Curtains

Song Meaning

The narrator is desperately trying to create a sanctuary, a bubble against the harshness of the outside world. The repeated commands to "draw the blinds" and "pull up the blankets" establish an immediate tone of anxious retreat. It’s a plea for an enforced peace, a desire to physically wall off the encroaching darkness and whatever troubles it brings. This isn't just about comfort; it's about active exclusion. The core tension lies in the contrast between the desired safety and the unsettling imagery adorning the "curtains." These aren't just passive decorations; they are active guardians. The "angels" serve their purpose, literally "keep[ing] the outside out," but the "lions" are more complex. They are powerful, predatory figures, yet they are also depicted as vulnerable, "lick[ing] their wounds" and "lick[ing] their doubt." This suggests that the very forces meant to protect are themselves wounded or struggling with internal conflict. The lyrics masterfully use this duality on the curtains to represent the internal state of the inhabitants. The "lions" licking their doubt might mirror the narrator's own anxieties, suggesting that the internal struggles are as significant as the external threats. The idea of watching these figures "float away / Along with our memories of the day" implies a deliberate act of forgetting or dissociating, a wish to let go of the day's troubles by blurring the lines between reality and the dreamscape. This creates a poignant, almost tragic effectiveness. The desire for a secure, dreamlike escape is palpable, but the imagery of wounded lions guarding the threshold hints that true peace is elusive. The act of shutting out the night, while seemingly a simple act of self-care, becomes a complex negotiation with internal demons, suggesting that the "outside" might be just as much within as without.