Parenthetical Girls was an experimental rock band which formed in 2002 in E… Read Full Bio ↴Parenthetical Girls was an experimental rock band which formed in 2002 in Everett, Washington, United States and disbanded in 2013.
The last line-up consisted of multi-instrumentalists Zac Pennington, Rachael Jensen, Eddy Crichton and Matt Carlson. Pennington is the only original member remaining in the band.

Begun as Swastika Girls, the home recording project of former childhood friends in the failed mill town of Everett, Washington, the membership of the band — in mutual disinterest and indifference — quietly chipped away at itself until only one particularly under-qualified member, singer and relative non-musician Zac Pennington, remained.

As long on ambition as he was short on musical aptitude, Pennington willed what was little more than a particularly arduous band name into a recording partnership with some of his especially capable acquaintances — namely The Dead Science’s Jherek Bischoff and Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart. That partnership became a record called (((GRRRLS))) (2004), released on Pennington’s newly-christened vanity label, Slender Means Society.

Soon after Pennington moved to Portland, Parenthetical Girls became something of an actual band, though mostly in the non-committal sense: comprised first of (a much-indebted) Pennington, Bischoff, and Bischoff’s Dead Science-mate Sam Mickens, and eventually just Pennington and Mickens. This core trio would ultimately produce Safe As Houses (2006), a record that would go on to some critical acclaim.

Following the release of Safe As Houses, the band fatefully settled on a more stable line-up, adding to its ranks several recent Portland imports in Matt Carlson, Rachael Jensen, and Eddy Crichton — multi-instrumentalists each — whose full-time membership would eventually help to shape Parenthetical Girls in their own respective images. After several lengthy tours in the U.S. and Europe in support of Safe As Houses, the four piece convened with producer Bischoff to begin preparations for their third LP, Entanglements, which was released on September 9th, 2008.

LPs Discography:
- (((GRRRLS))) (2004)
- Safe As Houses (2006)
- Entanglements (2008)
- Privilege* (2013)

EPs Discography:
- A Parenthetical Girls Family Christmas (EP, 2006)
- Addendum EP (EP, 2007)
- Aagoo Records Presents: A David Horvitz Picture Disc With Parenthetical Girls (EP, 2008)
- A Song For Ellie Greenwich (EP, 2008)
- The Scottish Play: Wherein the Group Parenthetical Girls Pay Well-intentioned (If Occasionally Misguided) Tribute To the Works of Ivor Cutler (Mini-LP, 2008)
- Untanglements (Alternative Versions, 2010)
- Covers. (Covers LP, 2010)
- Christmas. (EP, 2010)
- Careful Who You Dance With (Remixes EP, 2011)
- Demos For The Dreaming (Kate Bush Covers, 2011)
- Parenthetical Girls Save Christmas (EP, 2011)
- Good Christian Men Rejoice, It's Parenthetical Girls (EP, 2012)

Privilege EPs:
- Privilege, pt. I: On Death & Endearments (2010)
- Privilege Pt. II: The Past, Imperfect (2010)
- Privilege, Pt. III: Mend & Make Do (2011)
- Privilege, Pt. IV: Sympathy For Spastics (2011)
- Privilege, Pt. V: Portrait of a Reputation (2012)
- Privilege (Compilation, 2012)

Singles Discography:
- Twenty Bees 7" (Single, 2006)
- Jackie's Strength / On Your Shore (Single, 2007)
- I Am Hated For Loving / Handsome Devil (Single, 2009)
- The Christmas Creep (Single, 2009)

Bandcamp

Alright
Parenthetical Girls Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

And no-one ever listens
To a word I say
Kill enthusiasm
'Cause I've found that day

Though it over and over and over again
Then you wrip me down
Trying over and over and over again

And you happy now?
You're a fool
You're gonna end up in a hole
You never finish what you started
Forever telling you I though it over and over and over again

See it coming for you
See it every day
Try to ignore you
You get my way (yeah yeah yeah!)
And it's alright [Repeat: x 4]

Gonna end up in a hole
Now you got me moving
Now I've got a taste
You can't stop me smiling
I'm laughing in your face

It's true
You're gonna end up in a hole
You never finish what you started
Forever telling you I though it over and over and over again

See it coming for you
See it every day
Try to ignore you
You get my way (yeah yeah yeah!)
And it's alright [Repeat: x 4]

Gonna end up in a hole
Laugh about me all you like
Talk behind me, I don't mind
Let me tell you I'm alright

Gonna end up in a hole (whoa-oa-oa)
Laugh about me all you like (whoa-oa-oa)
Talk behind me, I don't mind (whoa-oa-oa)
Let me tell you I'm alright!

Thought it over, over and over
Thought it over, over again [Repeat: x 2]

See it coming for you
See it every day
Try to ignore you
You get my way (yeah yeah yeah!)
And it's alright [x8]

Gonna end up in a hole
You're gonna end up in a hole

You never finish what you started
Don't mind me telling you I though it over and over and over again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Alright" by Parenthetical Girls are about feeling unheard and unappreciated, as well as the frustration that comes with trying to communicate with someone who doesn't seem to care about what you have to say. The words "And no one ever listens to a word I say" speaks to this sense of being ignored or unimportant. The line "kill enthusiasm 'cause I've found that day" could be interpreted as a response to this feeling, where the singer feels compelled to dampen their own enthusiasm so as not to appear too needy or vulnerable.

The repetition of the phrase "thought it over and over and over again" suggests that the singer has spent a lot of time thinking about their situation, but still feels unheard and unappreciated. The lyrics also suggest a shift, where the singer goes from feeling frustrated and unheard to confident and assertive. The chorus repeats the phrase "and it's alright" four times, which could represent a sense of acceptance or resolution.

Overall, "Alright" is a song about the struggle to be heard and understood, and the emotional toll it takes on a person. The lyrics suggest that sometimes the only way to feel better is to take control and stand up for oneself, even if it means being assertive or confrontational.

Line by Line Meaning

And no-one ever listens
I feel ignored

To a word I say
Nobody pays attention to my words

Kill enthusiasm
Dissuade excitement or participation

'Cause I've found that day
Because of what I've experienced

Though it over and over and over again
Considered repeatedly

Then you wrip me down
You bring me down

Trying over and over and over again
Continuously trying

And you happy now?
Are you pleased with yourself?

You're a fool
You're foolish

You're gonna end up in a hole
You'll suffer as a result of your actions

See it coming for you
I can predict your future