The band originated in 2011 as Sadie Dupuis' solo project while she was teaching songwriting at a summer camp, recording her own material using her laptop.
"Resurrects the floppy-stringed guitar dissonance of old-school Boston bands like Kudgel and Swirlies, or Rob Crow from Pinback's predecessor Thingy, who forged similar anti-anthems out of the grimiest chords." - Boston Globe. TL;DR. DTF. 10" EP, 'Sports,' out on Exploding in Sound Records. 'Major Arcana' out on Carpark Records; 'Real Hair' EP followed in February 2014.
American Horror
Speedy Ortiz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it is that the wish brought you into this web
Full of bees, found you in the glue and began their stinging
Who could have guessed you'd be out on a stretcher
After your home stretch
Oh, popped and bruised
And still you heal at least till it fits through
They trust you, just to your own feet
And keep you here for a whole week
Cause you're acting [?] crazy
And keep you here for a whole week
The state house is a tad fixed by you
Kick your dirty feet upon that web
With all those bees
Now your poor leg's sticky, oh what a bad scene
Who could have guessed
You'd be down for a spell but out on a new bed
Figured you know
I will put the kid in me, will you let him go?
Trust me, just to my own feet
And keep me up for a whole week
Baby you feel so crazy
You keep me up for a whole week
They trust you, just to your own feet
And keep you here for a whole week
Cause you're acting [?] crazy
And keep you here for a whole week
The lyrics of Speedy Ortiz's "American Horror" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the cycle of addiction and rehabilitation. The singer addresses an individual who has fallen into a "web" of addiction, symbolized by the bees and glue, which have left them "popped and bruised." Despite their attempts at recovery, the singer notes that the individual has been hospitalized again, "out on a new bed," suggesting that they have fallen back into the cycle of addiction.
The second half of the song shifts to the perspective of the addict, who acknowledges their own struggles with addiction, noting that they feel "crazy" and are being kept in the hospital for a week to recover. The line "trust me, just to my own feet" suggests a desire for independence and self-reliance, but the addict recognizes that they need help and support to overcome the cycle of addiction.
Overall, the lyrics of "American Horror" offer a sobering look at the challenges of addiction and recovery, highlighting the painful and cyclical nature of the struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's not what you think
This situation is not what you perceive it to be
But it is that the wish brought you into this web
You got into this situation because of a desire or wish
Full of bees, found you in the glue and began their stinging
The situation is overwhelming and dangerous, like being stuck in glue and attacked by bees
Who could have guessed you'd be out on a stretcher
The outcome of the situation is unexpected and extreme
After your home stretch
After you thought you had reached the end of a difficult period
Oh, popped and bruised
You are physically and emotionally hurt
And still you heal at least till it fits through
You are trying to recover, but only to the extent that it allows you to continue in the same pattern
They trust you, just to your own feet
Others expect you to stand on your own two feet and take responsibility for your actions
And keep you here for a whole week
You are being held accountable for your actions and facing consequences
Cause you're acting [?] crazy
Your behavior is irrational and unpredictable
The state house is a tad fixed by you
Your actions have caused some damage or disruption to the status quo
Kick your dirty feet upon that web
You are intentionally causing chaos and destruction
Now your poor leg's sticky, oh what a bad scene
Your actions have resulted in negative consequences for yourself
Figured you know
You should have anticipated these consequences
I will put the kid in me, will you let him go?
You are attempting to revert back to a more innocent or carefree version of yourself, but you need others to allow this to happen
Trust me, just to my own feet
You want others to have faith in your ability to take care of yourself
And keep me up for a whole week
You are willing to face the consequences of your actions and make amends
Baby you feel so crazy
You are struggling with intense emotions and difficult circumstances
You keep me up for a whole week
You are experiencing ongoing consequences and are held accountable for your actions
Contributed by Henry F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jalynette
This needs more views, they need more recognition. I'm officially in love with Speedy Ortiz and they've inspired me to play more instruments, especially guitar.
Sergio Granada Moreno
this guys are absolutely epic. cant wait for their gig next october...
googscast
Reminds me strongly when i was in highschool! Sick tunes~
T-SHORT OFICIAL
Can we all talk about how this was a great video? Bro this is HQ!!!!!!!!!!!
miked4309
i do have to ask...."how come all your videos are like horror movies?" i think its great.
inspectious
I miss this Speedy Ortiz so bad!
dfourquet
MTV needs to quit the reality TV gig and get these guys to run the whole bloody network themselves o.o
miked4309
dfourquet one of the best posts ive seen on youtube. go SPEEDY.
nuts
Best speedy ortiz song change my mind
shishiwakamaru4
I like to listen to this while I read love& rockets. thumbs up if you get it