So close the blinds and shut the door/
You won’t need other friends anymore.
Oh don’t leave home, oh don’t leave home.
“Don’t Leave Home” is a song about drug abuse. Sung in Dido’s sensual voice it almost comes across as a love song…but it clearly isn’t. Dido speaks of the seduction and deceit involved in drug use, cleverly hidden in a song that sounds like a love song.
Dido gives voice to the drugs’ comforting words in this song: “You won’t need other friends anymore”, “If you’re cold, Ill keep you warm”, “I will be your safety”, etc. Dido warns about the seductive nature of drug use and it’s power to take over your life. In return, all drugs asks for is your heart, and it will promise to be everything to you.
Dido
The verses and chorus both have great melodies, and the song is a unique take on a drug song. Dido uses electronic effects and percussion more than most on this list and she uses them well. They accentuate her voice and complement the melody rather than dominate it. This is song number two for Dido on this list, and I have a feeling she may get another. That puts her in Rock n Roll hall of Fame territory.
Don’t Leave Home Lyrics
Like a ghost don’t need a key,
Your best friend I’ve come to be.
Please don’t think of getting up for me,
You don’t even need to speak.
When I’ve been here for just one day,
You’ll already miss me if I go away.
So close the blinds and shut the door,
You won’t need other friends anymore.
Oh don’t leave home, oh don’t leave home.
And if you’re cold, I’ll keep you warm.
If you’re low, just hold on,
‘Cause I will be your safety,
Oh, don’t leave home.
And I arrived when you were weak,
I’ll make you weaker, like a child.
Now all your love you give to me,
When your heart is all I need.
Oh don’t leave home, oh don’t leave home.
And if you’re cold, I’ll keep you warm.
And if you’re low, just hold on.
‘Cause I will be your safety,
Oh, don’t leave home.
Oh how quiet, quiet the world can be,
When it’s just you and little me.
Everything is clear, and everything is new,
So you won’t be leaving, will you?
And if you’re cold, I’ll keep you warm,
And if you’re low, just hold on.
‘Cause I will be your safety,
Oh, don’t leave home.
‘Cause I will be your safety.
And I will be your safety,
I will be your safety.
Oh, don’t leave home.
Songwriters: Dido Armstrong / Rollo Armstrong
Now, you’ve (as kids say) “ruined” this song for me. I used to think about my dogs when I heard it, and my effort to give them a good life, so the song often moved me to tears when I sang “I will be your safety, don’t leave home” (having had the bad luck of losing dogs that went away at night to never return).
Now I listened to it with its new meaning and I didn’t feel a thing. Thank you anyway.