Heartland

apart from being full of lovely gothic imagery, does anyone have any ideas what this song is actually about? if i hazarded a guess at "drugs" it would only be an educated stab in the dark.

It's not about cars or women, so it must be about drugs.

Isn't this the only Sisters song with lyrics NOT written by Von? I thought it was by Gary Marx...lovely song really, I listen to it a lot, I love Von's vocal delivery.

So if the lyrics aren't by Von does the "drugs and sex" explanation for everything not work?

So it could be about teddy bears, puppies and kittens. Or drugs. Or teddy bears, puppies and kittens on drugs.

Nicole wrote:Isn't this the only Sisters song with lyrics NOT written by Von? I thought it was by Gary Marx...lovely song really, I listen to it a lot, I love Von's vocal delivery.

watch is written by gary marx too. but as far as i know poison door is the only non-von lyric that eldritch sings on record (discounting covers, natch.)

Might not be about very much. Few drug-related bits and bobs, some nice imagery, etc.
Good stuff.

...and for reference....

Behind the door
The poison door
We search the still hours
Looking
For a place to hide(For a place to hide)
Behind the door
Where dreams collide(Where dreams collide)
Behind the door
The poison door
We sit in silence waiting
For a deadly friend
Behind the door
Where dreams descend(Where dreams descend)
And the shadows smile

Lips dark and wild
The shadows smile
And kiss the sky
Behind the door
The poison door
The puppets dance on a burning floor
Like dying flames
Behind the door
Shoot me down again

[repeat to first break]

And kiss your memory goodbye
And the shadows smile
But their lips are ssss...

And the shadows smile
Lips dark and wild
And the shadows smile
Kiss your memory goodbye
And the shadows smile
Lips dark and wild
And kiss the sky

Could be about dreams/nightmares.
I always though it would be a good end track as the credits roll on a spooky horror film.

It's a goth way of waiting for a job interview (see also record company executives)

It's death, and I don't think he's looking forward to it.

And they were concerned with being labelled a goth band? Can't see it myself.

I used to think it was about drugs, maybe for the simple reason that in german drugs are called Rauschgift (~inebreating poison), but reading the lyrics now I get the idea that it might be about a couple hiding in a room somewhere, making love until a nuclear strike kills them.
Kissing the sky could be a picturesque for a mushroom cloud ascending, the puppets dancing on a burning floor what's left of the couple after heat and shockwave struck.
I wouldn't exclude any drug-image, though. Drugs and escapism through them were used elsewhere in The Sister's lyrics, they could be the actual door in this picture.
It could be mushroom in the heads, mushroom in the clouds, thus. Bet yir badger.
I just noticed that I didn't listen to that song for way too long. A week or so.

Ask Quiffy to ask that very nice man Mr. Marx - he might know.

Hom_Corleone wrote:Ask Quiffy to ask that very nice man Mr. Marx - he might know.

do you know, that very thought never went through my mind when i posted this.

To be honest, looking at the lyrics in the cold light of day, it just looks like a collection of vaguely gothy words by an inexperienced lyricist trying his hand. That's not a criticism - I quite like the imagery - but I'm not sure that it's really about anything so much as just an experiment in songwriting.

But I really hope it's about teddy bears, puppies and kittens on drugs.

stufarq wrote:To be honest, looking at the lyrics in the cold light of day, it just looks like a collection of vaguely gothy words by an inexperienced lyricist trying his hand.

Reptile House...

I'm certain that we've done this before...

stufarq wrote:To be honest, looking at the lyrics in the cold light of day, it just looks like a collection of vaguely gothy words by an inexperienced lyricist trying his hand. That's not a criticism - I quite like the imagery - but I'm not sure that it's really about anything so much as just an experiment in songwriting.

reminds me of the MM (IIRC) interview with hussey where the interviewer found a dictionary with all the ethereal/gothy words highlighted.

Hom_Corleone wrote:Ask Quiffy to ask that very nice man Mr. Marx - he might know.

Great idea!

Psst, Gary! See my post for a good reply to that question!

lazarus corporation wrote:It's not about cars or women, so it must be about drugs.

that made me laugh as i didnt think von spent a great deal of money on cars or women

mh wrote:I'm certain that we've done this before...

FLMAO

mh wrote:I'm certain that we've done this before...

did no one else chuckle at this

mh wrote:I'm certain that we've done this before...

... absolutely ... ... not knowing it was so easy ... :: :: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

On a more serious note:

Cat's foot iron claw
Neuro-surgeons scream for more
At paranoia's poison door
Twenty first century schizoid man

Coincidence or inspiration?

Rereading the lyrics I was struck that Poison Door could almost be a riposte to Walk Away maybe?

markfiend wrote: ↑24 Jun 2021, 09:35 Rereading the lyrics I was struck that Poison Door could almost be a riposte to Walk Away maybe?

Depends on what version. The above lyrics (and those in the SistersWiki) are from the Peel session recording. The Walk Away single version differs slighty. Or maybe they don't, but then the "deadly friend" would be a "delinquent" in the first verse at least.

Basically, I'd say this is about a group of bored youngsters wasting their time with dissing and waiting for supplies while of course there's always someone who profits. The Peel session version sounds more sensible questioning a) the lyrics themselves and b) the idea/emotion behind. There's more contrast in it. I'd perfer that one. Although the single version is of course quite impressing also due to the changes in the mix of the sound.

now i know for a fact that i've since read Mark saying what this was actually about; but i'm buggered if i can remember what or where.