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".
Kazoointoit
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
so i keep pulling over
and looking under
the hood
i love us both but i'm at wit's end
where does your compromise begin
and mine end?
i love us both but what
the one according to you
or the one according to me?
i don't feel good so ...
now do my problems include
talks with doctors who don't even understand
about food?
i think in ancient china they kinda
figured out how the body works
but our culture is just a roughneck
teenage jerk
with a bottle of pills
and a bottle of booze
and a full round of ammunition
and nothing to lose
and is it really the best we can do
to arm wrestle over whose world it's gonna be?
(the one according to you
or the one according to me)
i love us both and i'll see ya
if you'll see me
so ... who are we?
The lyrics to Ani DiFranco's song "Kazoointoit" express the internal conflict and struggle of the singer in a relationship. Despite loving their partner and themselves, feelings of unease and discomfort have crept into the relationship. The singer describes feeling the need to "pull over and look under the hood," as though inspecting a malfunctioning engine. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for examining the inner workings of the relationship, perhaps in an attempt to identify the source of the unrest.
The singer also brings up the idea of compromise, questioning where it begins for their partner and where it ends for themselves. This reveals a disconnect and possibly a power struggle within the relationship. The lyrics go on to express frustration with the world at large and the cultural norms around healthcare. The mention of "ancient china" and their understanding of the body alludes to the idea that modern medicine may not have all the answers. The singer laments their culture's reliance on pills and booze, as well as the prevalence of gun violence and a sense of hopelessness.
Line by Line Meaning
i love us both but i don't feel good
I care about us both, but I am not happy with how things are going.
so i keep pulling over
Therefore, I constantly pause and take stock of how I feel.
and looking under the hood
I examine our relationship carefully to try and identify the root of our issues.
i love us both but i'm at wit's end
Despite my love for us both, I am at a loss on what to do next.
where does your compromise begin
What are you willing to do to help fix things?
and mine end?
How far can I go before I reach my limit?
i love us both but what world's it gonna be?
Although I care for us, it's frustrating not knowing what our future looks like.
the one according to you or the one according to me?
Do we have the same vision for our future?
now do my problems include talks with doctors who don't even understand about food?
Do my issues extend to seeking medical advice that does not help?
i think in ancient china they kinda figured out how the body works but our culture is just a roughneck teenage jerk
In comparison to ancient China, our society is less knowledgeable about the human body, and it reflects in our health choices.
with a bottle of pills and a bottle of booze and a full round of ammunition and nothing to lose
We resort to unhealthy vices and negativity when we can't figure out our problems.
and is it really the best we can do to arm wrestle over whose world it's gonna be?
Are we doing enough to work together, instead of fighting one another?
(the one according to you or the one according to me)
Are we striving for the same goals in our future together?
i love us both and i'll see ya if you'll see me
I care about us, and I'm willing to work on our issues if you are too.
so ... who are we?
What defines us as a couple and how can we use that to move forward?
Lyrics © A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind