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Fences Lyrics

I'm sitting in a room
Made up of only big white walls and in the hall
There are people looking through the window in the door
They know exactly what we're here for
Don't look up
Just let them think there's no place else you'd rather be

You're always on display
For everyone to watch and learn from
Don't you know by now you can't turn back?
Because this road is all you'll ever have

And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And open wide, cause this is your night
So smile, cause you'll go out in style
You'll go out in style

If you let me I could
I'd show you how to build your fences
Set restrictions, separate from the world
The constant battle that you hate to fight
Just blame the limelight
Don't look up
Just let them think there's no place else you'd rather be

And now you can't turn back
Because this road is all you'll ever have

And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And open wide, cause this is your night
So smile

Yeah, yeah, you're asking for it
With every breath that you breathe in
Just breathe it in
Yeah, yeah, well, you're just a mess
You do all this big talk, yeah
So now let's see you walk it
I said let's see you walk it

Yeah, yeah, well, you're just a mess
You do all this big talk, yeah
So now let's see you walk it
I said, let's see you walk it

And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And open wide, yeah open wide
Yeah, open wide, cause you'll go out in style
You'll go out in style
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98 Meanings

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Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

About celebrities who are being torn apart by Hollywood, paparazzi, pressures of being famous, etc.

One of the best on the album I reckon.

I don't think that it's about celebrities, paparazzi, and all of those things that everybody is suggesting.

I'm sitting in a room Made up of only big white walls and in the hall There are people looking through the window in the door They know exactly what we're here for Don't look up Just let them think there's no place else you'd rather be

I think it's about life and how everybody judges and you just have to let them think you don't care what they think and that there is no place you'd rather be. That's just me though..

Not Valid
Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

Personally I feel that Hayley's taking on "Young Hollywood". (For example, Lindsay, Paris & Nicole.)

  • "i'm sitting in a room. made up only big white walls and in the hall there are people looking through the window in the door. they know exactly what we're hear for. don't look up just let them think there's no place else you'd rather be." : First, Hayley's putting herself in young Hollywood's position. The room, could be in a rehab facility or a jail cell. Because the celebrities today pop in and out of rehab and jail as often as they change their underwear. But I digress. They go to rehab and jail like it's nothing but everyone knows their business. But the celebrity has to keep smiling, like everything's okay.

  • "you're always on display. for everyone to watch and learn from. don't you know by now that you can't turn back? because this road is all you'll ever have." : On display, means the fact that these stars are being followed all the time by the "paps" and they get thrown around these magazines. They can't turn back because they get so absorbed by the Hollywood Lifestyle and their going to keep making the same mistakes.

  • "and it's obvious that you're dying, dying. just living proof that the camera's lying. and open wide, 'cause this is your night. so smile, 'cause you'll go out in style." : These celebrities are trying to pretend that their okay, when they aren't. And you see them in the tabloids all the time, "happy" as can be, when inside they hate themselves. Hayley's saying with the "you'll go out in style" is pretty self-explanitory.

  • " if you let me i could, i'd show you how to build your fences, set restrictions, seperate from the world. the constant battle that you hate to fight. just blame the limelight." : Hayley's pretty much saying that if more people would be like her, keeping her private life private, not partying every single night, they would learn. And they should stop getting pissed when the "paps" follow them around, because they're pretty much asking for it.

  • "you're asking for it. with every breath that you breath in, just breath in. you're just a mess. you do all this big talk. so now let's see you walk it. i said let's see you walk it." : She's saying that they all are fake, and in the end they need to face the truth.

-lindsey

I don't think the "white walls" line should be taken so literally. I think it represents being surrounded with really no where to go and no way to get away. Not rehab or jail.

Not Valid
Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

this sounds like it could be about celebrities but also models with eating disorders

"And it's obvious that you're dying, dying Just living proof that the camera's lying"

"The constant battle that you hate to fight"

I understand that. Ive had anorexia and that's what i thought when i first heard it. It made me start crying because it is a battle.

Not Valid
Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

Just been listening to this song again and it just reminds me of the Hunger Games. This is probably because I've just finished reading it and watching the film, so it's all fresh in my mind, but yeah, to me it kind of fits into the whole "Big Brother" and "celebrity" situations in The Hunger Games, especially when the tributes are being forced into the limelight.

That's really funny because I am actually reading this book and when I read the lyrics of this song I thought it was perfect to illustrate the book. Then, I looked for the meaning of the song and I saw your comment, and I thought it was quite amazing. When you read this book, you can't stop it, and you "live in the story" until you finish it ( Sorry for my english, I am french)

Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

SAMANTHA: Uh, just first off, I’m a really big fan and you guys do great LIVE shows. I saw you at the Phoenix in May. I was just wondering, heheh, ah, what inspired you to write the song, Fences?

HAYLEY: Fences! Um, well actually that song is kinda about the first year and half being on the road … its-its about the end of the first year and a half, how I felt like, uh, especially for me personally, I was kinda pretending to be totally okay and wasn’t, wasn’t letting, um, y’know any … I-I didn’t want my flaws to show, and if I was unhappy about something I didn’t want people to know because I wanted everyone to think that, uh, I was perfect all the time, I was fine and um, I don’t know, this song is me talking to myself saying, um, like get over it and its kinda, I mean its obvious that you’re dying, dying …, y’know. So … its, its just about the struggle of being in the business.

The proof to this can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZWqxYmastk&feature=player_embedded#at=353

My Interpretation
Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

I disagree that the song is about celebs at all. Knowing that the members of Paramore are Christian, i think it's about Christianity and the struggle that "big talk" Christians have to always stay white-wall sterile. And about how totally meaningless it is when Christians talk so much about their faith if it's all just talk to them - when they aren't actually living the lifestyle their words reflect. "You do all this big talk, yeah So now let's see you walk it" Every single line makes a lot of sense when applied to that definition.

Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

This song is written about someone whos life is all about glam and they shroud themselves in, well themselves and how they think that EVERYONE is obsessed with them - If you have a myspace in your bulletins that your friends post look for things like "pc4pc" (Picturecomment4picturecomment)

These are the ppl that love to be in the limelight and try to make there lives seem brilliant and feel the need to talk about it - Inside there dying and that's why I freaking love this song

My Interpretation
Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

Meow, I am a cat... the internet is craaaazy.

Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

I like this one, it's really fast paced. Makes you keep listening hehe.

Cover art for Fences lyrics by Paramore

I have a brilliant video idea for this song.

Me too. My band and I are going to cover it...hopefully.

Not Valid

where did tht idea go? lol

Not Valid

Me too!! Every time I listen to it in my head I have this video in my head.

Not Valid