Jenny and the Ess Dog
Stephen Malkmus Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Jennifer dates a man in a 60s cover band
He's the Ess-dog, or Sean if you wish
She's 18, he's 31
She's a rich girl, he's the son
Of a Coca-Cola middle man

Kiss when they listen
To "Brothers In Arms"
And if there's something wrong with this
They don't see the harm
In joining their forces and singing along

See those rings on her toes Check that frisbee in his Volvo
It's a Volvo with ancient plates
They've got a dog she named Trey
A retriever with a frayed bandana around his neck

Trey has a window into their relationship
The baby talk voices
And the post class-a nasal drip
But it all seems to function
At least in her dog's mind

Let me out of here
Let me out of here
You got to let me out of here
You got to let me out of here
Let me out of here
Out of here
Out of here, out of here
Let me out of here I'll hit the ground running

Jennifer left for school up in Boulder
And the Ess-dog came to visit when he could
But the strain was too much
They could not make up for distance
And the distance between their years

Neither one listens
To "Brothers In Arms"
The Ess-dog waits tables
And he sold his guitar
Jenny pledged Kappa and she started pre-law




And off came those awful toe rings
Off came those awful toe rings

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stephen Malkmus's song "Jenny and The Ess Dog" tell the story of a romantic relationship between a wealthy 18-year-old girl named Jennifer and her 31-year-old boyfriend, Sean (also known as the Ess-Dog). Sean is a member of a 60s cover band and is the son of a Coca-Cola middleman. Jennifer and Sean connect over their shared musical taste, kissing when they listen to "Brothers in Arms." The couple is also characterized by their eccentricities, such as the rings on Jennifer's toes and the frisbee in Sean's old Volvo. They have a dog named Trey, who serves as a window into their relationship for the listener.


As the song progresses, the relationship between Jennifer and Sean falls apart due to their age difference and the strain of distance when Jennifer goes to college in Boulder. While they initially bonded over music, the couple stops listening to "Brothers in Arms" in the end. Sean waits tables to make ends meet, having sold his guitar, while Jennifer pledges Kappa and starts pre-law. The song ends with the repetition of "let me out of here," suggesting that the singer (possibly Jennifer) wants out of the relationship and a new start in life.


Line by Line Meaning

Jennifer dates a man in a 60s cover band
Jennifer is romantically involved with a man who performs covers of 60s songs.


He's the Ess-dog, or Sean if you wish
The man's nickname is Ess-dog, but his name is Sean.


She's 18, he's 31
Jennifer is eighteen years old, while her partner is thirty-one.


She's a rich girl, he's the son
Jennifer has grown up wealthy, but her partner's father works for Coca-Cola.


Of a Coca-Cola middle man
The man's father is employed by the Coca-Cola company in a middle management position.


Kiss when they listen
The couple shares a kiss while listening to music.


To "Brothers In Arms"
The song they are listening to when they kiss is "Brothers In Arms."


And if there's something wrong with this
If there is a problem with their relationship,


They don't see the harm
They are not aware of any potential harm it may cause.


In joining their forces and singing along
By sharing their love for music, they form a unique connection.


See those rings on her toes
Jennifer wears toe rings.


Check that frisbee in his Volvo
Inside the man's car, there is a frisbee.


It's a Volvo with ancient plates
Despite the car's advanced age, it still has its original license plates.


They've got a dog she named Trey
The couple has a dog named Trey, whom Jennifer has given this name.


A retriever with a frayed bandana around his neck
Trey wears a bandana around his neck, which is now frayed from use.


Trey has a window into their relationship
The presence of the dog allows Trey to observe the couple's interactions and relationship.


The baby talk voices
The couple uses cutesy, childlike language in their conversations.


And the post class-a nasal drip
The man struggles with a post-cocaine addiction nasal condition.


But it all seems to function
Despite their differences, their relationship seems to work.


At least in her dog's mind
Trey perceives the relationship positively.


Let me out of here
The artist wants to leave the current situation.


Let me out of here
The artist reiterates their desire to leave.


You got to let me out of here
The singer is directing their plea to someone else.


You got to let me out of here
Once again, the artist insists on leaving.


Let me out of here
The singer repeats their request to be let go.


Out of here
The singer wants to leave their current location immediately.


Out of here, out of here
The singer emphasizes their desire to leave.


Let me out of here I'll hit the ground running
If the artist is allowed to leave, they plan on leaving quickly.


Jennifer left for school up in Boulder
Jennifer moved away to attend school in Boulder, Colorado.


And the Ess-dog came to visit when he could
The man visited Jennifer when he was able to.


But the strain was too much
The relationship became too difficult to maintain long-distance.


They could not make up for distance
Jennifer and the man could not overcome the distance between them.


And the distance between their years
The age difference between Jennifer and the man was an obstacle.


Neither one listens
Neither of them is listening to music now.


To "Brothers In Arms"
The song that they once shared while kissing is no longer a part of their lives.


The Ess-dog waits tables
The man now works as a waiter for a living.


And he sold his guitar
He no longer owns his guitar, which may represent the fading of his passion for music.


Jenny pledged Kappa and she started pre-law
Jennifer became a member of the Kappa sorority and started pursuing a degree in law.


And off came those awful toe rings
Jennifer has removed the toe rings she once wore.


Off came those awful toe rings
The artist repeats, emphasizing the significance of this action.




Contributed by Lucy V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@0Ambiental0

Jennifer dates a man in a sixties cover band
He's the Ess-Dog, Sean if you wish
She's eighteen, he's thirty-one
She's a rich girl, he's a son of a Coca-Cola middle man

Kiss when they listen to "Brothers in Arms"
And if there's something wrong with this
They don't see the harm
In joining their forces and singing along

See those rings on her toes?
Check that frisbee and his Volvo
It's a Volvo with ancient plates
They've got a dog she named Trey
A retriever with a frayed bandana 'round his neck

Trey has a window into their relationship
The baby-talk voices and the post class A nasal trip
But it all seems to function
At least in the dog's mind

Let me out of here
Let me out of here
You got to let me out of here
You got to let me out of here
Let me out of here, out of here, out of here, out of here
Let me out of here
Running
Running
Running
Running

Jennifer left for school up in Boulder
And that Ess-Dog came to visit when he could
But the strain was too much
They could not make up for distance
And the distance between their years

Neither one listens to "Brothers in Arms"
And the Ess-Dog waits tables and he sold his guitar
Jenny pledged Kappa and she started Pre-Law
And off came those awful toe rings
Off came those awful toe rings



All comments from YouTube:

@dnon75

I really admire people like Steve Malkmus. He is such a bright person who could have had a successful career in anything but he chose to make songs and videos of him running around indian statues with a lacrosse stick.

@cxssetteman182

That's what Keeping it real means 😌

@inmasj0ns

Icu2_999_hotel_hotel technically native american

@brotherbp

Did Stephen's mom write this?

@brndnryn

SM is 1:1 and long may he live

@westwardduck

I had no idea I would still be listening to Stephen Malkmus in 2017 when I went out on a limb as a 14 year old kid and bought Crooked Rain. Malkmus is easily one of my generation's best songwriters.

@samuelechiarelli9594

Yeah because music today sucks and none came with interesting new things, no creativity, no real music

@flip65515

Why didn't you think you'd be listening? Did you ever stop listening to the fucking Beatles 50 years after they broke up? Maybe you don't fancy the Beatles. But pick one.

@TheRandomCentral

Malkmus is a genius. Really, the guy hasn't ever released anything bad.

@exexalien

Love this song. Picturing a guy who introduces himself to people as "the Ess-dog, or Sean if you wish" sets the scene for the rest of the song so perfectly, and from there it's just a matter of waiting for this summer fling to end (and for those awful toe rings to come off).    

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