In 2001, she released her first solo album, Stag. That year, she toured solo with the Butchies as her band. Then in 2005, her second solo project, Prom was released. In December of 2006, Amy released Live From Knoxville, a live recording from a show at Blue Cats in October of 2005. In August 2008 she released her latest album Didn't It Feel Kinder, this is the first album she made with the help of a producer, Greg Griffith.
All three albums were released on Amy's independent record label, Daemon Records.
Fans of the Indigo Girls can expect a rawer, punkier, and rockier sound.
Hey Castrator
Amy Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah I want you
Holding it so tight
Like its the truth
I see you licking your lips
At the slope of her hips
I got disgusted with my own ownership
My own ownership
All the girls who make the cut
Avoided me
All the ones who aren't enough
Just make me mean
And the boys that take you
To the high school prom
Recruit you with flattery
I hate myself for turning on
I hate myself for turning on
Hey finally
Take it out of me
Its the strongest part
It won't let me be
You can have it back
It just makes me ill
You can have it back
It just makes me kill
Hey castrator
Take this strong out of me
Take this strong out of me
The song Hey Castrator by Amy Ray is a powerful and controversial song that deals with themes of ownership, desire, and the struggle to let go of toxic emotions. The lyrics are written in a raw and gritty style with a punk rock edge that adds to the intensity of the message. In the opening lines, the singer expresses her desire for a young man and the violent thoughts that arise from her need to possess him. She acknowledges her own disgust with this feeling, recognizing that the impulse to control someone else is harmful and dehumanizing.
The next verse continues to explore the singer's conflicted emotions, focusing on her interactions with other women. She acknowledges that she is jealous of those who are deemed desirable by men, while simultaneously feeling disdain for those who aren't deemed "enough." The chorus "Hey castrator, take this strong out of me" is a cry for help, a plea to be freed from the destructive emotions that are consuming her. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the "strong" she refers to is her own sense of entitlement and ownership over others.
In the final lines of the song, the singer acknowledges that she cannot be trusted with this power, and she pleads for someone stronger to take it away from her. The lyrics are powerful and unapologetic, presenting a complex and nuanced view of desire and control that is often absent from popular music.
Line by Line Meaning
I want the bloody boy
I desire the power over my lover, possessing them fully.
Yeah I want you
I crave control over my partner, their body and mind.
Holding it so tight
I hold on to this sense of ownership tightly.
Like it's the truth
I convince myself that my ownership over my partner is the only truth.
I see you licking your lips
I notice and become jealous of my partner's attraction to other women.
At the slope of her hips
I specifically become jealous of my partner's attraction to the female form.
I got disgusted with my own ownership
I become disgusted and aware of the toxic nature of my desire to control and own my partner.
My own ownership
I hate myself for this desire to own and control my partner, recognizing that it is unhealthy and wrong.
All the girls who make the cut
I repel the attention of confident, strong-willed women who aren't willing to be possessed.
Avoided me
These women know that I am toxic and avoid me.
All the ones who aren't enough
I prey on vulnerable women who I know I can control and own.
Just make me mean
I become bitter and resentful towards these women, as they don't fulfill my toxic desires.
And the boys that take you
I am disgusted by the behavior of men who prey on women in the same way that I do.
To the high school prom
I am specifically disgusted by the behavior of teen boys, who are just beginning to engage in toxic behavior.
Recruit you with flattery
These boys use flattery to entice and trap young women into toxic relationships.
I hate myself for turning on
I am disgusted with myself for becoming aroused by toxic power dynamics, recognizing how harmful this is.
Hey finally
I am addressing a person who I believe can help me with my toxic desires.
Take it out of me
I want to be rid of the desire to control and own my partner.
It's the strongest part
This desire is incredibly powerful and overwhelming, controlling much of my thoughts and behaviors.
It won't let me be
I feel trapped by this toxic desire and cannot control it on my own.
You can have it back
I am willing to give up this toxic desire in order to be healthier and better for myself and my partner(s).
It just makes me ill
I recognize how sick and harmful this desire is.
Hey castrator
I am addressing a person who I believe can help me with my toxic desires, referring to them as a castrator to symbolize their removal of this harmful desire.
Take this strong out of me
I want to be rid of the desire to control and own my partner(s), recognizing it as toxic and harmful.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind