What's Left
Lunachicks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all the children
She always fed him
The children and the grandchildren
She came last
He came first
She was strong and he fell weak
And he promised to wear a toto and some toe shoes
Now I picture him strong and dancing
And she slowly loses hearing
But all she has is family
And all that matters is the family tree
What left?
When you've done it all
What left?
When you've seen it all
Always watched the women be strong
Take care of everyone
Always watched the women be strong
Take care of everyone
And now he dancing
And now he dancing
And now he dancing
And now he dancing
Now he gone with the cats and dogs and turtles
And gerbils buried in the backyard
He took the trees from her
She watches TV
Drinks her scotch and has ice cream for dinner
And now he dancing
But all she has is family
And all that matters is the family tree
What left?
When you've done it all
What left?
When you've seen it all
Always watched the women be strong
Take care of everyone
Always watched the women be strong
Take care of everyone
And now he dancing
And now he dancing
And now he dancing
And now he dancing
What left?
And now he dancing
What left?
And now he dancing
What left?
And now he dancing
What left?
And now he dancing
What left?
And now he dancing
What left?
The lyrics of Lunachicks's song "What's Left" detail a story of a woman who spent her life caring for her husband and children. She always put them first, often neglecting her own needs and desires. Meanwhile, her husband fell weak and eventually became hooked up to a life-prolonging machine. He made a promise to wear a toto and some toe shoes, which symbolize his desire to live a carefree and adventurous life. The woman then imagines her husband dancing, while she slowly loses her hearing.
The song continues with the woman living alone after her husband's passing. She spends her days watching TV, drinking scotch, and eating ice cream for dinner. Her husband took the trees from her, leaving her with nothing but her family and the memories they share. The chorus of the song repeatedly asks the question, "What left?" suggesting that even when you've done it all and seen it all, there is still a void that remains.
The lyrics also pay tribute to the strength of women and the role they play in caring for those around them. The line "Always watched the women be strong, take care of everyone" reflects on the societal expectation placed on women to be caretakers.
The song tells a poignant story of love, loss, and the fleeting nature of life. To the woman in the song, all that mattered was her family and the memories they shared. The lyrics suggest that even in the face of death, life goes on, and we must find joy in the small moments.
Line by Line Meaning
She took care of him
She was responsible for taking care of him.
And all the children
She was also responsible for taking care of all the children.
She always fed him
She made sure he was always well-fed.
The children and the grandchildren
She also took care of the grandchildren.
She came last
Her needs always came after everyone else's.
He came first
His needs were always prioritized.
She was strong and he fell weak
She was the strong one in the relationship and he was the weaker one.
He was hooked up to a life prolonging machine
He was kept alive by a machine that prolonged his life.
And he promised to wear a toto and some toe shoes
He made a promise (most likely to her) to wear a specific outfit.
Now I picture him strong and dancing
The artist imagines him as strong and dancing now.
And she slowly loses hearing
She is losing her hearing over time.
But all she has is family
Despite everything, all she has left is her family.
And all that matters is the family tree
The only thing that truly matters to her now is her family.
What left?
What is there left to do or experience?
When you've done it all
When you've accomplished everything you set out to do.
When you've seen it all
When you've experienced everything there is to experience.
Always watched the women be strong
The artist has always observed women being strong.
Take care of everyone
They were always taking care of everyone around them.
And now he dancing
He is now dancing (most likely in the afterlife).
What left?
Again, what is there left to do or experience?
And now he dancing
Reinforcing the idea that he is now dancing in the afterlife.
What left?
One last time, what is there left to do or experience?
And now he dancing
A final reminder that he is now dancing in the afterlife.
What left?
A final question about what is there left to do or experience after everything is said and done.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Darrin Foglesong
Does anyone have the tab for this song?
Laurentz Duba
This very song busted my then gf's Velodyne FSR 18 subfoofer back in 1997.
Sam Bradley
Good group, a cross between GTO(Frank Zappa's girl band featuring Pamela Des Barres) & The Donnas. Very lovely ladies without the makeup.
Sam Bradley
NeoPunk group