into the intimate space of hidden desire, where only the bold or the bewitched may tread.
