Swing
Ani DiFranco Lyrics

She came to and her Whole life was how she remembered it She had a mouth full of fur And she was laughing She parked her hearse across Three spaces posted motorcycles only And jumped out shouting Wha the cus could make a nice girl like us Feel so lonely?
After feeling lost and alone, the singer wakes up and realizes that life has stayed the same. Her chaotic and rebellious behavior reflects her sense of loneliness and confusion. She is looking for answers to why someone like her is feeling such a way.

Are you weary as water In a faucet left dripping With an incessant sadness Like a sad record skipping And an ugly and ornery And shadowy dread Lurking like a troll under the bridge Between your heart and your head
The song addresses mental illness by depicting the feeling of depression as an incessant and inescapable presence. The imagery of a faucet left dripping and a skipping record emphasize the idea of sadness being persistent and unbearable. The troll represents the fear, doubts, and anxieties that sit between one's heart and head, threatening to take over.

Please dumb blind kind sir Lend little miss listless a little bit of Christmas She's been a real good girl But now she's stuck here The world is so little and still Mysterious and ominous as ever before Like an unmarked bottle of pills On the shelf right next to the thing You were reaching for
The singer seeks help from a higher power, asking for assistance in navigating this world that remains overwhelming and mysterious. The world is portrayed as small and unchanging, with danger lurking in every corner. The bottle of pills represents a tempting escape from the harsh realities of life.

Swing the groove 'round here Where I can reach it When I get my ass back on track I'm gonna need it Swing shift til I get the money To buy me and my baby a moon full of honey Then I'm gonna turn off the nagging voices Inside my head That follow me to bed and say You suck
The chorus of the song involves the artist looking for a groove - a rhythm and sense of purpose that will inspire her to keep going. She promises to work hard and earn enough money to find happiness with her loved one. While the nagging voices of self-doubt and self-criticism still plague her, she is determined to overcome them and find peace.

If you dig it on the sound Break it down No walls up, break it down Break it down Happiness spread it all around Break it down Racism stomp it in the ground Break it down So if you dig it on the sound Break it down No walls up, break it down Break it down Ignorance stomp it in the ground Break it down Happiness spread it all around Break it down
The repeated call to 'break it down' serves as a call to action, urging listeners to spread happiness and love while fighting against hate and prejudice. The suggestion is made to break down walls that stop people from finding common ground with one another. The songwriters advocate for a world driven by kindness, love and an open mind towards diversity.

Check, who said folk and hip-hop can't latch Put us together on the stage and light a match Kaboom, guess who stepped in the room Sweeping you off your feet like we had a broom With Ani Difranco and Maceo Add a little freestyle flow and who knows Put a little scratchin' into the mix And it's enough to get you high if you need a fix
The final verse of the song celebrates the power of music to bring people together despite social barriers. The fusion of folk and hip-hop, represented by Ani Difranco and Maceo, transcends any genre and stylistic limitations. The two create a musical blend that is diverse and exciting, with the potential to have a potent and uplifting impact on its listeners.