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".
Subconscious
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way that I do
Looking like I'm lost in thought
But I'm looking for you
It's so subconscious
The way that I feel
Too bad my subconscious life
And I ain't in the best shape
That I've ever been in
But I know where I'm going
And it ain't where I've been
I know where I'm going
And it ain't where I've been
Some kind of anxiety
Has gotten hold of my heart
And I just want to run home
When I feel it start
Plastic bottles of water
Sealed windows, forced air
And gazillions of cell phones
Beaming through my (h)air
And I ain't in the best shape
That I've ever been in
But I know where I'm going
And it ain't where I've been
I know where I'm going
And it ain't where I've been
I'm tossing and turning
Between sleepless dreams
And I'm poised on the edge of
What it all means
So I turn my back
And I spread my arms wide
And I let myself fall in
Way deep inside
And I ain't in the best shape
That I've ever been in
But I know where I'm going
And it ain't where I've been
I know where I'm going
And it ain't where I've been
In the first verse, Ani DiFranco describes herself walking while lost in thought, but her subconscious is actually guiding her towards someone she is searching for. She describes her subconscious life as more real than her conscious life, implying that her true self is hidden beneath her exterior behavior. In the second verse, she acknowledges that she is not in the best physical shape, but she knows her direction and it is not her past.
Anxiety grips her heart in the following verse, and she longs to escape the outside world and retreat home. She uses descriptions of modern society - plastic bottles, sealed windows, forced air, and countless cell phones - to emphasize how technology has created a sterile, isolating environment that she finds suffocating.
In the final verse, she reveals that she is struggling with the meaning of her existence in a chaotic world. However, she chooses to let go of control and embrace the unknown by opening herself up and falling deep inside. Ani DiFranco asserts that despite being physically and emotionally worn down, she knows exactly where she is headed and it is towards a new, uncharted future.
Line by Line Meaning
On one hand I'm walking
I'm walking down a path in life
The way that I do
In a unique, personal way
Looking like I'm lost in thought
Appearing to be lost in thought, but really focused on finding someone
But I'm looking for you
Looking for someone, perhaps a romantic partner
It's so subconscious
My desires and feelings are hidden, beneath the surface
The way that I feel
The emotions inside me
Too bad my subconscious life
Unfortunately, the hidden parts of me are more influential
Is the more real
My true self is defined more by my subconscious than my conscious thoughts
And I ain't in the best shape
I'm not in the best physical or mental state
That I've ever been in
Compared to my past self
But I know where I'm going
I have direction and a sense of purpose
And it ain't where I've been
Not where I've been before or where I expected to go
Some kind of anxiety
A feeling of nervousness and unease
Has gotten hold of my heart
Anxiety has taken control of my emotions
And I just want to run home
Just want to escape and feel safe
When I feel it start
When the anxiety takes hold
Plastic bottles of water
Disposable plastic water bottles
Sealed windows, forced air
Airtight windows and climate control
And gazillions of cell phones
Countless cell phones
Beaming through my (h)air
Radiating signals through the air
I'm tossing and turning
Restlessly moving in bed
Between sleepless dreams
Dreaming but not sleeping
And I'm poised on the edge of
About to cross into
What it all means
The bigger picture, the meaning of life
So I turn my back
Turning away from the outside world
And I spread my arms wide
Opening myself up to something new
And I let myself fall in
Letting go and falling into the unknown
Way deep inside
Far beneath the surface
I know where I'm going
A clear sense of direction in life
And it ain't where I've been
Moving forward, not repeating past mistakes or habits
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind