The bands’ debut release is described as The Fall meets Neil Young- which all makes sense on the band’s debut release, “American Specialties”. The quartet wanders through the American and British underground, picking away their favorite parts with confidence. The lyrics, when intelligible, are bizarre and dramatic. “She looked at me like a fry pan reducing,” moans Savage, from the same lustful subconscious built by the darker moments of psychedelia. Then at times, such as on the 70’s folkish “Square States”, thoughts are more sentimental and transparent. The setting for “American Specialties” ranges from a crusty Brooklyn bodega, to an endless Texas desert. If these sorts of soundscapes appeal to your mind, then you're sure to stumble upon Parquet Courts sooner or later.
Duckin & Dodgin
Parquet Courts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've been ducking and dodging but you can't come home no more
That key you've got won't fit this lock no more
That key you've got won't fit this lock no more
You've been ducking, dodging but you can't come home no more
You've been ducking and dodging but you can't come home no more
That key you've got won't let you in my door
That key you've got won't let you in my door
My eyes have seen the glory and
The sound and image, synchronized
Right there on the silver screen
Heard the sounds suggesting
Lineage of influence, yeah
Saw it there in the motherland
Straps and cables, steeples, stairways
Wind away from origin
In a trampled vintage floats the proof
I cannot be freed
The concert stage, the velvet cage
The glass perimeter of me
All my friends are disappearing
All my letters are in codes
All I ever think and feel
In your shadow, any roads
Waiting, waiting by the silent phone
I draft my next apology
Burn my letters once they're read
Unalloyed joint, I thrice repeat
Unalloyed joint
Unalloyed joint
Listen to what I just heard
It's written on the sun, jailbird
And just like you
The way it moves
A thought that creeps in, grinning always
In your hair
And in your hallways
Got detained in San Francisco
On your way to get fresh air
The U.S.A. didn't want you there
Juggled oranges, but no one cared
You've been ducking, dodging but you can't come home no more
You've been ducking and dodging but you can't come home no more
That key you've got won't fit that lock no more
That key you've got won't fit that lock no more
You've been ducking and dodging but you can't come home no more
You've been ducking and dodging but you can't come home no more
That key you've got won't fit that lock no more
That key you've got won't fit that lock no more
You've been ducking and dodging but you can't come home no more
You've been ducking, dodging but you can't come home no more
That key you've got won't won't let you in that door
That key you've got won't fit that lock no more
Lady MacBeth, rock me mama
Like my back ain't got no bone
Like clicks heard on the telephone
Like a sudden unhinged moan
That leaks out from your broken structure
Like a wall of unbound stone
They buried the eighth
They buried the ninth
They said the finale was a formal reply
They buried the eighth
They buried the ninth
They said the finale was a formal reply
They buried the eighth
They buried the ninth
Buried everything, I'm telling you guy
Contest prizes, grand pianos
Gagged by comfort, shamed by words
Empty anthems, cloaked in strange for
Stripes and bars, is it yours?
Stripes and bars
Stripes and bars
Stripes and bars, and are you sure?
Stripes and bars will lock you in
Lock you in or camouflage you
Feel the sun, but cannot walk to
Hear the yelp, but cannot talk to
Triply[?] broken what you swore
Were stripes and bars
That's what they're for
You've been ducking, dodging but you can't come home no more
The song "Ducking" by Parquet Courts discusses someone who has been avoiding coming home and is now unable to return. The repetition of the lyrics, "You've been ducking and dodging but you can't come home no more / That key you've got won't fit this lock no more" creates a sense of finality and frustration. The singer seems to be tired of waiting for the person to come back and has given up on them. However, the reason for their absence and inability to come back is not revealed in the lyrics.
The next section of the song is more abstract and describes the singer's experiences with fame and isolation. They describe seeing themselves on a "silver screen" and feeling entrapped in their own image. They also mention feeling like their friends are disappearing and their thoughts and feelings being coded. The singer seems to be struggling with their identity and the pressures that come with fame.
The last section of the song touches on themes of confinement, both literal and metaphorical. The lyrics reference being detained in San Francisco and buried under stripes and bars. The repetition of "They buried the eighth / They buried the ninth" suggests a cycle of oppression and confinement. The song ends with the same refrain as the beginning, emphasizing the idea of being stuck and unable to move forward.
Overall, "Ducking" is a somber and introspective song that touches on themes of isolation, identity, and confinement. It speaks to the suffocating effects of fame and the frustration of waiting for someone who may never come back.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been ducking and dodging but you can't come home no more
You've been avoiding returning home and now you can't come back anymore
That key you've got won't fit this lock no more
The key you have to our home won't open the lock anymore
My eyes have seen the glory
I have witnessed greatness
The sound and image, synchronized
The audio and visual are in perfect harmony
Right there on the silver screen
It was displayed on the movie theater's screen
Heard the sounds suggesting lineage of influence, yeah
I heard sounds that hinted at a familial musical heritage
Saw it there in the motherland
I saw it in the place of origin
Straps and cables, steeples, stairways
The structures were held together by cables and ropes, reaching towards the skies
Wind away from origin
The wind was blowing away from where it all began
In a trampled vintage floats the proof
The evidence is carried by an old and worn out object
I cannot be freed
I am trapped and cannot escape
The concert stage, the velvet cage
Performing on stage feels like being trapped in a fancy prison
The glass perimeter of me
The boundary around me is made of glass, easily seen through
All my friends are disappearing
All of my buddies are vanishing
All my letters are in codes
I write in secret codes, no one can decipher
All I ever think and feel
My thoughts and feelings consume me
In your shadow, any roads
As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter where we go
Waiting, waiting by the silent phone
I'm constantly waiting by the phone, hoping for it to ring
I draft my next apology
I start drafting my next apology letter to someone
Burn my letters once they're read
I burn my letters once they're read in order to avoid being caught
Unalloyed joint, I thrice repeat
I say a phrase without embellishment, repeating it three times
Listen to what I just heard
Take note of what I'm about to tell you
It's written on the sun, jailbird
The message is clear and obvious, criminal
And just like you
Like your actions
The way it moves
The way it operates
A thought that creeps in, grinning always
An idea that sneaks up unannounced, always wicked
In your hair
Close to you
And in your hallways
Even within your house
Got detained in San Francisco
I was arrested in San Francisco
On your way to get fresh air
I was headed outside to get some air, and got arrested along the way
The U.S.A. didn't want you there
The United States didn't welcome your presence
Juggled oranges, but no one cared
I was performing a silly task, but no one was interested
Lady MacBeth, rock me mama
Allude to Lady Macbeth, comfort me
Like my back ain't got no bone
I want intense physical movement and freedom.
Like clicks heard on the telephone
Sounds that suggest some sort of hidden communication
Like a sudden unhinged moan
Out of place and random vocalizations
That leaks out from your broken structure
Something that manages to escape despite the obstacles
Like a wall of unbound stone
A natural barrier that is not held together by anything
They buried the eighth
Previous events have been forgotten
They buried the ninth
Something else was forgotten
They said the finale was a formal reply
The conclusion was a token response
Buried everything, I'm telling you guy
Everything has been forgotten, I'm serious
Contest prizes, grand pianos
Luxury items that are used to impress others
Gagged by comfort, shamed by words
The comfort is preventing me from speaking out and I feel ashamed
Empty anthems, cloaked in strange for
The songs are devoid of meaning and covered in a strange disguise
Stripes and bars, is it yours?
The prison bars, do they belong to you?
Stripes and bars will lock you in
The bars will prevent you from escaping
Lock you in or camouflage you
You'll either be trapped or hidden from plain sight
Feel the sun, but cannot walk to
You can sense the sunlight, but physically cannot reach it
Hear the yelp, but cannot talk to
You can hear a cry of pain, but are unable to speak to the one who is suffering
Triply[?] broken what you swore
What you pledged to is now broken in three ways
Were stripes and bars, that's what they're for
The purpose of the prison bars was to lock you up
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
chris
andrew savage is one of the best lyricists of the 2010s
Bas van de Looy
Can't play their instruments? Ha ha...any idea how tight these guys play? Amazing band. Great songs and a great grumpy, intelligent NY vibe.
arch_dornan
@sovercas Seriously, Austin's part seems so easy until you realise he does it for 6 minutes straight
Nico Crinkleburg
They have this amazing ability to sound loose and off the cuff, but they are absolutely one of the tightest bands I have ever seen live. Docking & Dodge in this live is played faster than the album version, and that’s why I keep coming back! 🤘🤘🤘
alan williams
sovercas I can't play any instrument but if I could there's no instrument in this that I could ever come near to being competent
Avey Tare
so fn tight.
sovercas
+Bas van de Looy people who suggest this have no idea how hard it is to play this song without it falling apart.
SwegLah
Simple songs doesn't necessarily mean "bad musicians" Its about how a song sounds as a whole. And this song sounds awesome.
mod podge honey
this makes me so anxious but i cant stop listening
MadLikeDog
the lyrics are stand alone and tight as a drum guitar work