Although originally consisting of a total of 3 cassettes, the most common version of the Girly Sound tapes that circulated among Phair's fans was an incomplete 2 disc compilation of songs from all 3 tapes released on the "Bliss and Phetish" bootleg label. An earlier bootleg compilation of Girly Sound material, "Secretly Timid", was also released. Early in 2006, mp3s of first generation copies of the first 2 tapes were introduced via Phair's online community, bringing to light the original track listing, correct song names, and album titles and more importantly introducing a number of songs that did not appear on the previous Girly Sound bootlegs. The third Girly Sound tape and information of its complete contents remains elusive.
Go West
Girlysound Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The interstate
New York
Is three thousand miles away
And I'm not looking forward to following through
But it's better than always running back into you
I've closed my eyes and my bank account
And gone west, young man
Take off
The parking brake
Go coasting
Into a different state
And I'm not looking forward to missing you
But I must have something better to do
I've got to tear my life apart
And go west, young man
And it feels like I've got something to prove,
But in some ways it's just something to do
My friend's turn me around and say
You go west, young man
Stepping
Down off my platform shoes
Sixty-
Nine in the afternoon
And I'm waiting for someone in the know
Like Pirnir tells me on the radio ed. note: this is the way it's spelled
on the lyrics sheet. It may be "Pirner," as in Dave
Says take it from someone who's been there before
You go west, young man
And I'm looking for somebody to do
My thinking for me 'till I come through
The state-line highway sign says
You have gone west, young man
And it feels like I've got something to prove
But in some ways it's just something to do
The state-line highway sign says
You have gone west, young man
The lyrics of Girlysound's song Go West seem to be about someone who has decided to let go of their past and move on with their life. The singer talks about being on the interstate, with New York three thousand miles away, and not wanting to go back to an old relationship. They have closed their eyes and bank account, and decided to go west. The singer sees this as something they have to do even though they are not looking forward to missing their old relationship. They are looking for someone to do their thinking for them until they can come through. The state-line highway sign says that they have gone west, and it feels like they have something to prove, although it's just something to do.
The song seems to be about the concept of going west to start over, which is something that has been a part of American culture for centuries. It is possible that the singer in the song is trying to escape something in their life, such as a relationship, and is looking for a new beginning. The lyrics "go west, young man" come from the famous saying "Go West, young man, and grow up with the country." The saying was coined by Horace Greeley in 1851 in a letter he wrote to his friend Leon Sixtus, and it represented the idea of westward expansion being a way to escape the confines of the past and the problems of the present.
Interestingly, the song was originally recorded by Liz Phair in 1991 under the name Girly Sound. Phair was an up-and-coming artist at the time and her Girly Sound tapes were a collection of home-recorded demos that she passed out to friends and fans. The tapes became so popular that they were eventually released as an album in 2018. Go West was one of the songs included on the original tapes.
Line by Line Meaning
Safe on
Feeling secure as I'm driving
The interstate
The highway I'm currently traveling on
New York
The distant place I am leaving behind
Is three thousand miles away
A rough estimate of the distance between my current location and New York
And I'm not looking forward to following through
I'm not excited about leaving, but I know it's for the best
But it's better than always running back into you
Leaving is better than repeatedly going back to a negative situation
I've closed my eyes and my bank account
I've taken a leap of faith and spent all my savings to travel west
And gone west, young man
I've decided to embark on a journey of self-discovery and adventure
Take off
Start the engine
The parking brake
The mechanism that keeps the car stationary
Go coasting
Drive smoothly, without any sudden jerks
Into a different state
Moving to a new location with a fresh start
And I'm not looking forward to missing you
I will feel a sense of loss, but I know it's necessary for my growth
But I must have something better to do
I need to focus on my own life and my own future
I've got to tear my life apart
I need to shake up my life and make significant changes
And go west, young man
I'm taking control of my own destiny and making a bold move
And it feels like I've got something to prove
I'm trying to prove to myself and others that I am capable of living a fulfilling life
But in some ways it's just something to do
Part of my journey is a desire for novelty and excitement
My friend's turn me around and say
My friends have encouraged me to take this journey
You go west, young man
I've received encouragement and support to pursue this journey
Stepping
Getting out of the car
Down off my platform shoes
Taking off my high heels after a long journey
Sixty-
Late afternoon, after a substantial amount of time has passed
Nine in the afternoon
A specific time of day, providing context for the scene
And I'm waiting for someone in the know
I'm seeking guidance from someone with experience
Like Pirnir tells me on the radio
I'm listening to a radio show for advice and inspiration
Says take it from someone who's been there before
The radio host is giving me advice based on their own experience
And I'm looking for somebody to do
I'm seeking guidance and mentorship from others
My thinking for me 'till I come through
I need someone to help me make decisions until I figure things out on my own
The state-line highway sign says
A physical marker that signifies crossing into a new state
You have gone west, young man
I have successfully started my journey and am traveling westward
Contributed by Zoe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@SierraGranite
One of my favs!
@JPCurtis71
Awesome.