South Dakota
Girlysound is the moniker under which singer-songwriter Liz Phair recorded … Read Full Bio ↴Girlysound is the moniker under which singer-songwriter Liz Phair recorded several self-produced cassettes in 1991. Recorded on a 4-track tape recorder in her childhood bedroom at her parent's house and initially given only to two people by Phair, Chris Brokaw and Tae Won Yu, these tapes became somewhat of a sensation in the American tape trading/zine subculture. In 1992, Phair signed a deal with Matador Records on the strength of a tape she had sent in consisting of 6 Girly Sound tracks. Phair's debut album Exile in Guyville is largely a reworking of songs from these tapes. None of the Girly Sound tapes has ever been given an official release (5 tracks were released in 1995 on the Juvenilia EP), though Phair has frequently gone back and reworked many of the songs for her studio albums throughout her career. As a result, Phair's Girly Sound tapes are still one of the most sought-after alternative-rock bootlegs.

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.

South Dakota
Girlysound Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

For a mean baby, well, I like your pants
Born in South Dakota
For a mean baby, well, I like your hips
Born in South Dakota
I was born in South Dakota
Man, I feel lucky tonight
I'm gonna get stoned and run around
Born in South Dakota
Hey, we're going to a rodeo town
I'm gonna get drunk and fuck some cows
Born in South Dakota
I was born in South Dakota
I was born in South Dakota

Hey, all you city fucks, it's a prairieman's world
It's wide open
Hey, all you city fucks, it's a prairieman's world
Masons and lumberchucks, says God as my squirrel
It's wide open
I said it's wide open
Dakota

Man, I feel lucky tonight
I'm gonna get stoned and run around
Born in South Dakota
Hey, we're going to a rodeo town
I'm gonna get drunk and fuck some cows
Born in South Dakota
I was born in South Dakota
I was born in South Dakota

Hey, all you city fucks, it's a prairieman's world
It's wide open
Hey, all you city fucks, it's a prairieman's world
Mason and lumberchucks, says God as my squirrel
Mr. Fliptop and Razorback, you know I'm your girl
I'm wide open
I said I'm wide open
Dakota




Dakota
Dakota

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Girlysound's "South Dakota" have a perplexing and somewhat troubling dimension to them. The song begins with the singer expressing her attraction to someone who is described as "mean," yet she finds herself admiring their physical features, specifically their hips and pants. As the song continues, the singer repeatedly affirms that she was born in South Dakota and that she feels fortunate to be there. She goes on to associate her sense of luck with a desire to get intoxicated and engage in reckless behavior, such as running around while under the influence or having sex with cows, which is a suggestion that some listeners may find disturbing.


The latter half of the song continues to address the listener directly, using an expletive to emphasize a sense of difference between the person speaking and the "city fucks" she is addressing. The song goes on to suggest that the can-do attitude of people in South Dakota reflects the "wide open" nature of the world, a sentiment that is echoed in the chorus. The song's final lines incorporate several seemingly unrelated references, such as "Mr. Fliptop" and "Razorback," that further emphasize the sense of disorientation that permeates the lyrics.


Line by Line Meaning

For a mean baby, well, I like your pants
I find your clothing attractive, despite your tough exterior


Born in South Dakota
I come from South Dakota


For a mean baby, well, I like your hips
I find your physical features alluring, even though you may come across as unfriendly


I was born in South Dakota
I was born in the state of South Dakota


Man, I feel lucky tonight
I have a fortunate feeling this evening


I'm gonna get stoned and run around
I plan to use drugs and engage in uninhibited behavior


Hey, we're going to a rodeo town
We are heading to a town that hosts a rodeo event


I'm gonna get drunk and fuck some cows
I plan to consume alcohol and engage in bestiality with cows


Hey, all you city fucks, it's a prairieman's world
The rural area is dominated by those who live and work there, unlike city-dwellers


It's wide open
There is vast, open land in the prairie


Masons and lumberchucks, says God as my squirrel
God believes that those who work in manual labor jobs are worthy and valued


I said it's wide open
I reiterate the vastness of the prairie


Mr. Fliptop and Razorback, you know I'm your girl
I am romantically involved with Mr. Fliptop and Razorback


I'm wide open
I am open and uninhibited


Dakota
South Dakota, a state in the United States




Contributed by Owen O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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