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".
I Loved You
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who's gonna take the call
When you find out that the road
Is painted on the wall
And you're turned up to top-volume
And you're just sitting there in pause
With your fear a little secret
Scratching at you with its claws
Just exactly how you feel
Before you end up parked, and sobbing
Forehead on the steering wheel.
And who are you now?
And who were you then?
Like you thought somehow
You could just pretend
You could figure it all out
The mathematics of regret
So it takes two beers to remember, now
And five to forget
I loved you so.
yeah I loved you so what
How Many times undone
Can one person be
As they're careening through the facade
Of their favorite fantasy
You just close your eyes slowly
Like you're waiting for a kiss
And hope some lowly little power
Will pull you out of this
But none comes at first
And little comes at all
When inspiration finally hits you
It barely even breaks your fall
And who were you then?
And who are you now?
that you can't pretend
That you could figure it all out
Subtract out the impact
And the fall is all you get
So it takes two beers to remember now
And three more to forget
I loved you so...
I loved you, so what
I loved you, so what
In "I Loved You," Ani DiFranco explores the often-painful process of memory and regret. The song opens with a series of questions posed to an unknown listener, asking who will be there when they finally realize that their dreams and ambitions may never come to fruition. This sense of disillusionment is reinforced by the image of a painted road on a wall, suggesting that the world has become a static, unchanging backdrop to the singer's struggles.
From there, the song moves into a more personal meditation, as the singer tries to come to terms with her own past. She wonders who she was before, and who she is now, as she struggles to make sense of the choices she's made and the paths she's taken. The mathematics of regret, she finds, are difficult to calculate, and she's left trying to self-medicate with alcohol.
The song's closing lines, "I loved you so, I loved you, so what," suggest both a deep sense of longing and a stoic acceptance of the past. By acknowledging both the beauty and the pain of her memories, the singer is able to move on, even if it means letting go of someone she once loved.
Overall, "I Loved You" is a powerful exploration of the ways in which our memories can shape our present and our future. It's a reminder that sometimes, the only way to move forward is to confront our regrets and make peace with the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's gonna give a shit?
Who will care when you're struggling and need help?
Who's gonna take the call
Who will answer when you reach out for support?
When you find out that the road / Is painted on the wall
When you realize that your plans are false and things won't go as you had hoped
And you're turned up to top-volume / And you're just sitting there in pause / With your fear a little secret / Scratching at you with its claws
You're paralyzed by fear, unable to move or speak, but your anxiety is eating away at you inside.
And you're trying hard to figure out / Just exactly how you feel / Before you end up parked, and sobbing / Forehead on the steering wheel.
You're struggling to process your emotions before breaking down completely.
And who are you now? / And who were you then? / Like you thought somehow / You could just pretend / You could figure it all out / The mathematics of regret
You're grappling with your identity and weighing your past mistakes.
So it takes two beers to remember, now / And five to forget
Alcohol is a crutch that helps you forget and move on from painful memories.
How Many times undone / Can one person be / As they're careening through the facade / Of their favorite fantasy
You're feeling disillusioned and repeatedly let down by life.
You just close your eyes slowly / Like you're waiting for a kiss / And hope some lowly little power / Will pull you out of this / But none comes at first / And little comes at all / When inspiration finally hits you / It barely even breaks your fall
You're desperate for change and subtly hoping for a miracle, but aware that few things come of hoping.
Subtract out the impact / And the fall is all you get / So it takes two beers to remember now / And three more to forget
Life's impact sobering, so you choose to drink in order to dull the pain and forget, only ever being left with the memory of the fall.
I loved you so. / yeah I loved you so what
Despite it all, you still love someone (or something) that has disappointed you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
AquariusRising1983
What an amazing freaking song. I love Ani and don't understand how I managed to miss this song. I guess it's the version. Freaking awesome this woman kicks ass.
Francesca Ranalli
I really like this version, so much better than the studio take. but 'untouchable face' is still my favorite.
EnhancedNH
Thank you SO MUCH!! I knew I had heard a good version without the jazzy riffs, and could never find it after that. You have made my day!!
Olivia Kangarilla
This is the best version by far! :)
matthew sudbury
This is my favorite recording of my most favorite special song. Most days I just hope I’m not alone. I’ve met you in my dreams Ani. Thank you. Road to awe ✌️❤️👽
Huraira80
Same here, I have this in mp3 but no idea where it's from... I wish she'd do a studio version something like this. I like the studio version too but for me, despite the volume probs and the audience talk etc, this is still the superior version.... it's achingly beautiful.
Huraira80
yeh I have this version too and absolutely love it... rawer with more guts and feeling than the studio version... shame there isn't a more professionally recorded copy of this live version (that I've found) Also nice to have the lyrics posted beside it. Just noticed a mistake... hope it's ok to point it out ..... should be "some lowly little power" (not powder) Thanks for posting this vid =]
combatbaby7
yayyy found the good version, 10 years after I originally heard it! thank you!!! :)
Road Runner
wish she would do a record the song again but just like this.
EnhancedNH
Thank you... is that the middle-of-the crowd version with people talking over the song?