Within months of arrival, Di began to establish herself as a voice-over actor in NYC. She became the voice of many commercial campaigns, including Lincoln Mercury, Pantene, Lenscrafters, Verizon Wireless, PNC Bank and CMT. In 2006, she was selected as the announcer for the Miss America Pageant.
Recently, Di began applying her vocal talents to various musical pursuits. After releasing a few tracks on producer Dave Liang's Shanghai Restoration Project to an enthusiastic response - her song “Jade Buddha Temple” was featured as the single of the week on iTunes Japan and played on KCRW's "New Ground" - Di decided to take the sound one step further and record her own EP. She wanted to mix in some Chinese instruments as a nod to her upbringing, and decided to tackle the ubiquitous theme of flawed love without taking the subject too seriously. Liang's astute production and musicianship were the keys to creating a lush layering of music and vocals to complement Di's naturally seductive voice.
Antidote
Di Johnston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna tell you about it
I've been thinkin' for some time
I wanna figure it out and
Baby I don't think we're right
And now I'm starting to doubt if
You really want to be with me
Gotta make it real clear to keep your lady
Seems like every day we fight
But we're stayin' together
You always seem to change your mind
Givin' me pain and pleasure
Do you want me at your side?
‘Cause I could find another
Man who could treat me better
Never leave and make it last forever
Hey, we couldn't make it if we tried
Hey, we shouldn't fake this…it isn't right
Hey, I think you've had enough of me
It's not so bad. Try to be happy for us
What do you want from me?
Baby I don't ask for much
I'm not that demanding
At times with you it's tough
Am I misunderstanding?
I thought we were in love
Never thought of ending
Something that I thought would last
But we can't even if we change it fast
Bridge
I could spend all my
Life just tryin' to find
A "one size fits all" antidote
But I'd be flying blind
Won't spend all my life
‘Cause I'm exhausted
Hey, what do you want from me?
Hey, what do you want from me?
Hey, I think you've had enough of me
It's not so bad. Try to be happy for us
What do you want from me?
In the song "Antidote," Di Johnston sings about a troubled relationship that has been going on for some time. The lyrics speak of doubts and fed-up feelings that suggest a gradual realization that the relationship is not working. The singer is frustrated and wants to figure out what's going wrong. She doesn't feel like the other person is willing to put in the effort to keep the relationship going. Throughout the song, there is a certain level of resignation in the tone, where there is an acknowledgement that the relationship might not work and a hint of acceptance that comes through in the melody.
The repeated line, "Hey, what do you want from me?" underlines a deep sense of frustration, where the singer is clueless about what's expected of her in the relationship. The song ends with the statement, "It's not so bad. Try to be happy for us. What do you want from me?". Here, there is a sense of closure, but there is also a hint of uncertainty and a level of ambiguity about what happens next. The song's underlying theme is of a relationship that has lost its spark and is coming to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby I'm fed up tonight
I am extremely frustrated tonight
I'm gonna tell you about it
I am going to express my frustrations to you
I've been thinkin' for some time
I have been pondering this for a while
I wanna figure it out
I want to understand our situation
And Baby I don't think we're right
I do not think we are compatible
And now I'm starting to doubt if
I am beginning to question whether
You really want to be with me
You truly want to be in a relationship with me
Gotta make it real clear to keep your lady
You need to be clear in your intentions to maintain our relationship
Seems like every day we fight
It appears as if we argue daily
But we're stayin' together
However, we are choosing to remain in this relationship
You always seem to change your mind
You frequently alter your opinions
Givin' me pain and pleasure
You bring me both agony and ecstasy
Do you want me at your side?
Do you truly desire to have me by your side?
‘Cause I could find another
I have options to explore other partners
Man who could treat me better
Who could fulfill and satisfy me better than you
Never leave and make it last forever
They will not abandon me and our relationship will be forever
Hey, we couldn't make it if we tried
We are unable to succeed in our relationship even with effort
Hey, we shouldn't fake this…it isn't right
Faking our relationship is unacceptable and unnatural
Hey, I think you've had enough of me
I believe you no longer have any affection left for me
It's not so bad. Try to be happy for us
Our situation is not hopeless; attempt to appreciate it
What do you want from me?
What do you require from me?
Baby I don't ask for much
I am not demanding much from you
I'm not that demanding
My expectations of you are not excessive
At times with you it's tough
Dealing with you can be challenging at times
Am I misunderstanding?
Am I interpreting our situation wrongly?
I thought we were in love
I believed we were truly in love
Never thought of ending
I never contemplated ending our relationship
Something that I thought would last
I assumed our relationship would endure
But we can't even if we change it fast
We cannot rectify our problems even if we act promptly
I could spend all my
I might waste all my
Life just tryin' to find
Life trying to locate
A "one size fits all" antidote
A universal resolution to our problems
But I'd be flying blind
However, I would be making a blind guess
Won't spend all my life
I will not invest my whole life
‘Cause I'm exhausted
Because I am drained and fatigued
Contributed by Abigail F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.