What do you think Closer means?

Kings of Leon: Closer Meaning

Album cover for Closer album cover

Closer Lyrics

Stranded in this spooky town,
Stoplights are swaying and the phone lines are down
Floor is crackling cold,
She took my heart, I think she took my soul
With the moon I run,
Far from the carnage of the fiery sun

Drivin' by the strangle of...

Write your interpretation
Notify me of new interps
  1. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Dec 10th 2012 !⃝

    Going over the lyrics I would have to go with the Vampire theory. someone stated this is what he meant by it? Drug addiction maybe, but they are not typical drug references.
    "Driven by the strangle of vein
    showing no mercy I'd do it again
    Open up your eyes
    you keep on crying
    baby I'll bleed you dry"
    He's talking about someone else, and while you may reference a drug to "she". in the context he uses it in, it doesn't make sense for drug use. As for the coming storm it could be literal, or maybe he's just tired of hiding from what he is.

  2. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Oct 19th 2012 !⃝

    I think he faces 2 situations, the main one being mental illness and the other is the drug use as a result to hide the effects of the illness, he end by says and I paraphrase; he's come the end, he feels ease but he's old and what seems to be several life times dealing with the pain he ends 2000 years has just finally taken its toll. People fail to realize that people who use drugs or abuse the bottle, are maybe hiding from pain, the song is feeled with gut wrenching pain, from the haunting guitar licks in the beggining.....an invitation to listen to his pain. Lastly, when he says he'll do it again! Its not that he's addicted, he has no choice, mental illness doesn't give you the luxury of choosing, every hand you'll receive is pre dealt. Thx for listening, the song touches me coz I be mentally challenged, the song feels like a blanket to an already cold existance.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Jul 16th 2011 !⃝

    i think its about all the conflict that religion causes. and by coming closer maybe he means a end to religion as we know it.

    or maybe:
    its post nuclear apocalypse.
    the whole first part sounds really apocalyptic, and maybe the "fiery sun" was refering to nukes.
    and then this part:
    You sh-sh-shock my bones (radiation)
    Leavin' me stranded all in love on my own (cause everyone died)
    What do you think of me?
    Where am I now, baby where do I sleep? (everything is destroyed, unrecognizable)
    Feels so good when I'm home
    2000 years of chasing takin' it's toll(maybe its a religous war??)

    thats just my thoughts let me know what you think.

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Jun 6th 2011 !⃝

    This is simple-ville folks: What exactly do you think he is referring to with bits like 'tangle of veins', 'keep on crying, I'll bleed you dry', 'storm bubbling up from the sea' AND 'IT IS COMING CLOSER' He is singing about whacking off.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     May 20th 2011 !⃝

    I think the song speaks of a lost love ... perhaps because of the problems that brought his drug addiction and maybe the drug is a pain reliever to pain of lost love.
    "Drivin' by the strangle of vain" suggests drug addiction. The verze:
    "Stranded in this spooky town,
    Stop lights are swayin
    And the phone lines are down
    Snow is crackling cold,
    She took my heart, I think she took my soul" describe the deep sorrow of his lost love.


  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     May 1st 2011 !⃝

    Absolutely he meant to be in the POV of vampire. Second and third verses are pretty obvious. He may have meant to use it as a metaphor to tie into drug use but I doubt it. As a musician and songwriter myself I can tell you 99% of the time what is written is literal and that it's usually the fans/interpreters who create the metaphors so that the lyrics have some sort of relation and relevance in their own way.

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Apr 26th 2011 !⃝

    It's the drugs.... live the life, you'll understand. This song impeccably captures the emotions invoked by the disease.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Mar 18th 2011 !⃝

    The line that everyone is linking to the vampire theme

    with the moon I run, far from the carnage of the fiery sun

    I think this could also be linked to the drugs theme because these type of people tend to be more active and some drugs can cause the eyes to dilate so when going outside causing that person to be blinded by the light

    just my opinion but I can also see the connection of the vampire scene, it could go either way.

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Feb 16th 2011 !⃝

    I agree with nir guy.. I think he's metaphorically linking his drug abuse to the life of a vampire. A misunderstood monster.

    "Stranded in this spooky town
    stoplights are swaying and the phone lines are down
    snow is crackling cold"
    The aftermathed, drug crazed enviroment that was once alive and bright, now dull, broken and lost.

    "Driven by the strangle of vein
    showing no mercy I'd do it again
    Open up your eyes
    you keep on crying
    baby I'll bleed you dry"

    I'm thinkin he is refering to "her" and "she" as the drug. as what nir had stated. Can't help what he is cause he's driven by the power of the disease.

    I think the "2000 years of chasing taking it's toll" part was indicating that vampires never die, and their "thirst" is ever longing. Seems that his abuse has gone on for more time than it has and now it feels too late and there's no other options.

    "...and its coming closer." refering to the withdrawls. His urges are taking over.

    Anyways, brilliantly, eerie sounding song. The music captured what I think he was interpreting.

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Oct 31st 2010 !⃝

    It actually could be about being a vampire.. because they don't die.. ''feel so good but I'm old, 2000 years have taken its tole'' could mean that he's waitin 2000 years for... Something. I just thought id add my bit in.
    i love kings of leon <3

  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Aug 4th 2010 !⃝

    I have to agree with "nir1984". This is definately about drug addiction & the struggle to get clean. I'm guessing the vampire references are how he must of felt whilst trying to do so. It is a very clever song, in that it can have different meanings for others.
    This is a great opener for the album.

  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Aug 4th 2010 !⃝

    I recon it's about Jesus, they're a Christian family. How else can you explain the '2,000 years' part, that is how long it's been since Jesus was on earth. The chorus says '& it's coming closer' I think he is talking about the 2nd coming of Christ!!!

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Jun 6th 2010 !⃝

    Although it literally is speaking of being a vampire with the sun and all, I tend to look deeper. I think this song can be taken very religiously. "Driven by the strangle of vain", the death of Jesus and the his resurrection was in vain because of "The carnage of the Sun", how the world is becoming afraid of the light or good side of things, and people have started to run with the moon. "You, shimmy shook my bone
    Leaving me stranded all in love on my own
    What do you think of me
    Where am I now? Baby where do I sleep
    Feel so good but I'm old,
    2000 years of chasing taking its toll" Caleb is singing from Jesus' perspective, "Where has everyone gone? Where can I go to feel safe? After 2,000 years I'm getting tired." I don't know, just my opinion.

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Feb 3rd 2010 !⃝

    Good call on the vampire part, since that's what Caleb actually said it was about. :)

  15. ToolFan36
    click a star to vote
     Jun 27th 2009 !⃝

    I think it's more about love, about the loss of it. I love the first part of the song oozes with anxiety. Words paint you a view, of when the hurricane is about to hit, the lines about the storm bubbling up on the sea kinda hint this out, and those swaying stop signs, plus phone lines being down.

    So with all that unrest, you feel that something bad is about to happen, loneliness possibly? It's coming. So what do you do in that situation? you doubt. You doubt in love, the worst part of it that you'll feel like that many times, because that's life: "driven by the strangle of veins". So you loose your will to live, yet biologically you still go on. That means you gotta go forward and look for something new. The idea of looking for ideal love, looks familliar to christianity doesn't it? where you struggle for faith for your entire life. That's why the two thousand might be the key to the song.
    Also I heard that there's a possible vampire theme, which after reading the lyrics seems like a plausible theme, which is pretty cool

12 next ›



More Kings of Leon songs »


 


Latest Articles

 


Submit Your Interpretation

[ want a different song? ]