Although much of DiFranco's material is autobiographical, it is often also strongly political. Many of her songs are concerned with contemporary social issues such as racism, sexism, sexual abuse, homophobia, reproductive rights, poverty, and war. DiFranco's guitar playing is often characterized by a signature staccato style, rapid finger picking and many alternate tunings. She delivers many of her lines in a speaking style notable for its rhythmic variation. Her lyrics, which often include alliteration, metaphor, word play and a more-or-less gentle irony, have also received praise for their sophistication. She has released 19 solo albums (not including collaborative albums or live albums), all of which were released on her own independent record label, Righteous Babe Records (which she formed in 1989 at the age of 19).
DiFranco has been a critical success for much of her career, though not a commercial one by major label standards, with a career album average of 72 on Metacritic. Living in Clip, DiFranco's 1998 double live album, is the only one to achieve gold record status to date. DiFranco has been praised by the Buffalo News as the "Buffalo's leading lady of rock music".
Bubble
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of me and you
But it only held enough oxygen
For a trip or two
To the moon and back again
Tell me, do you remember when
Our love had such grace
It's dawn on the corner
Where the city tests its squeaky breaks
Outside my bedroom window
A doppler muffler and a boomin bass
It's dawn and the snow
Is turning on its deepest blue
So I go outside just to stand there and
Look at my hands against the color
I find I always return to
I want you to always remember for me
Baby, if you can
How much you hated the woman
Who made you a man
And remember for me won't you
Back further before that
How you loved her like a boy
Cried from the joy
When you weren't laughing
No, I hated to pop the bubble
Of me and you
But it only held enough oxygen
For a trip or two
To the moon and back again
Do you remember when
Our love had such grace
We were floating above this whole place
So I hear these days you too
Are trying your hand at sleeplessness
A few more dizzying doppler lovers
And then a booming loneliness
How innocent the young student
On the day school has begun
When I said this was what I wanted
Did you think I thought it would be fun?
No, I hated to pop the bubble
Of me and you
But it only held enough oxygen
For a trip or two
To the moon and back again
Oh but I remember when
Our love had such grace
We were floating above this whole place
Ani DiFranco’s song “Bubble” explores the fleeting nature of relationships and the difficulty of holding onto past memories. The song opens with the idea of a metaphorical “bubble” that encapsulates the singer and her lover. This bubble is delicate and can only hold enough oxygen for a few trips, implying that the relationship was fragile and short-lived. The singer reminisces about the past, remembering a time when their love had “such grace” and they were “floating above this whole place.” However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the relationship has ended and the memories have become bittersweet. The singer implores her former lover to remember the good times they had, even as he moves on to new experiences.
The second half of the song shifts its focus from the relationship to the wider world. The dawn outside the singer’s window is described in evocative detail – the “doppler muffler and a boomin bass” of passing cars creating a sense of discordance with the peaceful snowfall. The singer also references a “young student” beginning a new school year, implying that the passing of time affects everyone, even those who are just starting out. Ultimately, the song encourages the listener to hold onto their memories, even as they continue to grow and change.
Line by Line Meaning
I hated to pop the bubble
I was reluctant to bring an end to our blissful existence
Of me and you
The life we shared together
But it only held enough oxygen
Our relationship was not sustainable
For a trip or two
It was only temporary
To the moon and back again
We were in a state of ecstasy
Tell me, do you remember when
Reminiscing our glorious past
Our love had such grace
Our emotions were pure and elegant
We were floating above this whole place
Our love lifted us above everything else
It's dawn on the corner
The dawn is breaking on the street corner
Where the city tests its squeaky brakes
Where the city's unreliable brakes are being tested
Outside my bedroom window
Vividly describing the setting of her bedroom
A doppler muffler and a boomin bass
Noise pollution from a muffler and a loud speaker
It's dawn and the snow
The snow is illuminated by the dawn light
Is turning on its deepest blue
The snow appears blue in the light
So I go outside just to stand there and
She goes outside just to stand and admire the beauty of the snow
Look at my hands against the color
She admires the contrast between her hands and the snow
I find I always return to
She is always drawn back to this view
I want you to always remember for me
Asking her partner to remember for her
Baby, if you can
An endearing way of addressing her partner
How much you hated the woman
Asking him to remember how much he loathed her
Who made you a man
Referring to the ex-partner who helped him grow and mature
And remember for me won't you
Repeating the request for her partner to remember
Back further before that
Asking her partner to remember their past relationship
How you loved her like a boy
Describing her partner's youthful love
Cried from the joy
He was so happy he cried
When you weren't laughing
Even when he wasn't laughing, he was filled with happiness and joy
No, I hated to pop the bubble
Repeating her reluctance to bring the relationship to an end
Do you remember when
Repeating the question to her partner
Oh but I remember when
Repeating that she remembers their past
So I hear these days you too
She has learned that her partner is also struggling
Are trying your hand at sleeplessness
He is having trouble sleeping
A few more dizzying doppler lovers
Referring to the loud noise outside
And then a booming loneliness
Describing the despair he is experiencing
How innocent the young student
Reflecting on a time when they were naive and optimistic
On the day school has begun
Starting a new phase of life
When I said this was what I wanted
Remembering a time when she wanted this life
Did you think I thought it would be fun?
Questioning whether he thought she expected the new life to be enjoyable
Lyrics © A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind