Wasner and Stack have been playing music together and apart in Baltimore, MD, and chose their name from the honorary state tree of Maryland. If Children is the culmination of many months of recording, polishing and perfecting to achieve what Any Given Tuesday best described as, “. .. . mingling in a room full of shoegaze, alt-country, folk, and noise, shaking hands, kissing cheeks, and making friends with everyone.” If Children is an exuberant debut – noisy and restrained in turn, Wye Oak describe their philosophy: "We'd like to think that if a song is good enough, it'll stand on its own regardless of how much noise you pile on top. On the other hand, we do like noise." Listen, and we think you will have to agree!
The droll tone and fleeting sweetness of a Yo La Tengo are cut into the more deeply textural concerns of shoegaze in the Baltimore group's work. It's an interesting alignment, given the contrast in senses of humor. But Wye Oak successfully shed tonnage from the latter without losing potency.
Civilian
Wye Oak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know my faults
Can't live with them
I am nothing without a man
I know my thoughts
But I can't hide them
Must you keep my baby teeth
In the bedside table with my jewelry
You still sleep in the bed with me
My jewelry, and my baby teeth
I don't need another friend
When most of them
I can barely keep up with them
Perfectly able to hold my own hand
But I still can't kiss my own neck
I wanted yo give you everything
But I still stand in awe of superficial things
I wanted to love you like
My mother's mother's mother's did
Civilian, civilian
The lyrics of Wye Oak’s song “Civilian” are a powerful and introspective reflection on the human need for connection and the struggle to reconcile personal faults with the desire for love and acceptance. The opening lines, “I am nothing without pretend, I know my faults, can’t live with them,” establish a sense of honesty and vulnerability that sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer acknowledges their flaws, but also recognizes the importance of presenting a façade to the world in order to feel accepted.
The second verse is particularly poignant, as the imagery of baby teeth and jewelry creates a sense of innocence and vulnerability that is juxtaposed with the more adult idea of sharing a bed with someone. The lines “I don’t need another friend when most of them I can barely keep up with them, perfectly able to hold my own hand but I still can’t kiss my own neck” speak to the idea that while the singer is capable of being alone and independent, they still crave the warmth and intimacy of a romantic relationship.
The chorus of the song, with its repeated cry of “Civilian, civilian,” adds an extra layer of meaning to the lyrics. On one hand, the word “civilian” can be interpreted as a desire for anonymity and simplicity in the face of the complexities of modern life. On the other hand, it can also be seen as a yearning for a connection to something larger than oneself, for the sense of belonging that comes with being part of a greater whole.
Overall, “Civilian” is a deeply emotional and introspective song that speaks to the universal human experience of seeking connection and struggling to reconcile our flaws with our desire for love and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
I am nothing without pretend
Without imagination, I feel as though I lack an identity entirely
I know my faults
I am aware of my flaws and shortcomings
Can't live with them
I struggle to come to terms with my flaws and tend to let them take over
I am nothing without a man
I feel incomplete without a romantic partner
I know my thoughts
I am in touch with my innermost feelings and ideas
But I can't hide them
Despite my best efforts, my emotions and thoughts are often on display for others to see
Must you keep my baby teeth
Do you have to hold onto such small and insignificant things, like my childhood teeth?
In the bedside table with my jewelry
Why keep my baby teeth, something so personal and intimate, alongside my accessories?
You still sleep in the bed with me
You are physically present in my life, despite the emotional distance between us
My jewelry, and my baby teeth
These objects hold little significance on their own, but to me they represent my past, my identity
I don't need another friend
I am content with the relationships I have and do not require any more social connections
When most of them
The majority of my current friendships are superficial and lack depth
I can barely keep up with them
I struggle to maintain these superficial friendships because they lack meaning and substance
Perfectly able to hold my own hand
I am capable of being alone and finding comfort in myself
But I still can't kiss my own neck
Despite being independent, there are still limitations to what I can provide for myself
I wanted to give you everything
I desired to provide my partner with all that I am capable of
But I still stand in awe of superficial things
I am still enamored by the surface-level aspects of life, despite wishing for deeper connections
I wanted to love you like my mother's mother's mother's did
I desired a deep, unconditional love that has been passed down through generations of my family
Civilian, civilian
Used as a refrain throughout the song, it represents the mundanity and routine of everyday life
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JENNIFER LYNN WASNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind