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.
Go Speed Racer
Liz Phair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your love life ain't that hurting
And you always seemed to get what you wanted without flirting
You're not the only one who's used to playing dirty
And all I ever wanted from you is to leave me alone
So don't give me that sucker fish shit
'Cause I'm not that strong a swimmer
You're not the only one who used to watch Speed Racer
The very first car in a race around the world
Is somewhere in the middle of a race around the circle
And the very first car in a race around the world
Has got to wipe out somewhere
Well, that somewhere isn't me
So don't give me that sucker fish shit
'Cause I'm not getting younger
And I'm not a floatable to keep you from going under
And you're not the only one who used to watch Speed Racer
The very first car in a race around the world
Is somewhere in the middle of a race around the circle
And the very first car in a race around the world
Has got to wipe out somewhere
Well, that somewhere isn't me
The lyrics of Liz Phair's song "Go Speed Racer" express defiance and strength in the face of a manipulative ex-lover. The singer rejects the other person's attempts to play on her emotions and guilt her into staying in a toxic relationship. She acknowledges that they both have a history of deceit and playing dirty, but she's reached her limit and demands to be left alone. The metaphor of fish, specifically "sucker fish," suggests that the other person is trying to attach themselves to the singer and drain her energy, but she won't be taken advantage of anymore.
The reference to Speed Racer, a popular anime and manga series from the 1960s, adds another layer of meaning to the song. Speed Racer was known for his racing skills, determination, and sense of justice, and the show's theme song featured the lyrics "Go Speed Racer, go!" By invoking the character, the singer connects herself to these qualities and asserts her own agency, refusing to be a passive passenger in her own life. The repeated phrase "the very first car in a race around the world has got to wipe out somewhere" suggests that failure and mistakes are inevitable, but that doesn't mean the singer is destined to fail herself.
Overall, "Go Speed Racer" is a powerful declaration of independence and self-respect, set to a driving beat and unforgettable chorus.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't give me that sucker fish shit
Don't try to fool me with your lies
Your love life ain't that hurting
Your romantic problems are not as bad as you say they are
And you always seemed to get what you wanted without flirting
You have the ability to get what you want without using charm or manipulation
You're not the only one who's used to playing dirty
I know how to be sneaky and underhanded too
And all I ever wanted from you is to leave me alone
I've made it clear I don't want to be involved with you anymore
So don't give me that sucker fish shit
Stop trying to deceive me
'Cause I'm not that strong a swimmer
I'm not as resilient or capable as you might think
But I'm not afraid to be moving in a slower river
I may not be the fastest or strongest, but I won't give up
You're not the only one who used to watch Speed Racer
I have shared interests and experiences too
The very first car in a race around the world
The pioneer or trailblazer in a new endeavor
Is somewhere in the middle of a race around the circle
They may be making progress, but they haven't reached their goal yet
And the very first car in a race around the world
The leader, the one everyone is trying to beat
Has got to wipe out somewhere
They're not invincible and will experience failure at some point
Well, that somewhere isn't me
I won't be the one to fail or give up, despite the challenges
So don't give me that sucker fish shit
I won't be fooled or manipulated by you
'Cause I'm not getting younger
Time is passing and I won't waste it on someone who doesn't value me
And I'm not a floatable to keep you from going under
I won't be someone you can use to keep yourself afloat or out of trouble
And you're not the only one who used to watch Speed Racer
We have a shared past, but that doesn't make us compatible now
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin Johnson
"I'm not a floatable to keep you from going under." Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
joey lacorte
so fucking cool