Funeral Song

Sleater-Kinney

Stay away from the haunted heart
Stay away from the haunted heart
You swore to yourself that you'd make a new start
Just like the demon with the poison dart

There's nothing left to see
Turn out the light
There's nothing left to see
Turn out the light

Stay away from the burning house
Stay away from the burning house
To get inside, you'll never get out
Die together before the flames go out
Burn your baby make you scream and shout?
Burn your baby make you scream and shout?
Build it up just to tear it down
Nothing left but ashes of doubt

There's nothing left to see
Turn out the light
There's nothing left to see
Turn out the light

Put it in the ground sing a funeral song
Put it in the ground sing a funeral song
Have the neighbors over and we'll sing along
Lowering the coffin on a love gone wrong
Hey there now what did you bury today?
Hey there now what did you bury today?
Buried the love that I hoped would stay
Nothing says ‘forever' like my very own grave

There's nothing left to see
Turn out the light
There's nothing left to see
Turn out the light

There's nothing left of me
Turn out the light
No one here but me
Turn out the light


Lyrics submitted by light_rail_coyote

Funeral Song Lyrics as written by Corin Lisa Tucker Carrie Rachel Brownstein

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Funeral Song song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I think it's about a love that's over. A relationship that's ended, but is hard to stay away from.

    "you swore to yourself you'd make a new start."

    And talking about how the house will burn her and devour her.

    Just my two cents of course.

    angstiosis_againon January 06, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love this song it's increable

    ladii bon April 18, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think the line "buried the hope I wanted to stay" wrong (at least for the album version). I think the line is actually "Buried the love that I'd hoped would stay"

    IvyMikeon June 04, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Is it only on my CD that "Prissinta" and "Funeral Song" are messed up? It says it's playing Prisstian when it's playing Funeral Song, and vise versa...it's really annoying.....but anywayz, I love this song so much ^_^

    BrainStewed74on February 04, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Very catchy. I get the feeling it's about not committing because it'll go all wrong?

    agree_to_disagreeon October 24, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i always thought this song was about a marriage gone wrong.

    and how the hubands abuses her in some way, and she know's its bad and that she should stay away (Stay away from the burning house,Once you get inside you'll never get out) but she loves him (But you just love the demon with the poison dart).

    then it goes to far one day..and he kills her. (Nothing says 'forever' like our very own grave) i think that line is also referring to wedding vowes.

    "theres nothing left to see, turn out the light" all of HER is gone, he has destroyed her...she no longer has a life..so she wants it to end.

    that's my opinion anyway.

    the_redsungirlon February 25, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    great song

    dejavulaon August 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think it's more about staying away from an ex than about fears of commitment. The first two lines are maybe the most straightforward.

    I also don't think anyone dies for real in the song. They are burying the love, not any people.

    The image of fire for an enticing but dangerous relationship, it gets used all the time but it is still awesome.

    elementaron August 23, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Also I think this song has a theremin solo. The theremin makes ghost noises after the second chorus I think.

    elementaron January 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I keep hearing “stay away from the haunted house”

    geniusbannedmeon August 23, 2023   Link

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