Dark Road

Album: Songs of Mass Destruction (2007)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Annie Lennox dives into the shadows on this track where she sings about a dark road that leads to her house, revealing an open door that didn't get there by itself. Many of her songs deal with feelings of despair and depression, which she's never shied away from because they are such powerful forces within her personality. An "open door" is usually a welcoming metaphor, but in this case it's at the end of a dark road.
  • The Songs Of Mass Destruction album came at a time when Lennox was disheartened with global politics, notably the Iraq War. The title is a play on the phrase "weapons of mass destruction," which American president George W. Bush cited as justification for invading Iraq. Lennox was also saddened by global warming and rising inequality, lending a somber tone to songs like "Dark Road."
  • The album was produced by Glen Ballard, who often collaborated with emerging artists - he worked with Wilson Phillips and Alanis Morissette early in their careers. Lennox, though, was full-formed when they started working together. "My approach was to sit back and listen," he told Songfacts. "I was just trying to make sure she was happy every step of the way because she's strong-willed, so smart, so musically gifted, and it was really just stand back and let Annie do her thing."
  • The video was directed by the author/filmmaker Mark Langthorne. It was streamed on Amazon when it debuted, marking an early foray into video for the online retailer.

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