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".
Rock Paper Scissors
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i will get over you at all
it's hand against hand and both hands are mine
it's standing in a circular line
which is not to say that i'm not also happy
a happy meal with a surprise inside
surprise surprise here's another bright light in your eyes
exposing all the stuff you're not calculating enough to hide
this melancholy that i carry makes me feel so grown up
at my kitchen table doing shots of resignation
i never thought i'd see the day when i would say i give up
and break the stallions of my wildest expectations
i do not want to know you this way
surrounded by so much pain
but how am i supposed to let go of you this way
like a bird into the sky of my brain?
i think i could accept all these dark colors
as just part of some bigger color scheme
if it wasn't for that drippy string quartet of sadness
underscoring each smiling scene
desire drags me right out of myself
a gas-soaked rope tied to a piece of coal
and i'm getting pretty good at looking at the bright side
while the flames rip along the sand and swallow me whole
The lyrics of Ani DiFranco's song "Rock Paper Scissors" illustrate the struggle of trying to overcome a past love. The title itself, referring to the game of chance, highlights the uncertainty of whether the singer will be able to move on. The imagery of "hand against hand and both hands are mine" creates a sense of internal conflict and indecision. The circular line the singer is standing in suggests a constant cycle of emotions and thoughts that they cannot break free from.
Despite the melancholy and pain, the singer acknowledges moments of happiness, comparing them to a "happy meal with a surprise inside." However, the brightness of these moments is soon overshadowed by the "stuff you're not calculating enough to hide," hinting at the unresolved issues in the relationship.
The singer is resigned to their current state of sadness and reflects on the feeling of being grown up as they take shots of resignation at their kitchen table. Breaking the stallions of their "wildest expectations" implies that they are letting go of their hopes and dreams for the relationship. The final stanza describes the singer's struggle to find hope amidst the darkness and sadness, comparing desire to a gas-soaked rope that pulls them out of themselves. Despite trying to focus on the "bright side," the flames of pain continue to consume them.
Line by Line Meaning
it's rock paper scissors as to whether
Whether or not I will heal from the hurt you caused me is uncertain, like a game of chance.
i will get over you at all
I am struggling to move on from you and it's taking its toll on me.
it's hand against hand and both hands are mine
I am the only one who can decide the fate of my heart and my healing.
it's standing in a circular line
I feel trapped in this cycle of hurt and I can't seem to break it.
which is not to say that i'm not also happy
Despite my sadness, there are still moments of happiness in my life.
a happy meal with a surprise inside
I try to find joy in the simple, unexpected things in life.
surprise surprise here's another bright light in your eyes
I see through your facade and can tell that you're hiding something from me.
exposing all the stuff you're not calculating enough to hide
You may be trying to hide your true intentions, but I can see through it all.
this melancholy that i carry makes me feel so grown up
My sadness has made me feel mature and experienced beyond my years.
at my kitchen table doing shots of resignation
I am trying to cope with my pain by numbing myself with alcohol.
i never thought i'd see the day when i would say i give up
I never imagined I would reach a point where I would feel defeated and unable to move forward.
and break the stallions of my wildest expectations
I am learning to let go of my lofty dreams and accept reality for what it is.
i do not want to know you this way
I don't want to have to experience the pain that you've caused me.
surrounded by so much pain
My life feels consumed by my sadness and hurt.
but how am i supposed to let go of you this way
I feel stuck and unable to let go of my feelings for you, even though it's causing me so much pain.
like a bird into the sky of my brain?
It's like I'm trying to release my feelings for you, but they keep soaring back into my mind.
i think i could accept all these dark colors
I might be able to cope with the sadness in my life if it weren't so overwhelming.
as just part of some bigger color scheme
My pain and sadness may just be a small piece of my greater life story.
if it wasn't for that drippy string quartet of sadness
My sadness is like a constant, mournful soundtrack in the background of my life.
underscoring each smiling scene
Even when I try to be happy, my sadness is always present, lurking beneath the surface.
desire drags me right out of myself
My longing for you and my past feelings pull me out of the present moment.
a gas-soaked rope tied to a piece of coal
My emotions are like a dangerous fire, fueling my pain and difficult to control.
and i'm getting pretty good at looking at the bright side
I'm learning to focus on positive things in my life, even amidst the sadness.
while the flames rip along the sand and swallow me whole
Even though I'm trying to stay positive, my sadness is still a powerful force that threatens to consume me completely.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marc Krein
"To the Teeth" is an indisputable masterpiece... and this album is also under-appreciated. The musical and lyrical culmination of one of the most gifted talents of our time.
Olive Oil
Yep. Still here.
Olive Oil
This song. I listened to it at least 20 times a day from 2003 to 2006. You do the math.
I’m still listening now, July 2021. Shit has changed, and changed again and f&ck if it hasn’t changed another time and landed me in the same shitty place I started from. Thanks ma n pa. You guys dead yet?
Josie Cameron
This song is Everything. So Inspiring. Makes me want to leap, paint, cook.....all of it......LIVE OUT LOUD in all the colors!!!!! ❤💛💜🧡💚💙💖
Olive Oil
This is not a happy song…🤔
tiggler80
I FUCKING LOOOOVE THIS MASTERPIECE! I onlny wish there were more versios of this tune online!!
Yidam_
Simply fucking brilliant...
Olive Oil
I want to die. Ani has kept me going for 16 years. This song especially.