shortstraw started out in 2007 as a two-piece thrash folk band consisting of the enigma that is oliver nathan and what most would call 'sarcastic', alastair thomas. they played a few shows in and around melville, joburg before bringing in the guitar and keyboard skills of jay hartford and the basswork of the esteemed and handsome phil brierley. now a four-piece, slightly less folky outfit, shortstraw aim to hit the gigging circuit with guns blazing, so look out for a show near you... fuck that's boring. apologies. frankie says go fuck yourself.
Gimme My Fix
Shortstraw Lyrics
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Write your number down on this card
Next to the little picture of a telephone
These hi-jinx
Have got me all worked up
Now I need my medication
So gimme my fix
I just need one small taste
These graphics!
After one hit from you makes
The world seem so lifelike
But slow down
I'm freaking out
Snap back, heart attack
You're just like a ticket to the sun
Slap on your own sunscreen
Nah, I'm alright
I can find my own way home
What's it to you Betty Boo?
Gimme my fix
I want to melt you down so I can shoot you up
So I can feel you swimming inside of my veins
These graphics
After one hit from you makes
The world seem so lifelike
In "Gimme My Fix" by Shortstraw, the lyrics describe a desperate addiction to someone or something, using metaphors of drug use to convey the intense need and longing for that person or thing. The chorus "Gimme my fix, I just need one small taste, and I know I'm addicted to you" shows a person entirely consumed with the desire for their subject, to the point where they acknowledge the addiction. The verses connect back to different aspects of how people feel when addicted to something, the drawing of a phone number and the use of the word "graphics" show an almost obsessive quality. Additionally, the lyrics describe feeling trapped by the addiction, as if it's not something the person wants to be addicted to, but they can't help it. The line "What's it to you Betty Boo?" seems to indicate the person feels that their addiction is not anybody's problem but their own.
The bridge of the song continues to use the metaphor of addiction, with the lines "Snap back, heart attack, you're just like a ticket to the sun, slap on your own sunscreen, nah I'm alright, I can find my way home" describing a feeling of being pulled in two directions. The need for the addiction is represented by the idea of going to the sun or wanting someone to "melt you down so I can shoot you up", while at the same time sensing the danger of the addiction and wanting to protect oneself from it by applying metaphorical "sunscreen." The song ends with one final refrain of "Gimme my fix", perhaps indicating a sense that the addiction will continue despite the singer's reservations.
Line by Line Meaning
Gimme my fix
I need a dose of you to feel alive
Write your number down on this card
Give me a way to contact you later for another dose
Next to the little picture of a telephone
So I can remember which number belongs to you
These hi-jinx
Our actions together got me craving another dose of you
Have got me all worked up
I am anxious and eager for my next fix
Now I need my medication
You are my addiction and I need you to feel whole
So gimme my fix
I am begging you for another hit
I just need one small taste
I don't need a lot of you to satisfy my craving
And I know I'm addicted to you
I am fully aware that you have power over me
These graphics!
The experience of being with you is captivating and intense
After one hit from you makes
Even just a little bit of you is enough to give me a high
The world seem so lifelike
My senses are heightened and things seem more real when I'm with you
But slow down
I need to take a breather and collect myself
I'm freaking out
I'm overwhelmed by my addiction to you
Snap back, heart attack
Your power over me makes my heart race and sometimes even hurts
You're just like a ticket to the sun
Being with you is like a journey to an unknown and exciting destination
Slap on your own sunscreen
Take care of yourself and don't worry about me
Nah, I'm alright
I don't need your help, I can manage on my own
I can find my own way home
I don't need you to guide me, I know my way around
What's it to you Betty Boo?
Why do you care what I do or how I feel? It's none of your business
I want to melt you down so I can shoot you up
I want to be as close to you as possible and absorb as much of you as I can
So I can feel you swimming inside of my veins
I want to feel you run through my body and take over my senses
Contributed by Sophia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.