Ranaldo was born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, and graduated from Binghamton University. He has three sons, Cody Linn Ranaldo, Sage Ranaldo and Frey Ranaldo and is married to the experimental artist Leah Singer, with whom he has performed many live installation pieces with improvised music.
Among Ranaldo's solo records are Dirty Windows, a collection of spoken texts with music, Amarillo Ramp (for Robert Smithson), pieces for the guitar, and Scriptures of the Golden Eternity. His books include Bookstore, Road Movies, and Jrnls80s (published by Soft Skull Press). A full-length book of writings on Moroccan travels and music, as well as a book of new poems, Lengths & Breaths, are out now. Recent visual work has been included in exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery in London, the Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art and Mercer Union in Toronto.
Ranaldo has produced albums for artists including Babes in Toyland, You Am I, Deity Guns, Magik Markersand Dutch art rock-ensemble KLEG. He has edited a volume of tour journals from the 1995 Lollapalooza Tour written by Thurston Moore, Beck, Stephen Malkmus, Courtney Love, and others. Ranaldo has also worked with jazz drummer William Hooker on improvised music, and reading and improvising poetry.
In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Ranaldo and Thurston Moore, of Sonic Youth, the 33rd and 34th best guitarists of all time. Their playing style is very innovative and they both use a large variety of extended techniques, such as their 3rd Bridge screwdriver technique.
Ranaldo usually uses Fender Jazzmaster and Telecaster Deluxe electric guitars, with radically altered tunings, and modifications.
Stephanie Says
Lee Ranaldo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why she's given half her life to people she hates now
Stephanie says when answering the phone
"What country shall I say is calling from across the world?"
But she's not afraid to die
The people all call her Alaska
Between worlds, so the people ask her
It's all in her mind
Stephanie says that she wants to know
Why it is though she's the door, she can't be the room
Stephanie says but doesn't hang up the phone
What seashell she is calling from across the world
But she's not afraid to die
The people all call her Alaska
Between worlds, so the people ask her
'Cause it's all in her mind
It's all in her mind
They're asking is it good or bad
It's such an icy feeling
It's so cold in Alaska
It's so cold in Alaska
It's so cold in Alaska
The song "Stephanie Says" by Lee Ranaldo is a melancholic tune that features a woman named Stephanie who muses about her discontentment with her past relationships and her desire to find her place in the world. The opening lines of the song, "Stephanie says that she wants to know why she's given half her life to people she hates now," suggests that Stephanie has a deep sense of regret and disappointment for the time she's wasted on negative relationships. Additionally, she is in between "worlds," as mentioned in the following lines, "The people all call her Alaska. Between worlds, so the people ask her. 'Cause it's all in her mind." These lines suggest Stephanie feels a sense of detachment from the people and places around her, perhaps because she has yet to find her true identity. Despite this, she is not afraid to die, which could be interpreted as a feeling of acceptance and readiness to move on from her current state of mind.
The repetition of the phrase "it's all in her mind" throughout the song highlights the internal conflict Stephanie is experiencing. The line "Why it is though she's the door, she can't be the room" further emphasizes her sense of dissatisfaction with her position in life, suggesting she is a gateway to other people's lives but feels like she is not in control of her own.
Overall, the song portrays the introspective journey of a woman who has a deep desire to understand herself and her place in the world but is struggling with feelings of detachment and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Stephanie says that she wants to know
Stephanie is curious about something and wants an answer
Why she's given half her life to people she hates now
Stephanie is questioning why she has devoted much of her lifetime to individuals she presently despises
Stephanie says when answering the phone
When Stephanie picks up the phone, she responds by saying
"What country shall I say is calling from across the world?"
Stephanie seeks information on the nation someone is phoning from when she is asked to identify it
But she's not afraid to die
Stephanie is courageous and not scared of death
The people all call her Alaska
The people identify Stephanie with a cold, distant place
Between worlds, so the people ask her
Stephanie is considered to be on the edge of two different realities by others, which prompts them to question her
'Cause it's all in her mind
The reason Stephanie exists in this dual realm is because it is a product of her own imagination
Stephanie says that she wants to know
Once more, Stephanie is curious and desires an explanation
Why it is though she's the door, she can't be the room
Despite being the entry point to something, Stephanie is unable to control it or understand it entirely.
Stephanie says but doesn't hang up the phone
Stephanie speaks further with the person on the other end of the phone call
What seashell she is calling from across the world
Stephanie inquires about the kind of seashell that the other party is calling from somewhere abroad
They're asking is it good or bad
The people are seeking an evaluation or judgment about something
It's such an icy feeling
An unpleasant cold sensation is being experienced
It's so cold in Alaska
The coldness and melancholy of Alaska are being referenced
It's so cold in Alaska
Once more, the songwriter repeats the previous line as reinforcement
It's so cold in Alaska
And yet again, the same line is repeated
Contributed by Thomas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jesper Nielsen
Been fan of VU since I was a young teen. 25 years later and their music still sounds fresh to me. Thanks for the beautiful cover of this songs, Lee :)
André L P Rodrigues
Sensacional Lee!
David Thomas
A wonderful tribute Lee 👏
Gray Margach
Beautiful rendition. I know you nailed because it brought to my mind Paul Nelson's words from "1969 Live" liner notes "Velvet Underground music was sad music. I think of people I won't see again".
Sean Campbell
This is beautiful, Lee.
Fredrik Asplund
Wonderful!
Edgar Cuesta
Best reverb pedal is a gothic cathedral
GeeAmbler
#Tops 🤩
jazzblaster
LEE IS FREE