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.
Hitch
Speedy Ortiz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He won't go down
Though his knees spasm
Though he wants to grey out
I heard them call me a hard horse
If you can stomach the top speed, let's take it on
Your fever's fewer than before and so it's hard to get hot
I'm never wrong about one thing
You're sick, keep below
I don't wanna throw you
You're sick
Now you know that I wanna know you
Don't endure a sickness you could let me cure
And I want to
I sent my crucible fawning in a predatory way
You've got a habit with stains; I study etymology
But I never succumbed to that dirty word till I met you
Now I'm sick, keep below
I don't wanna throw you
You're sick
Now you know that I wanna know you
In this blood a sickness
You learn to love and I learn, too
Sell every bet on your hard horse
I won't go down
Though my knees spasm
Though I want to grey out
And you could call me a hard horse
You're sick, keep below
I don't wanna throw you
You're sick
Now you know that I wanna know you
In this blood a sickness
You learn to love and I learn, too
The song "Hitch" by Speedy Ortiz is a catchy tune with cryptic lyrics that seem to detail the emotional journey of a couple that is at odds with each other. The opening line "Place every bet on a hard horse, he won't go down" is a metaphor that represents the singer's resilience and perseverance, despite the physical and emotional pain she is going through. The line "Though his knees spasm, though he wants to grey out" suggests that the singer is fighting an inner battle, but she refuses to give up.
The chorus of the song, "You're sick, keep below, I don't want to throw you," is a plea for her partner to not let their illness define them. The singer is offering to help her partner overcome their sickness through love and support. The phrase "I sent my crucible fawning in a predatory way" means that the singer is putting herself out there in a vulnerable state, hoping that her partner will reciprocate and meet her halfway.
The last line of the song "Sell every bet on your hard horse, I won't go down" is a form of reassurance to her partner, that no matter what happens, she will always be there for them. The song is rich with metaphors and poetic language, making it ripe for interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
Place every bet on a hard horse
Put everything you have into something that is strong and won't fail
He won't go down
This hard horse won't give up or fail
Though his knees spasm
Even though he is in pain and struggling
Though he wants to grey out
Although he wants to give up or lose consciousness
I heard them call me a hard horse
People have referred to me as someone who is resilient and strong
If you can stomach the top speed, let's take it on
If you can handle the intensity of the situation, let's tackle it together
Your fever's fewer than before and so it's hard to get hot
Your enthusiasm for this is not as strong as it once was and it's difficult to reignite
Is that a challenge or something?
Are you testing me or trying to push me?
I'm never wrong about one thing
I have absolute confidence in at least one thing, even if it's not clear what that is
You're sick, keep below
You're struggling and I don't want to put too much pressure on you
I don't wanna throw you
I don't want to push you to the point of breaking
Now you know that I wanna know you
I'm interested in getting to know you better
Don't endure a sickness you could let me cure
Don't suffer alone when I can help you
And I want to
I'm willing and eager to help
I sent my crucible fawning in a predatory way
I put myself in a vulnerable position in a way that could be taken advantage of
You've got a habit with stains; I study etymology
You have a tendency to make mistakes, while I like to analyze and study language
But I never succumbed to that dirty word till I met you
I never gave in to something negative until I met you and was influenced by you
Now I'm sick, keep below
Now I'm struggling and don't want to be overwhelmed
In this blood a sickness
In this situation, there is something wrong or negative
You learn to love and I learn, too
Through this experience, we both learn and grow
Sell every bet on your hard horse
Put everything you have into yourself and believe in your own strength
And you could call me a hard horse
I am also someone who is strong and can endure
Contributed by Alexandra R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.