Ditto came to wider public attention in November 2006 when she was selected by NME as the coolest person in rock - placing at number one in the magazine's annual Cool List. The magazine cited her 'non-conformity' as the reason for her selection - she is a lesbian, an outspoken advocate of gay rights, and a punk.
Her debut release was the self-titled EP, "Beth Ditto", in 2011.
In 2017, her newest album "Fake Sugar" came out.
Fake Sugar
Beth Ditto Lyrics
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Of feeling sick and tired
When the lonely gets so old
On the wrong side of the road
'Tween the leaves and the velvet snow
I got lost in your eyes
Around the world, and he's gone again
Sunny days and I'm gettin' paid
It's welcome back the very next day
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh
Get up and go
Get up and go
(Ooh na-na-na, hey)
(Ooh na-na-na, hey)
(Ooh, ooh)
Let me tell you 'bout this friend of mine
I fell in love for the very first time
In my life
Swing your partner, do-si-do
You're looking good in that sugar coat
'Til it's goodbye-bye-bye
Oh my-my-my
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh (ooh na-na-na, hey)
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh (ooh na-na-na, hey)
Get up and go
Get up and go
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh (ooh na-na-na, hey)
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh (ooh na-na-na, hey)
Get up and go
Get up and go
Hand bone, hand bone, where you been?
This Yankee diamond's wearing thin
And you can trust that there's nobody
Stop-stoppin' him
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh (ooh na-na-na, hey)
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh (ooh na-na-na, hey)
Get up and go
Get up and go
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh (ooh na-na-na, hey)
Oh, oh-ooh-oh-oh (ooh na-na-na, hey)
Get up and go
Get up and go
(Ooh na-na-na, hey)
(Ooh na-na-na, hey)
(Ooh, ooh)
The lyrics of "Fake Sugar" by Beth Ditto are about being fed up and tired of feeling lonesome and lost, as well as the feeling of falling in love for the very first time. The first lines of the verse express the overwhelming fatigue of feeling lonely repeatedly. The lyrics talk about being lost and taking the wrong turn, wandering through the snow, and staring into the eyes of the person who sparked a relationship. The chorus speaks about being able to take control and making a fresh start. The hand bone, a hand-clapping rhythm used in some traditional African American music, represents traveling around the world and returning, while the lyrics suggest that the traveling has made the person feel jaded and tired. The chorus's last two lines reinforce the idea that the singer can control her life and that she has the strength to start again, no matter how many times she has fallen apart.
Line by Line Meaning
I get so sick and tired
I feel extremely exhausted physically and mentally
Of feeling sick and tired
Of being tired and drained constantly
When the lonely gets so old
When loneliness becomes unbearable
On the wrong side of the road
Being on the opposite direction of where I truly want to be
'Tween the leaves and the velvet snow
In between the beautiful and elegant, and the harsh and cold sides of a relationship
I got lost in your eyes
I was captivated and mesmerized by your beauty and charm
Hand bone, hand bone, where you been?
Asking where someone has been wandering or traveling to lately
Around the world, and he's gone again
The person has traveled extensively before and has gone again
Sunny days and I'm gettin' paid
Sunny weather and receiving money bring happiness and joy
It's welcome back the very next day
The good times rarely last and the routine returns the very next day
Get up and go
Encouraging someone to wake up and energize themselves
Let me tell you 'bout this friend of mine
Sharing a story or experience about a beloved friend
I fell in love for the very first time
Experiencing deep and sincere romantic emotions for the first time ever
Swing your partner, do-si-do
Typical dance moves or a happy and carefree period of one's life
You're looking good in that sugar coat
Someone appears charming, good-looking, and attractive, but conceals their true self
'Til it's goodbye-bye-bye
Until the formal goodbyes are necessary and the relationship ends
Oh my-my-my
Exclaiming in surprise or wonderment
This Yankee diamond's wearing thin
The potential of something or someone is not as fresh or brilliant as it once was
And you can trust that there's nobody
There isn't anybody to rely on or trust wholeheartedly
Stop-stoppin' him
Not interfering or stopping someone from doing what they want or need to do
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARY BETH PATTERSON, JENNIFER ERIN DECILVEO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind