I opened the fire door to four lips
None of which were mine kissing
Tightened my belt around my hips
Where your hands were missing
And stepped out into the cold
Collar high under the slate gray sky
The air was smoking and the streets were dry
And I wasn't joking when I said good bye

And there were magazine quality men talking on the corner
French, no less much less of them then us
So why do I feel like something's been rearranged?
You know, taken out of context I must seem so strange

Killed a cockroach so big
It left a puddle of pus on the wall
You know when you and I are lying in bed
You don't seem so tall
And I'm singing now because my tear ducts are too tired
And my mind is disconnected but my heart is wired

And I make such a good statistic
Someone should study me now
Somebody's got to be interested in how I feel
Just 'cause I'm here
And I'm real

And oh, how I miss
Substituting the conclusion to confrontation with a kiss
And oh, how I miss
Walking up to the edge and jumping in
Like I could feel the future on your skin

I opened the fire door to four lips
None of which were mine kissing
I opened the fire door to four lips
None of which were mine

I opened the fire door
I opened the fire door
I opened the fire door
I opened the fire door
I opened the fire door
Oh, I opened the fire door
Oh, I opened the fire door


Lyrics submitted by aur0ra

Fire Door Lyrics as written by Ani Difranco

Lyrics © A SIDE MUSIC LLC

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Fire Door song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    hm come to think of it ive always taken the first part quite literarilly, which i dont mind- i think its a strong scene shes describing even if you dont take it as a metaphore. Her walking in on her lover kissing someone else, complete with her walking out of there split seconds later into the cold, harsh reality; no intention of ever taking the cheating partner back and aknowledging the definity of the loss (where your hands were missing).

    Ive interpreted the rest of the song as thoughts, observations and flashbacks walking away, trying to digest what she just saw (something's been rearranged). In the end of the song she is regretfully missing what she has lost: the possibility of making up (substituting the conclusion of confrontation with a kiss) and the leap of faith that she will no longer take, thinking she has a future with this person (walking up to the edge and jumping in like i could taste the future on your skin)

    vivianmarion November 20, 2010   Link

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