- Working title: "Kim's Tune". Sometimes creatively listed as "Watching Ma Shine" on set lists...
- It takes the award for "longest song to appear on a sonic youth album" away from..... THE GOOD AND THE BAD, which was released in 1982 on their first EP, meaning it held that title for 13 years! Washing Machine, on the other hand, held it for 45 minutes.
- In early '95, Sonic Youth decided that they actually wanted to change their name to Washing Machine (which of course never happened...).
- Lee actually changes guitars onstage for this song (and on the album at about 1:58, left speaker, comes back in at 2:20).
Washing Machine
Sonic Youth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's so sweet
Alright now, alright now, alright now
You said that
If you want I'll be the one
Take you out and have some fun
Till the end, till the morning comes
Yeah, I take my baby down to the corner and
I buy him a soda-pop
Hmm hmm
Alright now, alright now, alright now
If you want I'll be the one
Take you out and have some fun
Flip a quarter for the toss
I'd like mine with apple-sauce
Yeah, I take my baby down to the corner and
I buy him a soda-pop
Cause he's so neat, sweet
Alright now, alright now, alright now
Okay now
If you want I'll be the one
Shake my legs and have some fun
My hearts spinnin' round like a washing machine
Never saw the devil look so damn clean
Yeah, I take my baby down to the corner and
I buy him a soda-pop
And he said: "honey, you look so fine"
And I said: okay, alright, okay, alright
I was walking up Lafayette street
It's real empty
And I looked out and it turned into a big field
And I looked up in the sky
And I looked up in the clouds
And I saw this face looking down at me
And it's a women's face
And she threw a quarter down at me and she said:
"Honey, here's a quarter go put it in the washing machine"
And then I looked up at her,
I looked up
at her face again and she said:
"I don't want no one to know
'Cause I don't want no one to know
I don't want no one to know"
The lyrics of Sonic Youth's song, "Washing Machine," revolve around a couple buying soda-pop and having fun together. The singer is taking her baby out, and she repeatedly emphasizes how sweet and neat he is. She offers to be the one to take him out and have some fun, promising to keep his secrets. The two enjoy flipping coins for fun and having soda-pop with apple-sauce. The song's chorus talks about the singer's heart spinning around like a washing machine, and ironically, she sees the devil looking clean. A woman also appears in the lyrics, throwing a quarter at the singer and instructing her to "go put it in the washing machine." However, she's hesitant to reveal the reason why, saying, "I don't want no one to know."
At its core, "Washing Machine" is a song about enjoying the simplicity of youthful love and having fun without any worries or reservations. The repeated usage of the phrase "alright now" emphasizes a sense of carefree joy and living in the moment. The washing machine metaphor represents how the singer's heart is being cleansed and made anew by the joys of love, but the people around her, like the face in the clouds and the woman throwing quarters, caution her to keep it a secret. The song's dream-like qualities add a surreal quality to the lyrics, leaving the listener to interpret what these strange visions mean.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, I take my baby down to the street and I buy him a soda-pop
I take my significant other out for little pleasures occasionally
He's so sweet
I adore my significant other
Alright now, alright now, alright now
Words of affirmation and appreciation
If you want I'll be the one
Take you out and have some fun
I never never ever ever tell no one
Till the end, till the morning comes
I am willing to have a good time with my significant other, and I'll keep our secrets.
I buy him a soda-pop
Hmm hmm
I love treating my significant other even to the simple pleasures of life.
If you want I'll be the one
Take you out and have some fun
Flip a quarter for the toss
I'd like mine with apple-sauce
I am willing to have a good time with my significant other, and I am willing to take chances.
Cause he's so neat, sweet
Alright now, alright now, alright now
Okay now
I love my significant other for who they are, and I appreciate them.
Shake my legs and have some fun
My hearts spinnin' round like a washing machine
Never saw the devil look so damn clean
I am excited to dance and have fun, and everything seems to be going well.
And he said: "honey, you look so fine"
And I said: okay, alright, okay, alright
My significant other is complimentary, and I accept the praise.
I was walking up Lafayette street
It's real empty
And I looked out and it turned into a big field
And I looked up in the sky
And I looked up in the clouds
And I saw this face looking down at me
And it's a women's face
And she threw a quarter down at me and she said:
"Honey, here's a quarter go put it in the washing machine"
And then I looked up at her,
I looked up
I had this surreal dream/vision of a woman giving me a quarter, which I'm supposed to use in a washing machine.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KIM GORDON, LEE M. RANALDO, STEVEN JAY SHELLEY, THURSTON JOSEPH MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind