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.
Speed Racer
Liz Phair Lyrics
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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 "Speed Racer" present a confrontational tone, as the singer is setting clear boundaries to someone who she's been involved with. Phair implies that this person is trying to manipulate her with lies, telling them not to give her that "sucker fish shit," meaning lies or excuses. She calls out the person for feigning hurt about their love life when they are not really that affected or in need of sympathy. Furthermore, while this person may have a history of manipulating or playing dirty to get what they want from people, Phair warns them that she won't be easy to control or manipulate, indicating that she wants them to leave her alone.
The reference to the cartoon character "Speed Racer" adds an extra layer of meaning to the song. By stating that this person is not the only one who used to watch Speed Racer, Phair implies that they are not special or unique in their actions or interests. The character Speed Racer was known for his bravery and independent spirit, always trying to win races and compete on his own terms. Phair compares herself to him, implying that she too is brave and independent and won't back down from this person's attempts to manipulate her. The closing lines of the song reinforces this idea as she asserts that she won't be the one to "wipe out."
Line by Line Meaning
Don't give me that sucker fish shit
Don't try to fool me with your lies and excuses
Your love life ain't that hurting
Your romantic situation is not as bad as you make it out to be
And you always seemed to get what you wanted without flirting
You have a way of getting what you want effortlessly
You're not the only one who's used to playing dirty
You're not the only one who is not afraid to be ruthless
And all I ever wanted from you is to leave me alone
I don't want to have anything to do with you
So don't give me that sucker fish shit
Again, don't try to deceive me
'Cause I'm not that strong a swimmer
I'm not as tough as you think I am
But I'm not afraid to be moving in a slower river
But I'm not afraid to take things at a slower pace if I have to
You're not the only one who used to watch Speed Racer
You're not the only one who has a nostalgic attachment to something from the past
The very first car in a race around the world
The beginning of a journey or competition
Is somewhere in the middle of a race around the circle
The path of the competition is circular, never-ending
And the very first car in a race around the world
The person who starts something is not guaranteed to finish it
Has got to wipe out somewhere
There will be failures along the way for everyone
Well, that somewhere isn't me
But I won't be the one to fail or give up
So don't give me that sucker fish shit
One last warning not to lie or deceive
'Cause I'm not getting younger
Time is running out
And I'm not a floatable to keep you from going under
I can't be the one to save you from your own mistakes
And you're not the only one who used to watch Speed Racer
Again, nostalgia is not unique to you
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