My friend
Sits at the drum
His magic hand
Feels nothing but
Time
Nothing but time

My old friend
Sits at the drum
His magic mind
Doesn't feel anything
American flag is behind
If I could stand
To be less difficult

My new friend
Plays drums all the time
Her magic heart
Feels everything
She plays the difficult parts and I play
Difficult

She goes shoop shoop eh doop shoop eh doop
Shoop eh doop eh doop eh doop
We go shoop shoop eh doop shoop eh doop shoop eh
Doop eh doop

If I could stand
To be less difficult

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cat Power's song, American Flag, evoke a sense of nostalgia and the passage of time. The first verse refers to a friend who sits at the drum, and his "magic hand" that feels nothing but time. The singer's old friend also sits at the drum, but his "magic mind" doesn't feel anything, as if he is going through the motions of playing the drums without any real connection to the music. The American flag is often seen as a symbol of patriotism, but in this context, it seems to serve as a backdrop to the disconnectedness of the old friend.

In the second verse, the singer introduces a new friend who plays drums all the time, and her "magic heart" feels everything. She is contrasted with the old friend who feels nothing. The new friend plays the difficult parts while the singer plays the "difficult" parts, signaling the narration's discomfort with being vulnerable, perhaps due to past experiences. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase "shoop shoop eh doop," conveying a playful and carefree energy that seems to contrast the melancholic tone of the rest of the song.

Overall, the lyrics of American Flag paint a picture of the passing of time and the changes that come with it. The friends and experiences we have throughout our lives shape us into who we are, and the singer seems to be grappling with the idea of moving on from the past and embracing new connections.

Line by Line Meaning

My friend
The artist's friend plays the drums.

Sits at the drum
The friend is currently playing the drums.

His magic hand
The friend's skillset on the drums is magical.

Feels nothing but time
The friend is fully focussed on keeping time while playing.

My old friend
The artist refers to the same friend as before.

Doesn't feel anything
The friend is emotionally numb.

American flag is behind
The American flag serves as a background to the setting.

If I could stand
If the artist could handle the challenge.

To be less difficult
If the artist were able to be more cooperative.

My new friend
The artist now refers to a different friend.

Plays drums all the time
The new friend plays the drums often.