I'm sitting in a room
Made up of only big white walls
And in the halls
There are people looking through the window and 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 oh, oh 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 in 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 oh, oh 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 talking
So now let's see you walking
I said let's see you walking

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

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



Lyrics submitted by ellie117

Track duration: 03:19

"Fences" as written by David Jonathan Bendeth, Joshua Neil Farro, Hayley Nichole Williams

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Fences song meanings
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98 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:Judging from the beginning, Hayley was comparing being under the spotlight as being the patient in an asylum that they bring group of doctors around to examine and whatnot, focusing on their flaws, just like the tabloids do to the famous. From what they drive to their political opinion, the paper will always find some way to smear the celebrities. Just my opinion though.
    Flag DoubleM16on January 23, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the song is about the struggle celebrities have to handle once they get famous. It makes sense when you think about it. Like the part that says "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" probably meaning that once your popular you are now on display and for now on that the road you'll have. "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" this means that they could show you how to build your fences to get more privacy and that a battle you hate to fight once your famous. Well to me that's the meaning of the song. Its about celebrities and stuff but that also depends on what you think it means.
    Flag jadzi22on August 04, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:She has an amazing voice and style! Clever lyrics!
    We can talk if you want ;)
    Flagged happy7on April 16, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment: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.
    Flag lutonspamon April 01, 2012   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation: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: youtube.com/…
    Flag onhceton July 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I know that my interpretation will probably very different than most, but many of the words just fit my situation. I see it as myself talking to my ex-boyfriend. The way he broke up with me was extremely torturous because he never told me anything. He tried to just run and hide, and I had to hear everything from his friend, who he told lies about me. He told me, 2 months later, that it was his parents that made him break up with me, and he appologized for everything. And I talked to him a couple of days ago and we carried a cold conversation about what we've been through since. I've been through a lot of pain, and gotten into drinking and drugs a bit. He's been through the same and more, worse. But every time I saw him since the breakup, except for one, he seemed completely fine and happy. He told me he's been acting to cover up his real feelings. I have been acting, too, but in different ways.

    "Don't look up
    Just let them think there's no place else you'd rather be"
    We did have a moment like this. We were sitting at a table with a group of friends and he was almost over-acting, making jokes and laughing. He sat across from me and handed me a water bottle I had left where he was sitting. There were so many unspoken words in that eye contact and I could see that the happiness not real. But we both just acted like there was no place else we'd rather be.

    "You're always on display
    For everyone to watch and learn from"
    We are always on display. Everyone: friends, parents, etc. are always watching our every moves.

    "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"
    The camera shows happy people. But it's a lie. But we smile so no one knows.

    "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"
    I would teach him to stop listening to other people. And to set restrictions on the girls he lets walk all over him since the breakup.

    "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"
    He acted like everything was my fault. He told people lies about why he broke up with me and told people he was "sick of my shit". And he could try to hate me to cover all his mistakes, but he couldn't walk it. As soon as he saw me again it started all turning back on him. And he is just a mess. But he does all this big talking to fool everyone.
    Flag amyehochon June 29, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I know that my interpretation will probably very different than most, but many of the words just fit my situation. I see it as myself talking to my ex-boyfriend. The way he broke up with me was extremely torturous because he never told me anything. He tried to just run and hide, and I had to hear everything from his friend, who he told lies about me. He told me, 2 months later, that it was his parents that made him break up with me, and he appologized for everything. And I talked to him a couple of days ago and we carried a cold conversation about what we've been through since. I've been through a lot of pain, and gotten into drinking and drugs a bit. He's been through the same and more, worse. But every time I saw him since the breakup, except for one, he seemed completely fine and happy. He told me he's been acting to cover up his real feelings. I have been acting, too, but in different ways.

    "Don't look up
    Just let them think there's no place else you'd rather be"
    We did have a moment like this. We were sitting at a table with a group of friends and he was almost over-acting, making jokes and laughing. He sat across from me and handed me a water bottle I had left where he was sitting. There were so many unspoken words in that eye contact and I could see that the happiness not real. But we both just acted like there was no place else we'd rather be.

    "You're always on display
    For everyone to watch and learn from"
    We are always on display. Everyone: friends, parents, etc. are always watching our every moves.

    "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"
    The camera shows happy people. But it's a lie. But we smile so no one knows.

    "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"
    I would teach him to stop listening to other people. And to set restrictions on the girls he lets walk all over him since the breakup.

    "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"
    He acted like everything was my fault. He told people lies about why he broke up with me and told people he was "sick of my shit". And he could try to hate me to cover all his mistakes, but he couldn't walk it. As soon as he saw me again it started all turning back on him. And he is just a mess. But he does all this big talking to fool everyone.

    Flag amyehochon June 29, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:They're talking about celebrities who can't cope with the publicity: 'And it's obvious that you're dying, dying, just living proof that the camera's lying'
    I think it's also referring to so many people that because of paparazzi and the pressure of tabloids many celebrities end up killing them self in some way: 'So smile, cause you'll go out in style'
    But they're saying you can, like so many famous people, keep your life private: 'I'd show you how to build your fences, set restrictions, separate from the world.' But saying that they're doing it to themselves because they do things to seek out attention and become more famous: 'Yeah, yeah, you're asking for it, with every breath that you breathe in.'
    And now that they're famous they're saying you can't ever turn back because now everyone knows you and they've got their eye on you: 'And now you can't turn back, because this road is all you'll ever have'

    I think that's it though. Awesome song! ;D





    Flag kaylaflemzon April 17, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:

    I honestly think that this song...Well...I think of Marilyn Monroe.

    "The constant battle that you hate to fight
    Just blame the limelight" She was given pills by her psychiatrist. And all of the negative attention she was getting from everyone, the media drove her over the edge.
    Then again, this could be about ANY celebrity.
    Flag ZombiebeDammedon March 18, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song was written by Haley Williams on her SAT paper. there is lots of evidence as she was 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." and "They know exactly what we're here for"
    Flag blucattslyricson March 05, 2011   Link

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