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)
Taking Me Home
Sleater-Kinney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You come here every day
To make sure I'm still here
You look at me that way
Rings on my fingers
And bows in my hair
You think I'm your present
Is this a bad dream
Is this really my life
Well you wanna know
You'll show me tonight
I have this one face
And i only check out
It gets so far think it's time
Not for sale
Not your girl
Not your thing
I'm here on the counter
With no money down
For nine ninety nine
You're taking me home
A dozen red roses
A cute little house
A cheap little ring
The deal is cut, now
Something is messed up here
Something isn't right
We're supposed to be free
I'm supposed to be mine
This part of my body
That you're pricing now
I'm cutting it off
I'm throwing it out
Not for sale
Not your girl
Not your thing
Got me mixed up with somebody else
Got me mixed up with somebody else
In Sleater-Kinney's song Taking Me Home, the lyrics speak about a person who comes to the singer's workplace every day to ensure that they are still there. The singer is uncomfortable with this behavior, and the person has mistaken them for someone who is for sale, something to be bought and owned. The song speaks to objectification, control, and freedoms. The singer is someone who values their autonomy, their ability to choose, and their sense of self-worth. They don't want to be taken home as something to be owned; they want to be free to be themselves.
The lines, "You think I'm your present/You'll unwrap me here," suggest that the person seeing the singer as a gift, something to be opened and appreciated, which further emphasizes the objectification. The song's chorus, "Not for sale/Not your girl/Not your thing," reiterates the singer's refusal to be someone's property, highlighting the importance of bodily autonomy.
The song speaks to issues of gender, power dynamics, and control, all of which Sleater-Kinney often confronts in their music. It's a reminder that people should be respected and not viewed as objects to be owned. Sleater-Kinney seems to assert that bodily autonomy is a critical right that everyone should have.
Line by Line Meaning
You come here to my work
You come to my workplace looking for me
You come here every day
You come to my workplace every single day
To make sure I'm still here
To make sure that I'm still working here and haven't left
You look at me that way
You give me a certain kind of look that makes me uncomfortable
Rings on my fingers
I have rings on my fingers
And bows in my hair
I have bows in my hair
You think I'm your present
You think I'm your gift or possession
You'll unwrap me here
You'll reveal me in this place
Is this a bad dream
Is this really happening or just a nightmare
Is this really my life
Is this actually how my life is going to be
Well you wanna know
You want to find out more about me
You'll show me tonight
You'll reveal more about yourself to me later tonight
I have this one face
I have a certain appearance or way of presenting myself
And i only check out
And I only superficially interact with people or things
It gets so far think it's time
I've gone so far in this way that I feel like it's time to change
Not for sale
I'm not someone that can be bought or sold
Not your girl
I'm not your girlfriend or romantic partner
Not your thing
I'm not your possession
I'm here on the counter
I'm here on display or for sale
With no money down
There's no initial payment required to take me home
For nine ninety nine
I'm priced at $9.99
You're taking me home
You're buying me and taking me home with you
A dozen red roses
You're giving me a dozen red roses
A cute little house
You're taking me to a small and charming house
A cheap little ring
You're giving me an inexpensive ring
The deal is cut, now
The agreement has been reached
Something is messed up here
Something is wrong with this situation
Something isn't right
Something is not correct or appropriate
We're supposed to be free
We should both have the freedom to live our lives
I'm supposed to be mine
I should be in control of my own life
This part of my body
This aspect of me or my identity
That you're pricing now
That you're trying to purchase or claim as yours
I'm cutting it off
I'm getting rid of it completely
I'm throwing it out
I'm discarding it as unwanted or unimportant
Got me mixed up with somebody else
You're mistaking me for someone else or not understanding who I really am
Got me mixed up with somebody else
You're mistaking me for someone else or not understanding who I really am
Contributed by Bella O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.