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".
Old Old Song
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and locates a time and a place
like a dinner table where a whole family
is just sitting down to say grace
an old old song that moves into action
taking its sweet sweet time
and waits until we all say amen
again and again in rhyme
it's the story of a father and a mother
who battle each other over nothin'
with a couple of kids trying to figure
which way the plot's spinning
who's winning and who is bluffing
it's a story as common as a penny, son
it ain't really worth anything to anyone
poor little sore little song
that aches like a muscle each time that it moves
sad little song that you play
and you play and you play
and you play 'til you lose
while history is outside writing a recipe book
for every earthly pain
this song is inside finger painting dark swirls
again and again and they all look the same
'cause what if you come home from school one day
and you find your whole family's at war
and there's this ominous silence just waiting to be broken
and there's secret places for hiding underneath the floorboards
and everyone seems to be bracing
for the subharmonic thunder of the next bomb
and everyone seems to be waiting for the cops to bust in
with their guns drawn
at the bleak light of dawn
it's a story as common as a penny, son
i don't think it's worth anything to anyone
The song "Old Old Song" by Ani DiFranco starts out as a descriptive song, setting the scene of a family sitting down to say grace like any typical family dinner. However, it quickly turns into a story of a family torn apart by a constant battle between the parents, leaving the children to try and decipher the situation. It is a common story of familial strife, one that is worth nothing to anyone, much like a penny.
DiFranco's lyrics paint a picture of a family in war, with ominous silence hanging over their heads like a storm cloud. The children are left to hide under the floorboards, waiting for the next bomb to drop, with everyone bracing themselves for the subharmonic thunder. The bleak light of dawn only brings with it the threat of the cops busting in with their guns drawn. The sorrow and anguish that families experience during times of conflict are painted clearly in the lyrics, showing its effects on everyone involved.
Line by Line Meaning
i'll sing you a song that starts out descriptive
This is a song that begins by painting a vivid picture of a specific time and place.
and locates a time and a place
It sets the scene and gives context to the story that will be told.
like a dinner table where a whole family
The first picture painted is of a family sitting down to dinner.
is just sitting down to say grace
They're saying grace before eating, suggesting they're a religious family.
an old old song that moves into action
This song will tell a story that unfolds and progresses as it goes on.
taking its sweet sweet time
It doesn't rush; it takes its time to develop the plot and characters.
and waits until we all say amen
This phrase suggests the story is building to a climax, like waiting for the 'amen' that concludes a prayer.
again and again in rhyme
This line uses repetitive rhyming to create a sense of rhythm and flow, building anticipation for what's to come.
it's the story of a father and a mother
The plot centers on a family unit and their dynamics.
who battle each other over nothin'
The parents are fighting without a clear reason, creating tension in the household.
with a couple of kids trying to figure
The children are caught in the middle, trying to make sense of what's happening.
which way the plot's spinning
The children are trying to decipher the events unfolding around them.
who's winning and who is bluffing
The family members are competing for power and control, and it's unclear who has the upper hand.
it's a story as common as a penny, son
This is a familiar tale that's been told before.
it ain't really worth anything to anyone
This line is somewhat ironic, suggesting that even though the story is common, it's still valuable and meaningful to those who experience it.
poor little sore little song
This line is a metaphor for the story being told - it's a painful, emotional experience.
that aches like a muscle each time that it moves
The pain and discomfort of the story is constant, like a muscle that's always in use.
sad little song that you play
This line refers to the song as something that's performed or played.
and you play and you play
The repetition of 'you play' suggests that the song is being performed frequently.
and you play 'til you lose
The performer keeps playing the song until they can no longer do so, as if the emotional weight of the story is too much to bear.
while history is outside writing a recipe book
This metaphor contrasts the personal, emotional story with the larger history being recorded objectively outside of it.
for every earthly pain
The larger history being written includes a catalog of human suffering and hardship.
this song is inside finger painting dark swirls
This line suggests that the song is more abstract and emotional than the objective history outside of it - it's a personal expression of pain and struggle.
again and again and they all look the same
The paintings being created are repetitive and uniform, suggesting that the emotions and experiences being expressed are universal.
'cause what if you come home from school one day
The story being told takes a new turn, going from describing a common family struggle to imagining a more extreme scenario.
and you find your whole family's at war
The imagined scenario portrays a family literally at war with each other, with violence and danger all around them.
and there's this ominous silence just waiting to be broken
The tension and fear in the household is palpable, creating an unsettling sense of unease.
and there's secret places for hiding underneath the floorboards
The family is actively hiding and protecting themselves from the violent conflict unfolding around them.
and everyone seems to be bracing
There's a sense of anticipation and fear, as if something terrible is about to happen.
for the subharmonic thunder of the next bomb
This metaphor suggests that the violence is overwhelming and all-encompassing, as if the next explosion is guaranteed to come at any moment.
and everyone seems to be waiting for the cops to bust in
Even in the midst of their own personal conflict, the family is still fearful of outside intervention from law enforcement.
with their guns drawn
This phrase heightens the sense of danger and chaos, as if the conflict has escalated to a point of extreme violence.
at the bleak light of dawn
The use of 'bleak' suggests that even though the conflict may subside, the aftermath will still be devastating.
Lyrics © A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind