Back Door Man

written by: Sarah McLachlan

Lyrics

You open your eyes, look around
You feel the earth it wanders
Out, from under your feet
The ground is not firm but soft and weak like skin
Under the touch, cannot stop to falter
Now, the damage is done the certainties gone
The spirits altered

And now the angry morning
Gives the early signs of warning
You must face alone the plans you make
Decisions they will try to break

Our hands are tied on the table
Maybe you can try at the back door man
While the helpless line up on the doorsteps
‘Cause it’s all they can do to try to get through

All of your life you’ve lived in a world as pure
As Eden’s sixth day
Now all you’ve been allowed
Is taken away – they will not let you be so proud
And you have felt the fear growing inside
Protest follows far and wide
They’ll see how long it will take ’till you fall
From so much denied
Your soul – it aches relentless from the fear
That they will never guess so unfair that
They can make you feel so small
And the fear you know is real

And now the angry morning
Gives the early signs of warning
You must face alone the plans you make
Decisions they will try to break

 

Appears on

Solace (1991)
The Essential Sarah McLachlan (2013)

Live EP (1992)

 

Versions

Album Version
from “Solace”
Track length: 4:00

Live: Live EP
from the “Live EP 1992”
Track length: 4:53

 

Compilations

Album Name
Track length
Version

 

Credits

Vocals: Sarah McLachlan
Drums: Paul Brennan
Bass: Hugh MacMillian, Daryl Exnicious
Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Guitorgan: Bill Dillon
Keyboards, Percussion: Pierre Marchand

 

Collaborations

 

Trivia/Notes

 

Sarah says

 

Video