Close Every Door - depressing lyrics

Yip1982 · Close Every Door - depressing lyrics

Do you think there is something depressing and dark about some of the words in the lyrics of Close Every Door? During the verse Joseph implies that nobody cares if he lived or died. I can see that there are also strong words like torture, decay and destroy. I know this sums up Joseph's feelings at the time but it seems a little too desolate for a dreamer like him.

Eponine93

I think that's the point of Close Every Door. The Narrators can't just talk about how depressed Joseph was. They need to show how depressed he is. Using strong words that show how dark and depressed Joseph was illustrates his feelings.

MG

I also think that words that express such an extreme also advertise the strength that's implied to be part of the "children of Israel". Despite all this he knows he's "never alone" and ultimately can make it through for what it was he was meant for, whether that would be good or bad for him.

musikal_geek

Well, he's singing about how sad he is, so why would the lyrics be like "I sure love this jail cell?"

music is my life!!!

^ haha!

i have to agree cuz i always skip the song cuz it depresses me! Smile

BroadwayBeast

they're definitely sad lyrics, Well when i played the role thats how they came to me and thats how i performed the role!

Yip1982 · Darker undertones of CED

I would like to delve a little deeper into the song because I get struck by what appears to be a darker subtext.
During the first verse I can't help but notice phrases that suggest a metaphor of how Joseph's time in jail could snuff out the light of his life. I can see this in the phrases "bar all the windows", "hide all the world", "shut out the light", "keep those I love from me" and "darken my daytime." I do fear that the darker undertones of these phrases suggest some kind of suicide note, and as such it could probably be too dark for any young Joseph to sing. At least for now they don't notice it, and immerse themselves in the sincerity of Lloyd-Webber's music and Rice's lyrics.

MG

That's certainly something I hear, as well. I think all of that, though, comes back to emphasize the strength of the Israelites.

Beagle On Stage

A good Joseph most certainly would rock the darker subtext. As I always say, a cardinal flaw with productions of this show is that everything is taken too lightly. The song says exactly what a Semite in an Egyptian jail around 1500 BC would be thinking, and anyone playing the role who glosses over it is either failing to do it justice, or stuck in a production directed by Mary Poppins.

As far as I'm concerned, you had better have a strong enough actor playing Joseph to make the audience cry three times: "Poor, Poor Joseph," "Close Every Door," and "Joseph All the Time." Remember that this actually happened, and that every character in it was a real, living person who once walked this earth and experienced what happens in the plot. If the production isn't going to bring this very epic and emotional story to life with the validity it deserves, maybe "Raggedy Ann and Andy" would be a better choice of material.

Monsieur D'Arque

Not "Raggedy Ann and Andy," the darkest, most morbid broadway "children's" show of all time. Ever read "Not Since Carrie?" "RA&A" was in very, very poor taste.

Beagle On Stage

What was so bad about it? I've seen productions that friends were in and didn't pick up on anything too awful...was there some subtext in the original production that didn't come through? The only thing morbid about it is the fact that that crap made Broadway (which I did not know and am not happy about knowing, lol).

Monsieur D'Arque

The part where her parents commit suicide didn't faze you, Beagle?

Brother Marvin Hinten, S.

And the father's a belligerent drunk who beats the NFBSK out of his daughter, hence the invention of the fantasy world with Raggedy Ann and Andy?

Beagle On Stage

I can see why that might be upsetting. I'm thinking of the version that's just a cute story about toys.

Brother Marvin Hinten, S.

Oh. Well...uh...it's alright, the morbid one failed on Broadway. 5 performances only.

Beagle On Stage

It doesn't sound like something a lot of people would want to see.

That High Soprano

I see nothing depressing about this song. It could just be POV but I have to say this is my absolute favorite song from the play

Yip1982	Close Every Door - depressing lyrics Do you think there is something depressing and dark about some of the words in the lyrics of Close Every Door? During the verse Joseph implies that nobody cares if he lived or died. I can see that there are also strong words like torture, decay and destroy. I know this sums up Joseph's feelings at the time but it seems a little too desolate for a dreamer like him.
Eponine93	I think that's the point of Close Every Door. The Narrators can't just talk about how depressed Joseph was. They need to show how depressed he is. Using strong words that show how dark and depressed Joseph was illustrates his feelings.
MG	I also think that words that express such an extreme also advertise the strength that's implied to be part of the "children of Israel". Despite all this he knows he's "never alone" and ultimately can make it through for what it was he was meant for, whether that would be good or bad for him.
musikal_geek	Well, he's singing about how sad he is, so why would the lyrics be like "I sure love this jail cell?"
music is my life!!!	^ haha! i have to agree cuz i always skip the song cuz it depresses me!
BroadwayBeast	they're definitely sad lyrics, Well when i played the role thats how they came to me and thats how i performed the role!
Yip1982	Darker undertones of CED I would like to delve a little deeper into the song because I get struck by what appears to be a darker subtext. During the first verse I can't help but notice phrases that suggest a metaphor of how Joseph's time in jail could snuff out the light of his life. I can see this in the phrases "bar all the windows", "hide all the world", "shut out the light", "keep those I love from me" and "darken my daytime." I do fear that the darker undertones of these phrases suggest some kind of suicide note, and as such it could probably be too dark for any young Joseph to sing. At least for now they don't notice it, and immerse themselves in the sincerity of Lloyd-Webber's music and Rice's lyrics.
MG	That's certainly something I hear, as well. I think all of that, though, comes back to emphasize the strength of the Israelites.
Beagle On Stage	A good Joseph most certainly would rock the darker subtext. As I always say, a cardinal flaw with productions of this show is that everything is taken too lightly. The song says exactly what a Semite in an Egyptian jail around 1500 BC would be thinking, and anyone playing the role who glosses over it is either failing to do it justice, or stuck in a production directed by Mary Poppins. As far as I'm concerned, you had better have a strong enough actor playing Joseph to make the audience cry three times: "Poor, Poor Joseph," "Close Every Door," and "Joseph All the Time." Remember that this actually happened, and that every character in it was a real, living person who once walked this earth and experienced what happens in the plot. If the production isn't going to bring this very epic and emotional story to life with the validity it deserves, maybe "Raggedy Ann and Andy" would be a better choice of material.
Monsieur D'Arque	Not "Raggedy Ann and Andy," the darkest, most morbid broadway "children's" show of all time. Ever read "Not Since Carrie?" "RA&A" was in very, very poor taste.
Beagle On Stage	What was so bad about it? I've seen productions that friends were in and didn't pick up on anything too awful...was there some subtext in the original production that didn't come through? The only thing morbid about it is the fact that that crap made Broadway (which I did not know and am not happy about knowing, lol).
Monsieur D'Arque	The part where her parents commit suicide didn't faze you, Beagle?
Brother Marvin Hinten, S.	And the father's a belligerent drunk who beats the NFBSK out of his daughter, hence the invention of the fantasy world with Raggedy Ann and Andy?
Beagle On Stage	I can see why that might be upsetting. I'm thinking of the version that's just a cute story about toys.
Brother Marvin Hinten, S.	Oh. Well...uh...it's alright, the morbid one failed on Broadway. 5 performances only.
Beagle On Stage	It doesn't sound like something a lot of people would want to see.
That High Soprano	I see nothing depressing about this song. It could just be POV but I have to say this is my absolute favorite song from the play

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Close Every Door - depressing lyrics

Darker undertones of CED