John Hiatt's song "Overcoats" tells the story of the protagonist who finds himself in a house of mirrors, armed with a camera and an old shotgun. He takes pictures of himself and his fears, symbolically capturing and destroying them one by one. However, his experience takes a bizarre turn when a woman with a fine-tooth comb suddenly appears and warns him to leave the "ugly truth" alone. The chorus, "Overcoats, Overcoats, I ain't never heard you sing," suggests that the protagonist is wearing a metaphorical overcoat, a protective barrier that hides his true self and prevents him from expressing or revealing his inner emotions. The woman urges him to take off this metaphorical overcoat, to remove the facade he's been wearing and show his true self. As the protagonist confronts the woman about the rent, she reacts surprisingly, buttoning up her lip and hiding in an oxygen tent. This unusual behavior further emphasizes her enigmatic and unpredictable nature. The image of her smiling from behind her mask symbolizes the mask people wear to hide their true selves. The line "I'm here to talk about the rent" metaphorically suggests that the protagonist is seeking to confront the truth and reality, despite being met with resistance. The woman, however, warns him that staying in this place will come with a heavy price, possibly referencing the consequences of facing uncomfortable truths. As the story unfolds, the protagonist realizes that the woman is married to the lost and found, which symbolizes her connection to things that have been lost or forgotten. In this context, the lost and found can be interpreted as the repressed emotions and truths that people avoid acknowledging. Ultimately, the protagonist chooses to leave the woman behind in her sleeping state, suggesting that he decides to let go of her confusing and elusive nature. He discovers the antidote, a way to overcome his own barriers and see what lies beneath his overcoat. The song's conclusion emphasizes the importance of removing the metaphorical overcoat, of confronting and embracing one's true self.
