Tunic
Sonic Youth Lyrics
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Hey what are you waiting for, feeding, feeding me
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day
But I look in the mirror, I'm bigger in every way
She said,
You aren't never going anywhere
You aren't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
I'm in heaven now, I can see you Richard
Goodbye Hollywood, goodbye Downey, hello Janis
Hello Dennis, Elvis and all my brand new friends
I'm so glad you're all here with me, until the very end
Dreaming, dreaming of how it's supposed to be
But now this tunic's spinning, around my arms and knees
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day
But when I open my mouth to sing, I'm bigger in every way
She said,
You aren't never going anywhere
You aren't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
Hey mom! Look I'm up here, I finally made it
I'm playing the drums again too
Don't be sad, the band doesn't sound half bad
And I remember mom, what you said
You said honey, you look so under-fed
Another green salad, another ice tea
There's a tunic in the closet waiting just for me
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day
But I look in your eyes, and I'm bigger in every way
She said,
You aren't never going anywhere
You aren't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
Goodbye Richard, gotta go now
I'm finally on my own, but Dan's got a gig
Keep the love lights glowing, little girl's got the blues
I can still hear momma say: "honey don't let it go to your head"
The lyrics to Sonic Youth's song "Tunic" are a haunting portrayal of Karen Carpenter's life, leading up to her death from anorexia. The opening lines, "Dreaming, dreaming of a girl like me / Hey what are you waiting for, feeding, feeding me," suggest Karen's desire for attention and love, but also her self-destructive tendencies. The tunic spinning around her arms and knees symbolizes Karen's obsession with her body and her constant feeling of shrinking away. However, she finds solace in her music, as it makes her feel bigger and gives her a sense of purpose. The final lines, "I'm finally on my own, but Dan's got a gig / Keep the love lights glowing, little girl's got the blues / I can still hear momma say: 'honey don't let it go to your head'" suggest that even in death, Karen feels a sense of belonging in the music community.
The chorus, "You aren't never going anywhere / I ain't never going anywhere," is repeated several times throughout the song, and can be interpreted in different ways. It could be Karen reassuring herself that she will never leave the music industry, even though she is struggling so much, or it could be a reflection of her mother's fears that Karen will succumb to her illness.
Line by Line Meaning
Dreaming, dreaming of a girl like me
I have an idealized concept of my own self and I aspire to find someone just like me
Hey what are you waiting for, feeding, feeding me
I need your emotional and physical support and I expect it from you
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day
I am gradually losing my sense of self and purpose
But I look in the mirror, I'm bigger in every way
Despite my feeling of inadequacy, I am still confident and resilient
You aren't never going anywhere
You are always going to be a part of my life, no matter what
I'm in heaven now, I can see you Richard
I am feeling content and at peace, as I see someone I know in my dream
Dreaming, dreaming of how it's supposed to be
I have a fixed idea of how I want things to turn out in the future
But now this tunic's spinning, around my arms and knees
I am feeling overwhelmed and trapped, like a garment is tightly wrapped around me
Hey mom! Look I'm up here, I finally made it
I am expressing my success and achievement to my mother
Another green salad, another ice tea
Life repeats itself, and I feel stuck in a boring routine
Goodbye Richard, gotta go now
I am saying farewell to someone I met in my dream, indicating a shift back to reality
Keep the love lights glowing, little girl's got the blues
Despite my emotional struggles, I still have hope for love and happiness
I can still hear momma say: "honey don't let it go to your head"
I remember my mother's advice to stay grounded and humble, despite any success or achievement
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KIM GORDON, LEE M. RANALDO, STEVEN JAY SHELLEY, THURSTON JOSEPH MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ismaelkjj
Dreaming, dreaming of a girl like me
Hey what are you waiting for, feeding, feeding me
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day
But I look in the mirror, I'm bigger in every way
She said,
You aren't never going anywhere
You aren't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
I'm in heaven now, I can see you Richard
Goodbye Hollywood, goodbye Downey, hello Janis
Hello Dennis, Elvis and all my brand new friends
I'm so glad you're all here with me, until the very end
Dreaming, dreaming of how it's supposed to be
But now this tunic's spinning, around my arms and knees
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day
But when I open my mouth to sing, I'm bigger in every way
She said,
You aren't never going anywhere
You aren't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
Hey mom! Look I'm up here, I finally made it
I'm playing the drums again too
Don't be sad, the band doesn't sound half bad
And I remember mom, what you said
You said honey, you look so under-fed
Another green salad, another ice tea
There's a tunic in the closet waiting just for me
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day
But I look in your eyes, and I'm bigger in every way
She said,
You aren't never going anywhere
You aren't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
I ain't never going anywhere
Goodbye Richard, gotta go now
I'm finally on my own, but Dan's got a gig
Keep the love lights glowing, little girl's got the blues
I can still hear momma say: "honey don't let it go to your head"
@hollyccam
ive suffered from anorexia and bulimia for a large portion of my life. this song is almost to painfull for me to listen to but i love it
@johnbarry1965
Have you heard 7st 3lbs by The Manic Street Preachers ? really is intense.
@user-xr9tb6ul3z
*4st 7lbs
@gabrielortega2869
I hope you are okay!
@paolovallejo5500
@@KAISER-OUTDOORS you must be like a therapist or something!
@dead7117
don't listen to the lyrics :/
@richardarnold5279
This song still haunts me. I don't think most people realize what they're listening to, or what it's about.
@spacecadet622
Embrace the haunt.
@MrHarvey1968
Its still an amazing track if they dont.
@richardarnold5279
@@spacecadet622 good point