The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Yeah, c'mon
Yeah!
When the music's over
When the music's over, yeah
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Yeah
When the music's over
When the music's over
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
For the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end
Cancel my subscription to the resurrection
Send my credentials to the house of detention
I got some friends inside
The face in the mirror won't stop
The girl in the window won't drop
A feast of friends, alive she cried
Waitin' for me
Outside
Before I sink
Into the big sleep
I want to hear
I want to hear
The scream of the butterfly
Come back, baby, back into my arm
We're gettin' tired of hangin' around
Waitin' around with our heads to the ground
I hear a very gentle sound
Very near yet very far
Very soft, yeah, very clear
Come today, come today
What have they done to the earth, yeah?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn and
Tied her with fences and dragged her down
I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground
We want the world and we want it (we want the world and we want it!)
Now
Now?
Now!
Persian night, babe
See the light, babe
Save us
Jesus
Save us!
So when the music's over
When the music's over, yeah
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Well the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end
Yeah!
When the music's over
When the music's over, yeah
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Yeah
When the music's over
When the music's over
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
For the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end
Cancel my subscription to the resurrection
Send my credentials to the house of detention
I got some friends inside
The face in the mirror won't stop
The girl in the window won't drop
A feast of friends, alive she cried
Waitin' for me
Outside
Before I sink
Into the big sleep
I want to hear
I want to hear
The scream of the butterfly
Come back, baby, back into my arm
We're gettin' tired of hangin' around
Waitin' around with our heads to the ground
I hear a very gentle sound
Very near yet very far
Very soft, yeah, very clear
Come today, come today
What have they done to the earth, yeah?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn and
Tied her with fences and dragged her down
I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground
We want the world and we want it (we want the world and we want it!)
Now
Now?
Now!
Persian night, babe
See the light, babe
Save us
Jesus
Save us!
So when the music's over
When the music's over, yeah
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Well the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira, edited by labell25
When The Music's Over Lyrics as written by John Paul Densmore Jim Morrison
Lyrics © Doors Music Company
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
I always loved this song since I first heard it. I'm a huge fan of music and it's really helped me through some rough times when I was alone, so I obviously related strongly to the song because of the chorus (and of course I loved Ray, John and Robby's performances as always). I liked the verses, but I hadn't really interpreted it from the author's point of view. And so here it is, sorry if it's too long.
When the music's over, When the music's over, yeah When the music's over, Turn out the lights, turn out the lights, turn out the light
Well the music is your special friend Dance on fire as it intends Music is your only friend Until the end Until the end Until the end
This is the driving point of the song. The music is a metaphor not for life itself, but for all the things that make life worth living. So while those things are your special friend, your only friend, when they're over you should just turn out the light, because there's nothing left to live for. I think Jim used music to represent this because (besides the obvious fact that they were musicians) it was his passion, it was one of the few remaining things that made life worth living for him. Unfortunately, eventually even music didn't do that for him anymore, and the lights went out. The "Dance on fire" line is saying that all those things that make life worth living are the same things that make you want to dance. Of course they do more than just that, but he uses dance as the metaphor because it's in relation to the music. The 'music' makes you want to 'dance.' All the great things in life make you want to dance, love, laugh, "specialize in having fun." When the music's over and you're waiting for your lights to turn out, you don't want any of those things anymore.
Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection Send my credentials to the House of Detention I got some friends inside
He doesn't want to reincarnate when this life is over, he wants his soul to rest in the "House of Detention," which would be literally interpreted as a resting place for souls, because they're keeping themselves 'detained.'
The face in the mirror won't stop The girl in the window won't drop A feast of friends, alive, she cried Waiting for me outside
I don't know how to interpret exactly what Jim was conveying here, but I do know that this is what's happening in the House of Detention as his friends are there waiting for him. He's not willing to join them yet.
Before I sink into the big sleep, I want to hear, I want to hear The scream of the butterfly
Jim isn't quite ready to turn out the lights, call it quits on life and join his friends in the House. He still needs to experience some things before he's ready to leave. The butterfly may represent rebirth, or maybe it's just used as a strong (and creepy) visual, since it's perhaps the last animal on Earth you would expect to scream. After he says "The scream, of the butterfly," you can hear Ray play a trippy bit on the keyboard. I interpret this as the butterfly's scream. Note: I've heard about how it's a sexual/pornographic reference, but Jim picked up all sorts of random stuff that made they're way into his writings, so the context in which he came across the phrase isn't necessarily the context in which he used it. Personally I think it has really strong imagery, I have no idea how it could be used as a title for a porn movie.
Come back, baby, back into my arm We're getting tired of hangin' around, Waitin' around with our heads to the ground I hear a very gentle sound Very near yet very far Very soft yet very clear Come today, come today
Now that he's heard the scream and experienced what he needed to experience, he feels like he's ready for death. He's "tired of hanging around" with his "ear to the ground." It's a perfect metaphor for death, especially when using music as a similar, yet opposite, metaphor. When you're listening for sounds with your ear to the ground, you're listening for low-pitched sounds, like how hunters track herds, but they're hard to pinpoint. Jim hears the gentle rumbling of death, it seems both near and far, he can only hear it softly, but for him it's as clear as day (after all, he was pretty much obsessed with death). He's tired of life here, it's running him down, taking his spirit. His music is over.
What have they done to the earth, yeah What have they done to our fair sister Ravaged and plundered, and ripped her and bit her Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn And tied her with fences and dragged her down
The longer he stays here without the music, the more it gets to him. Understandably, our legacy on this planet seems to be driving the author mad. All he can see now is the negative.
I hear a very gentle sound, With your ear down to the ground We want the world and we want it, We want the world and we want it now Now Now
Again, waiting for death. This time, death finally comes to release him. This part of the song is still a toss-up for me but this is my interpretation: Notice when Jim says "We want the world and we want it..." he alters his voice, and it overlaps with the next line. I think those lines are Death's, and 'they' say that because, by their nature, they have an insatiable appetite for death and destruction, they want to destroy the whole world. It's probably also in part a reference to the last few lines talking about man-made destruction of the planet, perhaps alluding to humans being a destructive animal, or even death-incarnate. Whatever the meaning of those two lines, the song crescendos here, meaning Jim has finally been taken, to rest in eternity with his friends in the House of Detention.
Persian night, babe See that light, babe Save us, Jesus, save us
I think these are his take on the thoughts and feelings one experiences upon death.
So when the music's over, When the music's over yeah When the music's over, Turn out the lights, turn out the lights, turn out the light
Well the music is your special friend Dance on fire as it intends Music is your only friend Until the end Until the end Until the end
Now we have a clearer picture of what he meant in the chorus: This entire song is a plea to Death. He's asking Death to turn out his lights when his music's over.
Sorry to the mods and to everyone else if this is too long, but I felt this song deserves it. One of my all-time favorites, RIP Jim.
I disagree with most of this. I don't think the song is really about Jim at all. He was a firm 'believer' in Native American heritage and their ways of life, just read his poetry. I think this song is more of a 'swan song' about the Earth, and his dismay for the future of our lovely planet.<br /> <br /> The part about the butterfly screaming is to be taken literal I think. A butterfly is something you want to look at because it is beautiful. The part about it 'screaming' is Jim looking through the eye's of those who have 'plundered and ripped her and bit her' in regard to the Earth. He's taking the voice of the greedy pioneers who have shaped the planet. "We want the world and we want it NOW" kind of proves this to me.<br /> <br /> I think this song is to be taken very literally, and see no instances really of Jim referring to his own life or death. The title of the song in my opinion refers more to the end of our human expeditions here on Earth. We will take everything we can and leave nothing, and when the 'music' (that we make here on Earth by simply living; our every day lives, etc.) is over, we will have nothing left except for the end we've created for ourselves. <br /> <br /> Like I said I don't think this song is about death at all, except perhaps the death of the beauty of Earth that man has caused by his expeditions and curiosity. <br /> <br /> "Save us Jesus" has two meanings. For one it refers to those who think we can plunder the Earth to our will because Jesus will simply make everything right again. I take this as a shot at religion. I also take it literally. Jim sees no answers from the physical realities and in a final plea screams to Jesus to help our planet.<br /> <br /> "Music is your only friend, until the end" is like I mentioned earlier. The music (living here on Earth) is great, until we ruin it for ourselves and our children. <br /> <br /> "With your ear down, to the ground" refers to Jim hearing a sound that he thinks might be a unified resurgence of love for the Earth, only to be shaken from this hopeful fantasy by putting his ear to the ground. He hears the selfishness of those on Earth, and realizes the planet is doomed.<br /> <br /> That's my take. Of course all of these songs are up to speculation, but I see this as more of an environmental action song then a song about death.
This is probably my favorite Doors song. It's imagery is so incredible, it's just an epic song in every sense of the word. The beauty and the horror are woven together seamlessly by Morrison. If anyone calls Morrison a fraud poet, this song is proof of why he is the "American Poet".
"I want to hear the scream of the butterfly." One of my favorite Doors lines.
How can you not love The Doors?
I like it way better than the end..."music is your only friend until the end"..i think this song is about how music is a true or your 'only' real friend because it is rawly just sound waves. The universe is made up of waves..you know, energy condensed to a slow vibration, which is all matter. We are made up of matter. Music is waves as are we. Humans lie...music is pure waves..Music can't lie, or i should say deceive(in terms of hearing it...not hidden or deceptive meanings) when it is simply being playe for enjoyment unless the person choosing to play it manipulates the actual sound somehow... a written song is your good friend because it has been arranged a certain way to be played/heard that way all the time. Yet, people change and can't be trusted as much as your good ole buddy music. I AM FUCKIN INSANE AAAHAH
haha, though i don't fully agree with you, I most definitly love your thought process on the meaning of this song:D
ya know whats weird? he said "when the musics over turn out the lights" and ironicly when he quit playing music he died....Jim was a very mysterious person sometimes it seemed like he was talking to death or something....i dunno just a thought
great lyrics, belting tune
Glancing through famous last words on Wikiquote (yes, I am a nerd) I found this: "When the music's over, turn off the lights." Who: Adolf Hitler, before his suicide in 1945. It does have to do with death, but not Jim's en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Last_words
This song has soo much emotions being released out of it. This song shows The doors at there best. It shows how great they all are as a group and individualy.
Fucking awesome message in this song: when you lose passion for the thing you were put here to do (for Jim, making music), it's time to go. When the band was finished so was Jim and Jim knew that before anyone. He has the ability, especially with this song, to transport you somewhere else if you're really listening closely, definitely a sort of natural high. Also, gotta love the image he puts in your head with "the scream of the butterfly"