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.
Pioneer Spine
Speedy Ortiz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Barbed the entrance: now I wanna know
Who's there feeding?
I want a name, I want a name
Just mouth it, that's fine
The hollow throws his lousy drone
And you don't want to breathe
But you'll talk
Now absolute the zero count
Zero morphism, its arrowed frame
Whose count's empty?
I want your name, I want your name
Just write it, that's fine
The strength you've grown is monotone
But now I've turned the key
And you can't call out again
Gather 'round so empty now
All you got is spineless sound
I want the truth
Even if I gotta rip it from you
Who's out feeding? I fed the same
So they took my name
And I put up no fight
The void you throw is all you know
You watch me turn a key
How like you, to shirk away
A sonar's rounds
Me, I just cloister up against its shouts
Gather 'round so empty now
All you got is spineless sound
I want the truth
Even if I gotta rip it from you
Boy, you've still got your sound
And I see you staring down
I want a name
Even though you spoiled the one I came with
The song "Pioneer Spine" by Speedy Ortiz is a complex song that can be interpreted in different ways. The lyrics suggest someone who's trying to uncover truth and obtain answers, but is being met with resistance. The first two stanzas introduce the idea of someone trying to get information out of another person, someone who is guarded and reluctant to give away anything. The line "now I wanna know" indicates that there is curiosity and a desire for clarity.
The third stanza switches to a different theme, of zero counts and morphism. This seems like a math reference, but it might also be a symbolic way to say there's nothing at the core of the matter, and the closer one looks, the emptier it gets. The next line repeats the request for a name, as if the singer is trying to fill the void with something substantial.
The last two stanzas seem to merge the two themes together again. The line "who's out feeding?" implies that someone is taking advantage of someone else, and now there's a name to that person. The line "the void you throw is all you know" suggests that the person in question only knows how to be empty and shallow, and the singer is frustrated with that. The end seems to imply that even though the name the singer got was spoiled, there's still a need to know and understand.
Overall, the song seems to be about trying to uncover truth, but encountering resistance from someone who is afraid or unwilling to open up. The singer is frustrated with the lack of depth and substance, and wants to rip out the truth from the other person, even if it means a confrontation.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's there triggering the soft alarm
Who is causing the gentle warning to sound
Barbed the entrance: now I wanna know
Secured entryway: it's important to find out who's there
Who's there feeding?
Who is supplying or nurturing something
I want a name, I want a name
I need to know the identity of the person in question
Just mouth it, that's fine
It's okay if you don't want to say out loud, but tell me either way
The hollow throws his lousy drone
An empty vessel emits an unpleasant, monotonous noise
And you don't want to breathe
You're afraid to speak, to give a reaction
But you'll talk
Eventually, you will reveal something
Now absolute the zero count
A clean start, with nothing to continue from
Zero morphism, its arrowed frame
A mathematical concept of an empty transformation
Whose count's empty?
What is lacking? What's missing in this equation?
I want your name, I want your name
Please tell me who you are
Just write it, that's fine
If you're not willing to speak, write it down instead
The strength you've grown is monotone
Your power has become one-dimensional, predictable
But now I've turned the key
I've opened a door, unlocked a barrier
And you can't call out again
You're powerless to make a move, to appeal
Gather 'round so empty now
Come together, but the space is lacking substance
All you got is spineless sound
The words are empty, lacking in conviction
I want the truth
I demand honesty and facts
Even if I gotta rip it from you
I will extract the truth, even if I have to use force
Who's out feeding? I fed the same
Who is nurturing? I too have done the same
So they took my name
Someone else took credit for my actions
And I put up no fight
I didn't resist or object
The void you throw is all you know
You project emptiness, as that's what you're familiar with
You watch me turn a key
You observe as I unlock or solve something
How like you, to shirk away
It's typical of you to try and avoid taking responsibility or admitting fault
A sonar's rounds
Like the sound waves used to detect objects in the water
Me, I just cloister up against its shouts
I hide in seclusion to block out the noise of the sonar
Boy, you've still got your sound
You continue to make noise, to use your voice
And I see you staring down
I observe that you're examining or challenging me
Even though you spoiled the one I came with
Despite causing harm to someone else's reputation, I still need to know your name
Contributed by Anna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.