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.
Johnny Sunshine
Girlysound Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was my favorite one
Little white Dart
And drove it to Idaho
You took the horse
It was a thoroughbred
Saddled it up
Out on the interstate
Put it in antifreeze
Dumped in the trunk
With the rest of the cattlefeed
You took the house
You went and changed the locks
Now I am stuck
Living out of a box
I think I've been taken
For everything I own
I've been hurt so badly
I'm alone, baby, I'm alone
You left me nothing
You left me nothing
Johnny Sunshine
You left me nothing
You left me nothing
Johnny Sunshine
You left me nothing
You left me nothing
Johnny Sunshine
You left me nothing
You left me nothing
In Girlysound’s song “Johnny Sunshine,” the singer sings about a devastating betrayal by a former lover named Johnny. The lyrics detail how Johnny took everything the singer owned, including her car, horse, and home. The image of the Little white Dart being driven to Idaho suggests that the betrayal was intentional, as Johnny stole her favorite car and drove it far away, a deliberate action that amplifies the sense of loss and violation the singer feels. The theft of the singer’s horse, a high-quality thoroughbred, further symbolizes the degree of cruelty and selfishness Johnny has shown towards her.
The lyric “You killed the cat, put it in antifreeze, dumped in the trunk with the rest of the cattlefeed” is particularly striking for its gruesome imagery. The metaphor of the singer as a trapped animal, being killed and discarded like the cat, is a powerful illustration of the emotional violence of the situation. Johnny didn’t just take everything, he went out of his way to inflict pain and suffering on the singer, showing a level of sadistic cruelty that exacerbates the sense of victimization she feels. The song’s chorus, where the singer states that she has been “taken for everything” and left with nothing, highlights the material and emotional losses she has suffered at Johnny’s hands. Overall, “Johnny Sunshine” is a haunting and evocative song, a powerful testament to the pain and trauma that can result from an abusive relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
You took the car
You stole the car from me against my will
It was my favorite one
This car was dear to me and carried sentimental value
Little white Dart
The car being referred to is of the make/model Little White Dart
And drove it to Idaho
You took the car on a long drive to Idaho
You took the horse
You stole my horse without permission
It was a thoroughbred
The horse was an expensive thoroughbred breed
Saddled it up
You put a saddle on the horse in preparation for riding
Out on the interstate
You took the horse out onto the highway
You killed the cat
You intentionally killed my cat
Put it in antifreeze
You used antifreeze to kill the cat
Dumped in the trunk
You disposed of the cat by putting it in a trunk of a vehicle
With the rest of the cattlefeed
You put the cat in a trunk alongside cattlefeed
You took the house
You took possession of the house
You went and changed the locks
You changed the locks on the house to prevent my entry
Now I am stuck
I am now forced to deal with the consequences of being homeless
Living out of a box
I am reduced to living out of a cardboard box
I think I've been taken
I suspect that you have stolen more than what I currently know
For everything I own
You have taken everything that I possess
I've been hurt so badly
You caused me great emotional and psychological harm
I'm alone, baby, I'm alone
I am currently alone and without anyone to turn to
You left me nothing
You took everything from me and left me with nothing
Johnny Sunshine
This term may be a sarcastic reference to the person who caused all this harm
You left me nothing
You took everything from me and left me with nothing
You left me nothing
You took everything from me and left me with nothing
Johnny Sunshine
This term may be a sarcastic reference to the person who caused all this harm
You left me nothing
You took everything from me and left me with nothing
You left me nothing
You took everything from me and left me with nothing
Johnny Sunshine
This term may be a sarcastic reference to the person who caused all this harm
You left me nothing
You took everything from me and left me with nothing
You left me nothing
You took everything from me and left me with nothing
Contributed by Chloe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.