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".
God
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pulled me over to tell me so
I say out here on the prairie
Any speed is too slow
I miss Brooklyn I miss my crew
Let's start over
I missed my cue
Guess I just forgot
I should have recognized
That fierce look in his eyes
I've seen it in the mirror
So many times
He's going to put his two cents in
'Cause he's got a gun
But I'm gonna put in three
'Cause history owes me one
Guess I came out here to see some
Stuff for myself
I mean, why leave the telling
Up to everybody else
This may be god's country
But it's my country too
Move over Mr. holiness
And let the little people through
Thank you for serving and protecting
The likes of me
Thank you for the ticket
Now can I leave?
You know I have left everywhere
I have ever been
I don't really recommend it
Though not like anyone asked me
Maybe you and I
Will meet again someday
I've been known to
Come down this road
Call it destiny
And then again
Maybe not
I don't know
In "God's Country," Ani DiFranco describes her experience of being pulled over by a state trooper while driving too fast. She immediately begins to miss her life back in Brooklyn and her friends, feeling out of place in the middle of a prairie. She acknowledges that anyone can be too slow on such vast land, and perhaps it's time to start over. She laments missing her cue and forgetting who she's talking to when she faces the trooper, failing to recognize the fierce look in his eyes. But she's not intimidated by the presence of the trooper with a gun; instead, she's determined to speak her mind and assert herself. DiFranco recognizes the historical significance that the country owes her, and she's unwilling to be silenced by Mr. holiness, whom she believes should move over and let the little people through.
Line by Line Meaning
State trooper thinks I drive too fast
A police officer thinks I am driving faster than I should
Pulled me over to tell me so
Stopped me just to let me know that I am driving too fast.
I say out here on the prairie
Out in this grassy, flat field
Any speed is too slow
Regardless of how fast I'm driving, it's not going to be enough for me.
I miss Brooklyn I miss my crew
I feel nostalgia for Brooklyn and I am nostalgic for everything back at home.
Let's start over
Let's begin again from ground zero
I missed my cue
I missed my opportunity.
Guess I just forgot
Perhaps I just don't remember anymore.
Who I was talking to
I didn't know who I was communicating with.
I should have recognized
I should have known by her forceful expression.
That fierce look in his eyes
The anger look on his face.
I've seen it in the mirror
I've observed it multiple times when looking at myself.
So many times
Countless times.
He's going to put his two cents in
He is going to offer his unsolicited opinion.
'Cause he's got a gun
It's because he's armed with a weapon.
But I'm gonna put in three
I will counter with three bits of my own opinion.
'Cause history owes me one
Because the past is indebted to me for a favor.
Guess I came out here to see some
I came here to see for myself.
Stuff for myself
Things with my own eyes.
I mean, why leave the telling
Why leave the reporting of events to others?
Up to everybody else
Dependent on others.
This may be god's country
Perhaps this is a place that is especially holy or benevolent.
But it's my country too
However, it is my homeland as well.
Move over Mr. holiness
Make room for me, oh Holy One.
And let the little people through
Please allow the little and unimportant people to pass.
Thank you for serving and protecting
Thank you for your duty to serve and safeguard the public.
The likes of me
The very kind of person I represent.
Thank you for the ticket
Thank you for the citation.
Now can I leave?
May I be permitted to depart at this moment?
You know I have left everywhere
You are informed that I have evacuated all locales.
I have ever been
I have ever visited.
I don't really recommend it
Honestly, I can't say I suggest it.
Though not like anyone asked me
Even though no one solicited for my guidance.
Maybe you and I
Perhaps you and I may enjoy a future encounter.
Will meet again someday
We will encounter each other again in the future.
I've been known to
I have a past history of doing so.
Come down this road
Traveling down this thoroughfare.
Call it destiny
Let's call it fate.
And then again
On the other hand.
Maybe not
Perhaps that would not happen.
I don't know
I am ignorant.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Danielle Windsor
I was done at 16
Showing up for class
I was out there in the ring
Learning how to kick some ass
I was done at 16
Using my momma's key
It was all on me
It was all on me
Weren't no free rides
Weren't no IOU's
I pulled my weight, yeah
I paid my dues
And I showed up to enlist
On the first day of recruits
How 'bout you?
How 'bout you
I'm my brother's keeper
Every chance I can
I pay my taxes
Like any working man
And I feel I've earned
My right to choose
You don't get to play God, man, I do
You don't get to play God, man, I do
[Chorus]
You get to run the world
In your special way
You get much more
Much more than your say
Government, religion
It's all just patriarchy
I must insist you leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing
'Cause there's one thing that a man needs
To be truly free
This is the modern world
And that one thing is money
But there are two things
That a woman needs
Control over her own body
Yeah I pay the price
On top of everything
Each month a bill
Each month a reckoning
And each seed that dies
I cry and I bleed
So you can't tell me
No you can't tell me
I am a soldier
It's my blood that flows
I'd give my life
So that this tree can grow
You don't know creation
Like I know
So you can't tell me
No you can't tell me
[Chorus]
You get to run the world
In your special way
You get much more
Much more than your say
Government, religion
It's all just patriarchy
I must insist you leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing
Just leave this one thing to me
'Cause I'm my brother's keeper
Every chance I can
I pay my taxes
Like any workin man
And I feel I've earned
My right to choose
You don't get to play God, man, I do
You don't get to play God, man, I do
You don't get to play God, man, I do
Lesley Nelson
Sad days in our country. Thank you, Ani for all you have done - and it's time for us all to do more.
Kristy Gene
I am still grateful each day that I got to walk on this giant rock at the same time as.this.woman.
Aaron Carson
Me too!
Moon Liu
SAMEEEEE
dreadnaut
💜💚💜
Munekita 04
I've grown up listening to Ani since I was 10 years old. She has matured and evolved over the years, that is for sure. I still feel an intense connection to her earlier songs but that is more of a reflection of me as a person and where I am in my life than it is on her as a songwriter and artist. I can still connect to many of her newer songs and the older I get the more I relate to her newer work. This song I can definitely relate to. The message behind it is timeless and should transcend generations. This is a woman's anthem and we should be thankful that there is a person on this earth that is able to put out work like this, something that has meaning in this day and age is hard to find. Sad but true.
Aaron Carson
"I am a soldier, it's my blood that flows." That line made my hair strand on end.
Sarah
Awesome seeing her perform this💪🏼#righteous
Danielle Windsor
I was done at 16
Showing up for class
I was out there in the ring
Learning how to kick some ass
I was done at 16
Using my momma's key
It was all on me
It was all on me
Weren't no free rides
Weren't no IOU's
I pulled my weight, yeah
I paid my dues
And I showed up to enlist
On the first day of recruits
How 'bout you?
How 'bout you
I'm my brother's keeper
Every chance I can
I pay my taxes
Like any working man
And I feel I've earned
My right to choose
You don't get to play God, man, I do
You don't get to play God, man, I do
[Chorus]
You get to run the world
In your special way
You get much more
Much more than your say
Government, religion
It's all just patriarchy
I must insist you leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing
'Cause there's one thing that a man needs
To be truly free
This is the modern world
And that one thing is money
But there are two things
That a woman needs
Control over her own body
Yeah I pay the price
On top of everything
Each month a bill
Each month a reckoning
And each seed that dies
I cry and I bleed
So you can't tell me
No you can't tell me
I am a soldier
It's my blood that flows
I'd give my life
So that this tree can grow
You don't know creation
Like I know
So you can't tell me
No you can't tell me
[Chorus]
You get to run the world
In your special way
You get much more
Much more than your say
Government, religion
It's all just patriarchy
I must insist you leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing to me
Just leave this one thing
Just leave this one thing to me
'Cause I'm my brother's keeper
Every chance I can
I pay my taxes
Like any workin man
And I feel I've earned
My right to choose
You don't get to play God, man, I do
You don't get to play God, man, I do
You don't get to play God, man, I do
Will Sofer
I love me some Ani. What a ridiculously good artist.