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".
Glass House
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
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while your ghost is sleeping down the hall
watching the little birds fly
kamikaze missions into the walls
think i'm going to stay in today
sit on the couch and watch them fall
life keeps getting harder
and it just keeps getting harder to hide
the easier it is to see inside
outside the glass
the whole world is magnified
and it's half an inch
from here to the other side
i guess that push has come to this
so i guess this must be shove
but before you throw those stones at me
tell me, what is your house made of?
and if you think you know what i'm doing wrong
you're gonna have to get in line
but for the purposes of this song
let's just say i'm doing fine
i guess i'm doing fine
trapped in my glass house
a crowd has been gathering outside since dawn
i make a pot of coffee
while catastrophe awaits me out on the lawn
think i'm going to stay in today
and pretend like i don't know what's going on
yeah, i guess that push has come to this
so i guess this must be shove
but before you throw those stones at me
tell me, what is your house made of?
and if you think you know what i'm doing wrong
you're gonna half to get in line
but for the purposes of this song
let's just say i'm doing fine
i think i'm doing fine
Ani DiFranco's "Glass House" is a song about isolation and the negative effects of being stuck in a self-imposed prison, represented in the lyrics as a glass house. The singer of the song feels trapped and alone inside her glass house, while the ghost of a past lover haunts her from down the hall. Outside, the world is magnified, making her feel even more exposed and vulnerable. She contemplates staying inside and watching the little birds fly into the walls in a kamikaze-like manner.
The chorus repeats with a message that is both defensive and empowering. Before anyone throws stones at her or judges her for what she's doing wrong, they should take a look at themselves and consider what their own "house" is made of. The singer acknowledges that life is hard, but insists that for the purposes of this song, she's doing fine.
The song is a commentary on societal pressure and the judgment of others. By portraying herself as trapped in a glass house, the singer is acknowledging how it can feel being scrutinized by others, especially in public life. The song encourages listeners to take a step back and examine their own lives, rather than being so quick to judge others.
Line by Line Meaning
sitting in my glass house
Ani is placing herself inside her metaphorical glass house, where she can see everything clearly, but others cannot truly see her.
while your ghost is sleeping down the hall
Ani's past lover has left a lasting presence, which adds to her metaphorical house's fragility.
watching the little birds fly
Ani is amused by the outside world's carefree nature, which contrasts with her internal turmoil.
kamikaze missions into the walls
Ani sees the birds' crashing as a metaphor for her own self-destructive tendencies.
think i'm going to stay in today
Ani acknowledges her current state of depression and her need to withdraw from the outside world.
sit on the couch and watch them fall
Ani is resigned to the chaos of the world and will passively observe it.
life keeps getting harder
Ani alludes to the outside world's unpredictability and its impact on her mental state.
and it just keeps getting harder to hide
Ani's internal struggles are becoming increasingly difficult to conceal.
the darker it is around me
Ani is talking about her deteriorating mental state reflecting in her external environment.
the easier it is to see inside
The darkness brings her introspection and a clearer understanding of her own mental turmoil.
outside the glass
Ani is referring to everything beyond her metaphorical glass house.
the whole world is magnified
Ani is aware that, as she isolates herself from the world, things around her have assumed far greater significance and value.
and it's half an inch
The distance between her and the world is so small that one could easily miss it.
from here to the other side
The other side refers to those outside of her metaphorical glass house.
so i guess this must be shove
Ani alludes to the push she has received from the outside world.
but before you throw those stones at me
Ani is aware of the judgmental tendencies of the outside world and implores those outside to reflect on themselves before condemning her.
tell me, what is your house made of?
Ani challenges others to examine their own vulnerabilities before pointing out her own.
and if you think you know what i'm doing wrong
Ani is aware of people making assumptions about her and seeks to challenge such assumptions.
you're gonna have to get in line
Ani acknowledges that many people have made assumptions about her, and she will not be able to address them all.
but for the purposes of this song
Ani acknowledges that this song is not meant to be a complete reflection of her life but rather a snapshot of her current state of mind.
let's just say i'm doing fine
Ani attempts to downplay her struggles and accentuate the positive in her life.
a crowd has been gathering outside since dawn
Ani's withdrawal from the world and the chaos within has attracted the attention of others.
i make a pot of coffee
Ani seeks comfort in the familiar routine of making coffee and takes solace in creating moments of personal peace.
while catastrophe awaits me out on the lawn
Ani is aware that she must confront the world outside her glass house, but dread grips her, as she fears it might push her over the edge.
but before you throw those stones at me
Ani repeats this line, emphasizing that she knows people will judge her, but she refuses to be cowed by such judgment.
tell me, what is your house made of?
Ani is aware of the flawed nature of those around her and seeks to have them assess themselves before judging her.
and if you think you know what i'm doing wrong
Ani challenges the assumptions people make about her life and seeks for them to introspect on the nature of their criticism.
you're gonna have to half to get in line
Ani repeats the earlier statement, emphasizing the sheer volume of criticism she has received.
but for the purposes of this song
Ani underlines that the song is just a snapshot of her life, and she cannot address fully the criticism she receives.
let's just say i'm doing fine
Ani accentuates the positive aspects of her personal life, as a way of asserting her independence from the critics outside her metaphorical glass house.
Lyrics © A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind