Get Out of My House

I've been following Kate since the early 1980s, and what I've gleaned from all of the interviews that I've seen or read with her, is that clearly her songs have depth and are not always meant to be taken literally, however, she is usually not that far away, and usually has a relatively down to earth idea in mind. So, I think most of the over-the-top mythological, pseudo-psychological, or other off-the-wall interpretations that people try to give are probably not close to what she really meant to convey. She does use some folklore type references sometimes, but they are usually straight-forward. In general, I think you have to stay pretty close to everyday experience and relationships to understand her stuff. I think it's all meant to be taken on a gut level, not an academic one.

So, for this song, I don't think it's about a literal house, haunted or otherwise, and conversely, I don't think its about mythology or or psychological theory. I think the house is clearly her, a woman - both her soul and her physical body - and she's "locking out" someone she once loved but now the relationship has failed. The violence of the song may be literal (i.e., physically shutting out a lover who was abusive or has become a stalker) or it may represent a violent internal conflict (i.e., she is fighting her inner temptations to take a lover back when she knows it will not work). I think it's the former - with the man first demanding to be let in, and then later, trying to cajole her, coming across in the song in more of a disturbing, psycho way than anything else. So, I think a former lover with at least some degree of anger issues trying to get back into her, both emotionally and physically.

Now, the turning into the mule thing at the end is kind of odd, and maybe there's some kind of folklore type allusion there. However, I think it also fits to just make the obvious interpretation that she is saying she is stubborn and immovable on the issue, like a mule. Saying "I change into the mule" is just saying "I gathered my strength and you won't move me on this, no matter how much you yell or sweet talk me". I also like to think the male voice making the mule sounds at the end is kind of like portraying him as a braying ass, which is consistent with her feelings about him in the rest of the song.

Well, the beauty of a great song is that it can mean something different to each person. Whatever you think this one means, it's still a great song - a bit disturbing and violent, but also resilient in the end. A great, gut level track.