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".
Independence Day
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the top of the parking ramp
4th of July
Sat out on the hood
With a couple of warm beers
And watched the fireworks
Explode in the sky
There was an exodus of birds from the trees
We were only pretending
And the people all looked up and looked pleased
And the birds flew around
Like the whole world was ending
I don't think war is noble
And I don't like to think love is like war
But I got a big hot cherry bomb
And I want to slip it through the mail slot
Of your front door
You can't leave me here
I got your back now
You'd better have mine
'Cause you say the coast is clear
But you say that all the time
So many sheep I quit counting
Sleepless and embarrassed
About the way that I feel
Trying to make mole hills out of mountains
Building base camp at the bottom
Of a really big deal
Did I ever tell you how I stopped eating
When you stopped calling me
I was cramped up
And shitting rivers for weeks
And pretending that I was finally free
You can't leave me here
I got your back now
You'd better have mine
'Cause you say the coast is clear
But you say that all the time
We drove the car
To the top of the parking ramp
4th of July
I planted my dusty boots on the bumper
Sat out on the hood
And looked up at the sky
Ani DiFranco's song Independence Day is a reflection on relationships and the personal struggles of independence within them. The lyrics describe a couple sitting on the hood of a car watching fireworks on the Fourth of July. However, the couple's dynamic seems strained, with the singer feeling trapped and abandoned by their partner. The image of birds flying away represents the singer's sense of alienation and disconnection from their surroundings.
The lyrics also touch upon themes of war, violence, and power dynamics. The singer posits that war is not noble and that love should not be equated to it. However, they possess a "big hot cherry bomb" and express a desire to use it to symbolically assert their own power in the relationship. The song's title, Independence Day, takes on a double meaning, referring to both the holiday and personal independence.
The song's themes of love, power, and self-discovery have resonated with fans since its release. Its lyrics have been interpreted in a variety of ways, with some fans seeing it as a commentary on toxic relationships or emotional dependency. Regardless of interpretation, Independence Day remains a powerful and introspective exploration of the complexities of relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
We drove the car
We took the car and drove it towards a certain destination.
To the top of the parking ramp
We drove the car up to the highest level of the parking structure.
4th of July
It was the American holiday, Independence Day.
Sat out on the hood
We sat on the hood of the car.
With a couple of warm beers
We had a few cans of warm beer with us.
And watched the fireworks
We observed the pyrotechnic display in the sky.
Explode in the sky
The bursting fireworks made colorful explosions in the sky.
There was an exodus of birds from the trees
The birds flew out of their trees in a panic.
'Cause they didn't know
They were clueless about our intentions.
We were only pretending
We were putting on a false show or acting.
And the people all looked up and looked pleased
The onlookers gazed up and appeared happy in their expressions.
And the birds flew around
The birds flew in circles around the sky.
Like the whole world was ending
They behaved as if it was the apocalypse or the end of the world.
I don't think war is noble
I don't consider battles to be honorable.
And I don't like to think love is like war
I don't appreciate the idea of comparing love with war.
But I got a big hot cherry bomb
I have an explosive cherry bomb that is hot and huge.
And I want to slip it through the mail slot
I want to slide it secretly, through the opening for the mail in your door.
Of your front door
I want to put it specifically in the mail slot of the main entrance to your domicile.
You can't leave me here
You can't abandon me in this place.
I got your back now
I'm here for you and supporting you.
You'd better have mine
You also need to have my back, too.
'Cause you say the coast is clear
You say that everything is okay or the situation is safe.
But you say that all the time
You repeat that phrase frequently despite not always being correct.
So many sheep I quit counting
So many individuals who blindly follow others, that it becomes difficult to keep track.
Sleepless and embarrassed
Unable to sleep from discomfort or ashamed.
About the way that I feel
Ashamed about having certain emotions that don't match up with societal norms or expectations.
Trying to make mole hills out of mountains
Attempting to minimize a big issue or challenge as a small one.
Building base camp at the bottom
Constructing a place of operations at a low level or a foundational stage.
Of a really big deal
At a very important and significant event.
Did I ever tell you how I stopped eating
Have I ever revealed to you how I stopped consuming food?
When you stopped calling me
When you ceased contacting me through the telephone.
I was cramped up
My body was in pain and undergoing contractions.
And shitting rivers for weeks
Experiencing bowel movements that consist of large amounts of excrement and have lasted for several weeks.
And pretending that I was finally free
Pretending that I had found liberation from my difficulties.
We drove the car
We took the car and drove it towards a certain destination.
To the top of the parking ramp
We drove the car up to the highest level of the parking structure.
4th of July
It was the American holiday, Independence Day.
I planted my dusty boots on the bumper
I placed my boots, which had been covered in dust, onto the back of the vehicle.
Sat out on the hood
We sat on the front of the car.
And looked up at the sky
We gazed upwards at the expanse of the atmosphere.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind