A Knock At the Door Lyrics – Ethel Cain

Feel the chill of A Knock At the Door, a gripping track from Ethel Cain’s sophomore album Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, released on August 8, 2025, through her independent label Daughters of Cain. This slowcore Southern Gothic masterpiece, woven with eerie guitars and Ethel’s trembling vocals, captures the dread of love and loss through lyrics like “You’re not scared of no knock on the door / Or maybe you are.” Unlike the instrumental melancholy of Televangelism or the raw, primal ache of Two-Headed Mother from Preacher’s Daughter, or the sultry defiance of Michelle Pfeiffer, A Knock At the Door channels fear and familiarity in Shady Grove, Alabama, 1986.

As a prequel to her 2022 debut Preacher’s Daughter, this album dives into the teenage romance between Ethel’s fictional persona and Willoughby Tucker, her first love. The song, described as an “honorary interlude” with its sparse acoustic and ambient textures, marks a shift to a darker, more nocturnal tone in the album’s second half. Fans on X have called it “a gut-punch of dread” and “pure Ethel Cain magic,” praising its ability to evoke raw emotion. Produced with Matthew Tomasi, the track’s minimalistic soundscape and Ethel’s haunting vocals create an atmosphere that’s both intimate and unsettling, making it a standout moment in her cinematic storytelling. Dive into the A Knock At the Door lyrics by Ethel Cain and experience the magic of emotion.