Wake Lyrics
With the door closed, shades drawn, the world shrinks
Let's open up those blinds
But someone has to sweep the floor, pick up her dirty clothes
That job's not mine
Now that everyone's an enemy, my heart sinks
Let's put away those claws
I don't blame them for their curtain calls 'cause I pulled the rope
I want to call them back out for applause
[Verse 2]
Spring and Thompson on the first of May is horrible
We hid in catacombs
So now I'm sleeping next to mouse traps in a bed of all our clothes
While I hope that she won't come home
It was easier to lock the door and kill the phones
Than to show my skin
Because the hardest thing is never to repent for someone else
It's letting people in
[Verse 3]
Well, you can come inside, unlock the door, take off your shoes
But this might take all night
To explain to you, I would have walked out those sliding doors
But the timing never seemed right
When your helicopter came and tried to lift me out
I put its rope around my neck
And after that you didn't bother with the airlift or the rescue
You knew just what to expect
That with the door closed, shades drawn, we're dead enough
They don't open from outside
And someone has to speak with their teeth behind their tongue
To never let that right be denied
We can't rely on photographs and visitation time
But I just don't know where to begin
I want to bust down the door if you're willing to forgive
I've got the keys, I'm letting people in
[Instrumental Interlude]
[Outro]
Don't be scared to speak, don't speak with someone's tooth
Don't bargain when you're weak, don't take that sharp abuse
Some patients can't be saved, but that burden's not on you
Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that
Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that
Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that
Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that
Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that
Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that
Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that
Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that
[Instrumental Outro]
About
A Wake is the name of the social interactions that occur around a funeral. Thus the title of the song, Wake, shows how the song is dealing with how Peter is acting socially.
“Wake (Letting People In)” continues with the overarching storyline of Hospice of using the tale of a Hospice worker falling in love with a terminally ill patient as a metaphor for being trapped in an abusive relationship. In the previous track in the album, Shiva, the patient died/relationship broke up so for Wake the perspective changes to that of a friend who sees that Peter is suffering and wants to help.
As Peter said in Thefader:
The first half of that song is the narrator speaking to his friend, kind of atoning, apologizing. The second half, the “don’t be scared to speak” part, is the narrator talking to himself and talking to anyone.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
