A Year of Creating Dangerously, Day 113: Sunday God Quote – Pete Townshend

“Let my love open the door
It’s all I’m living for
Release yourself from misery
There’s only one thing gonna set you free
That’s my love”
Pete Townshend is famous for being the Who’s dynamic and dramatic guitarist and preeminent songwriter,responsible for monster rock hits like “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Who Are You”.  He also had some hits of his own off his solo albums. One of those was “Let My Love Open the Door” from his 1980 album Empty Glass. Pete has always been a spiritual seeker and has often written about God and faith and doubt in his songs. Despite that, listeners often miss the message. None of his songs have been as misinterpreted in that way as much as “Let My Love Open the Door”. Here is Mr. Townshend himself on the meaning and mistaken message of one of his most famous solo recordings:
Let My Love Open the Door is one of those songs where you end up shooting to write something really deep and meaningful, and what you end up coming up with is something that appears to be froth. That was a song about love, but this is actually about divine love. It’s supposed to be about the power of God’s love, that when you’re in difficulty, whether it’s major or minor, God’s love is always there for you. But I suppose, because I used the royal ‘we’ – I sang in God’s voice – it became a song about, you know, ‘Hey, girl, I’ll give you a good time, if you’re feeling blue, come over to my place, and we’ll catch a movie,” very much a soap opera version of what it was about, but a few people have picked it up.”
Here are the lyrics to that very catchy Top-40 hit about God’s love:
Let My Love Open the Door
When people keep repeating
That you’ll never fall in love
When everybody keeps retreating
But you can’t seem to get enough
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
To your heart
When everything feels all over
Everybody seems unkind
I’ll give you a four-leaf clover
Take all worry out of your mind
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
To your heart, to your heart
I have the only key to your heart
I can stop you falling apart
Try today you’ll find this way
Come on and give me a chance to say
Let my love open the door
It’s all I’m living for
Release yourself from misery
There’s only one thing gonna set you free
That’s my love
That’s my love
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
When tragedy befalls you
Don’t let it drag you down
Love can cure your problems
You’re so lucky I’m around
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
Let my love open the door
To your heart