Discography:
1995 - Sleater-Kinney (Chainsaw)
1996 - Call the Doctor (Chainsaw)
1997 - Dig Me Out (Kill Rock Stars)
1999 - The Hot Rock (Kill Rock Stars)
2000 - All Hands on the Bad One (Kill Rock Stars)
2002 - One Beat (Kill Rock Stars)
2005 - The Woods (Sub Pop)
2015 - No Cities to Love (Sub Pop)
2019 - The Center Won't Hold (Mom+Pop)
2021 - Path of Wellness (Mom+Pop)
One Beat
Sleater-Kinney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A sonic push for energy
Exploding like the sun
A flash of clean light hope
All you scientists can hold your breath
Can I decide to show myself, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
oh my, imperfect symmetry has underlying poetry in rhyme)
If you think like Thomas Edison
Could you invent a world for me
Now all that's on the surface
Are bloody arms and oil fields
Could I turn this place all upside down
And shake you and your fossils out, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(You can't predict everything with Newton like certainty, why
Oh my, coz it floats around all we see with oscillating energy on high)
And you soothe yourself with the sounds you know
You tune out out out the hypnotic drone
Perfect hexagon of the honeycomb
And you soothe your soul with the shapes you know
Should I come outside and run your cars
Should I run your rockets to the stars
Could you invent a world for me
I need to hear a symphony
If I'm to run the future
You've got to let the old world go, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(Take me to the source of chaos let me be the butterfly
oh my, imperfect symmetry has underlying poetry in rhyme)
And you soothe yourself with the sounds you know
You tune out out out the hypnotic drone
Perfect hexagon of the honeycomb
And you soothe your soul with the shapes you know
Your word for me is fusion
But is real change an illusion
Could I turn this place all upside down
And shake you and your fossils out
If I'm to run the future
You've got to let the old world go
Could you invent a world for me
I need to hear a symphony, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(You can't predict everything with Newton like certainty, why
Oh my, coz it floats around all we see with oscillating energy on high)
The song "One Beat" by Sleater-Kinney is a call for change and innovation in a world that can often feel stagnant and oppressive. The first verse speaks of the singer's own power - they are "a bubble in a sound wave" and "exploding like the sun." They challenge the scientists and thinkers of the world to "hold their breath" as they decide whether or not to reveal the full extent of their potential.
The second verse is a critique of the state of the world as it currently is. The singer wonders if someone like Thomas Edison, a renowned inventor and innovator, could "invent a world for me" - one that is not plagued by war and destruction. They express frustration with the way things are now and a desire to "turn this place all upside down" in order to create positive change.
The chorus repeats the idea that people often find comfort in what is familiar and known, represented by the "sounds" and "shapes" that soothe their souls. The singer is challenging the listener to move beyond that and embrace chaos and imperfection in order to create something new.
Overall, the lyrics of "One Beat" are a call to action for the listener to think outside the box and work towards positive change in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a bubble in a sound wave
I'm a small part of something bigger, propelled by energy and surrounded by other forces.
A sonic push for energy
A force that drives me forward and inspires growth.
Exploding like the sun
I'm bursting with light and potential.
A flash of clean light hope
I represent a positive outlook and a glimpse of possibility.
All you scientists can hold your breath
I challenge science and traditional ideas.
Can I decide to show myself, oh oh
I am in control of my own appearance and impact.
(Take me to the source of chaos let me be the butterfly
I want to experience the unpredictable and have a transformative effect.
oh my, imperfect symmetry has underlying poetry in rhyme)
I embrace the beauty of imperfection and purposeful randomness.
If you think like Thomas Edison
If you are creative and innovative
Could you invent a world for me
Can you use your talents to create a better reality?
Now all that's on the surface
Current reality is brutal and violent.
Are bloody arms and oil fields
Physical evidence of human aggression and greed.
Could I turn this place all upside down
Can I revolutionize society and challenge the status quo?
And shake you and your fossils out, oh oh
I will force change and disrupt old systems and ways of thinking.
(You can't predict everything with Newton like certainty, why
Even science cannot predict or explain everything.
Oh my, coz it floats around all we see with oscillating energy on high)
There is unseen and complex energy shaping our reality.
And you soothe yourself with the sounds you know
You seek familiarity and comfort.
You tune out out out the hypnotic drone
You ignore or resist the repetitive and numbing aspects of modern life.
Perfect hexagon of the honeycomb
You find peace in patterns and natural shapes.
And you soothe your soul with the shapes you know
You derive comfort and calm from familiar forms.
Should I come outside and run your cars
Should I take on the responsibility of leading society?
Should I run your rockets to the stars
Should I take on the challenge of scientific exploration?
Could you invent a world for me
Can you collaborate with me to make a better reality?
I need to hear a symphony
I crave a harmonious and uplifting experience.
Your word for me is fusion
You see me as a combination of different elements.
But is real change an illusion
Can we truly create a better world or is it just a dream?
Could I turn this place all upside down
Can I subvert the norms and power structures of society?
And shake you and your fossils out
Can I disrupt and challenge outdated ideas and practices?
If I'm to run the future
If I am to shape the trajectory of humanity
You've got to let the old world go, oh oh
You must abandon outdated ideas and embrace change.
(Take me to the source of chaos let me be the butterfly
I seek transformation and metamorphosis.
Oh my, coz it floats around all we see with oscillating energy on high)
The unseen forces of the universe are dynamic and constantly changing.
Contributed by Madison J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dead bird
I'm a bubble in a sound wave
A sonic push for energy
Exploding like the sun
A flash of clean light hope
All you scientists can hold your breath
Can I decide to show myself, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(Take me to the source of chaos let me be the butterfly
oh my, imperfect symmetry has underlying poetry in rhyme)
If you think like Thomas Edison
Could you invent a world for me
Now all that's on the surface
Are bloody arms and oil fields
Could I turn this place all upside down
And shake you and your fossils out, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(You can't predict everything with Newton like certainty, why
Oh my, coz it floats around all we see with oscillating energy on high)
And you soothe yourself with the sounds you know
You tune out out out the hypnotic drone
Perfect hexagon of the honeycomb
And you soothe your soul with the shapes you know
Should I come outside and run your cars
Should I run your rockets to the stars
Could you invent a world for me
I need to hear a symphony
If I'm to run the future
You've got to let the old world go, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(Take me to the source of chaos let me be the butterfly
oh my, imperfect symmetry has underlying poetry in rhyme)
And you soothe yourself with the sounds you know
You tune out out out the hypnotic drone
Perfect hexagon of the honeycomb
And you soothe your soul with the shapes you know
Your word for me is fusion
But is real change an illusion
Could I turn this place all upside down
And shake you and your fossils out
If I'm to run the future
You've got to let the old world go
Could you invent a world for me
I need to hear a symphony, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(You can't predict everything with Newton like certainty, why
Oh my, coz it floats around all we see with oscillating energy on high)
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Carrie Rachel Brownstein / Corin Lisa Tucker / Janet Lee Weiss
yourlocalwastebin
I'm a bubble in a sound wave
A sonic push for energy
Exploding like the sun
A flash of clean light hope
All you scientists can hold your breath
Can I decide to show myself, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(Take me to the source of chaos let me be the butterfly
oh my, imperfect symmetry has underlying poetry in rhyme)
If you think like Thomas Edison
Could you invent a world for me
Now all that's on the surface
Are bloody arms and oil fields
Could I turn this place all upside down
And shake you and your fossils out, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(You can't predict everything with Newton like certainty, why
Oh my, coz it floats around all we see with oscillating energy on high)
And you soothe yourself with the sounds you know
You tune out out out the hypnotic drone
Perfect hexagon of the honeycomb
And you soothe your soul with the shapes you know
Should I come outside and run your cars
Should I run your rockets to the stars
Could you invent a world for me
I need to hear a symphony
If I'm to run the future
You've got to let the old world go, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(Take me to the source of chaos let me be the butterfly
oh my, imperfect symmetry has underlying poetry in rhyme)
And you soothe yourself with the sounds you know
You tune out out out the hypnotic drone
Perfect hexagon of the honeycomb
And you soothe your soul with the shapes you know
Your word for me is fusion
But is real change an illusion
Could I turn this place all upside down
And shake you and your fossils out
If I'm to run the future
You've got to let the old world go
Could you invent a world for me
I need to hear a symphony, oh oh
Oh oh oh...
(You can't predict everything with Newton like certainty, why
Oh my, coz it floats around all we see with oscillating energy on high)
Cartel1982
Definitely the 90s band that has had the most rewarding late career. Zero bad songs ever.
derekmok
Almost the whole The Woods album was bad. Very unfortunate that the band's last album completely dropped the ball. Some songs on Dig Me Out were also weak.
dielawn
Modest Mouse is the 90's band I'd say has been the most consistent since the beginning. The only album I think isn't great is their newest album. Though it still has great songs.
Nassim T
Seriously ? Dig Me Out is their best album and the middle section of The Woods (from What's Mine is Yours to Rollercoaster) is the best stretch of their career.
derekmok
Janet Weiss sounded great on Dig Me Out, but on some songs, it's as if Corin Tucker had no idea what the song was about. "One More Hour" always makes me grimace -- it's a sensitive breakup song, yet Tucker sings it with so much aggression and vibrato that it's like a mockery. "Turn It On" is bad karaoke; she sounds like a goat bleating. This didn't use to be a problem because Call the Doctor and the Sleater-Kinney debut album didn't have sensitive songs; Tucker's singing got much better on The Hot Rock. Listen to her delivery on "Don't Talk Like" -- it's at this point when she realized she needed to make her singing express what the emotion of the song is.
The Woods is so badly produced that I'd rather listen to tape hiss. Not well written, either -- a bunch of guitar noise without hooks, musical intelligence, or expression. If I want this kind of sound, I'd put on Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music or Neil Young's Arc.
PeepsILoveEllie
@derekmok lol I think Corin knew perfectly well how to sing One More Hour, since she co-wrote the song and it's partially about her and all.. way to be pretentious
Lucy
I love this song!! My favorite of theirs. They were such nice girls and I wish they hadn't have broken up...I had the pleasure of seeing them live and meeting them many times and they were nothing short of phenomenal!
Josh Conn
I could listen to this song over and over and not ever get tired of it. I know this because I already do.
headofbaphomet
I can't believe more people aren't all over this song, it just rocks so hard.
Dusky Joce
This song gives me goosebumps! Awesome lyrics, and voices :)