Phair's 1993 debut studio album, Exile in Guyville, was released to acclaim; it has been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Phair followed this with her second album, Whip-Smart (1994), which earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, and Whitechocolatespaceegg (1998). Ten years after the release of her debut, Phair's fourth album, Liz Phair (2003), released on Capitol Records, moved towards pop rock, earning her a mainstream audience but alienating critics.
After the release of her fifth album, Somebody's Miracle (2005), Phair left Capitol and released her sixth album Funstyle independently in 2010. In 2018, it was announced that Matador Records would be releasing a retrospective set for Phair's debut album Exile in Guyville which includes remastered recordings from her original Girly-Sound demo tapes. Phair released her seventh studio album, Soberish, in 2021.
Everything to Me
Liz Phair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching me work so hard to reach you
You never gave a damn
About all of those things I did to please you
All that you wanted, you found somewhere else
And nothing could drag you away from yourself
Would you take the time to catch me if I fall?
Are you ever gonna be that real to me?
Everything to me
Lucky I've been through hell
Backroads and shortcuts I know them well
Baby just stick with me
We'll make it together, just wait and see
Do you really know me at all?
Would you take the time to catch me if I fall?
Are you ever gonna be that real to me?
Everything to me
The walls they close in
The air it goes out
We're left with nothing but a shadow of doubt
Nobody talks, no one is here
It's just you and me
Do you really know me at all?
Would you take the time to catch me if I fall?
Are you ever gonna be that real to me?
Everything to me
Do you really know me at all?
Would you take the time to catch me if I fall?
Are you ever gonna be that real to me?
Everything to me
I bet it makes you laugh
Watching me work so hard to reach you
The song "Everything to Me" by Liz Phair discusses a one-sided relationship where the singer is evidently putting in all the effort to be with someone who is not interested in them. The first verse reveals the singer's efforts to please their partner and reach them, which is vexing because the partner does not appreciate those efforts. The message is clear that the partner's lack of interest in the singer, despite their hard work, is hurtful.
The chorus reflects the singer's longing for their partner's attention and affection. They question whether the partner knows them at all and whether they would be there for the singer in times of need. The chorus expresses the singer's hope that the partner will become more genuine and sincere towards them.
The bridge describes a quiet moment between the singer and the partner where a sense of loneliness and doubt emerges, making the singer question their relationship's actual state. The singer's desire for real connection with their partner is evident throughout the song.
Overall, Phair represents a longing for a genuine relationship without pretence or disinterest, expressing the pain that comes with unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
I bet it makes you laugh
You find it amusing to watch me struggle to reach you.
Watching me work so hard to reach you
You see me putting in great effort to get close to you.
You never gave a damn
You never cared about the things I did for you.
About all of those things I did to please you
You didn't value the efforts I made to make you happy.
All that you wanted, you found somewhere else
You found what you wanted in someone/something else.
And nothing could drag you away from yourself
You cannot be swayed from being self-centered.
Do you really know me at all?
Do you truly understand who I am?
Would you take the time to catch me if I fall?
If I am in trouble or fail, would you be there to support me?
Are you ever gonna be that real to me?
Will you ever truly be honest and genuine with me?
Everything to me
You mean everything to me.
Lucky I've been through hell
Fortunately, I have survived a lot of difficult situations.
Backroads and shortcuts I know them well
I am familiar with taking alternative routes to achieve my goals.
Baby just stick with me
Please continue supporting me and staying by my side.
We'll make it together, just wait and see
We will succeed if we work together and persevere.
The walls they close in
We feel trapped and confined by the situation.
The air it goes out
The atmosphere becomes tense and suffocating.
We're left with nothing but a shadow of doubt
All that remains is uncertainty and hesitation.
Nobody talks, no one is here
We are alone and silent, with no one to communicate with.
It's just you and me
We are the only ones left in the situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN SHANKS, LIZ PHAIR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Whippets
I'm pretty sure Liz is my favorite music artist ... over 30 years and with her last album she's still as great as ever.
@nedsnydr
Elizabeth Clark "Liz" Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist, she began her career by self-releasing audio cassettes. Her 1993 debut studio album "Exile in Guyville" was acclaimed by VH1 as the 96th Greatest Album Of All-Time, it was ranked #56 on Rolling Stone's 2020 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
@kennethadkins7915
When I close my eyes and just listen to her words and heart,… I cry.
She’s an amazing artist.
@nunyabidness5375
Saw her at Taste of Chicago, she tried to rock it in high heels but she had to kick 'em off to stay standing in July heat. Fantastic performance!
@Bridging_the_Political_Divide
This is a great song, and great video for her. She sounds great, she looks great, its just a nicely polished and lush presentation. Its a great sound and showcases her well. We love Liz!!
@66marshallandrew
Simply stunning! Liz Phair is perfection
@artbyrooster
I've been a big fan of Liz Phair since I was 16. I'm 40 now. I love her early stuff as well as her new. Back in the day she seemed to be a bit of a nervous song writer and now she's gone through not only a career but motherhood as well. In this video I see a full bloomed artist. Her music is literally an anxiety cure for me. Even my friends know when I'm freaking out to either give me an orange or play some Liz Phair.
In this video
@wisemandaryn5953
For her long-time fans, I think what shocked them was the glossy production values. When she performs in a solo acoustic setting, the lyrics to any of the songs from her self-titled or "Somebody's Miracle" album sounds a lot like a more evolved "Exile in Guyville," but it's a bit more polished. Interestingly enough, it seems like "Liz Phair" & "Somebody's Miracle" are more appreciated today than when they were initially released. I heard "Exile" for the first time when I was 13 in 2002, but I'm a music junkie. Most of my generation were completely unaware of her until "Why Can't I?" came out -- so, I think that's cool. I honestly don't know why people were so acutely opposed to the "Liz Phair" album; it's a perfectly fine pop record with a bit of an edge that didn't pretend to be anything other than it was. No matter what the reason, people are still listening to it & talking about it, so it can't be as horrible as it was made out to be.
@matthewfowler8075
Exactamundo
@willowNmeadow3392
I'm a person who doesn't believe all that much in love so this song shockingly to me is totally hit me where it is the core!