After coming together through New York City's Village Voice several years ago to "just have some fun," The Hissyfits have endured and matured into one of their generation's more significant punk-powered, pop-rock prizes. Through line-up changes and music industry mayhem, Hissyfits lead singer and guitarist Holly Jacobs has kept The Hissyfits phenomenon steadily growing with heartfelt anthems of misfortune and fortitude. The Hissyfits' universal themes of utter anguish tempered with pure pop perfection captivate innumerable knowing misfits, scorned lovers, and survivors worldwide.
Amazingly, their first 7" vinyl record wound up in the hands of legendary rock critic Greil Marcus who instantly proclaimed their music "Pop-When It's Perfect!" in Interview Magazine, and their first full-length EP, Letters From Frank (Top Quality Rock and Roll), debuted in July 2001 on the CMJ core radio chart at #65, far above more well-known bands like the White Stripes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Nikka Costa, and Alkaline Trio. Critics lauded their debut effort as "the most gripping and startlingly frank gone-wrong relationship album of the year" [San Francisco Bay Guardian] and "a worthy successor to the legacies of Sleater-Kinney, early Bikini Kill, and the Runaways" [Boston Phoenix].
Long-time fans are saying The Hissyfits' stellar new line-up is the finest-sounding and most vital yet. This latest evolution includes the addition of viola, sky-rocketing the long-time power-trio to an entirely new lush and textured level. This traditionally classical instrument sounds remarkably reborn and relevant, weaving in and out of the layers of crunchy guitars, driving bass and drum beats, and soaring harmonies. Their sound remains a study in contrasts--light and dark, melodic but moody, edgy yet serene--eloquently described by New York Waste as "sweet destructive pop that twists, turns and burns."
Despite their humble D.I.Y. beginnings, The Hissyfits have managed to impress a large and varied group of musical movers and shakers. Before they even had an album out, the girls were invited to play Joey Ramone's annual birthday bash accompanying the renowned Ronnie Spector on stage. They've gone from playing small rooms in the East Village to dates on the MTV Vans Warped Tour and international music events.
The Hissyfits were honored to be invited to play the largest Ladyfest festival to date (Ladyfest*Midwest, Chicago), with many other well-respected indie artists such as Le Tigre, Mary Timony and James Iha, Bratmobile, and The Indigo Girls' Amy Ray. They then went on to performing packed shows at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX and have recently returned from a successful tour of the U.K. where they played with bands such as The Pattern and Chicks on Speed.
Upon previewing a demo track from their highly-anticipated new album, Kerrang Magazine boldly declared, "The Hissyfits rule...not because they're girls -- just because they do."
911
The Hissyfits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kiss the girls and make them cry
You said, "I want you"
You said, "I need you"
You said, "I love you"
Well I don't trust you
And I don't care
Cause I don't want you
And I don't need you
And I don't love you
Cause I don't trust you
And I don't care
When you look at me
Do you see a little girl with a pink dress on?
Down on her knees
When you look at me
Does it make you want to go out back and paint the trees?
When you look at me
The only way to get inside of you
Was to let you get inside of me (2x)
Does it make you wanna run and hide?
Does it wake the child deep inside?
Does it bring back painful memories?
Does it make you wanna paint the trees?
And if I came to you for comfort
Would you go and call the cops on me?
And if I came to you for kindness and caring
Would you go and call the cops on me?
Would you dare to call the cops?
Why don't you just use me, abuse me
And call the cops on me
Why don't you just trick me, then dick me
And call the cops on me
Why don't you just rape me, then hate me
And call the cops on me
Why don't you just hurt me, desert me
And call the cops!
And the Pee Girl says:
"Someday you will ache like I ache"
The lyrics of "911" by The Hissyfits are deeply contemplative of the sexual power dynamics that exist between men and women. The repeated phrase "Kiss the girls and make them cry" is an allusion to a popular nursery rhyme that describes the flirtatious behavior of young boys who delight in tormenting girls. In using this phrase, the song suggests that men are socialized to enjoy the power they hold over women and to care only for their own selfish pleasure.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more personal, painting a picture of a relationship between two people that is marked by mistrust and hurt. The singer refuses to trust her partner, despite his words of love, and questions whether he sees her as a vulnerable child or an object of desire. The lines "The only way to get inside of you / Was to let you get inside of me" suggest that the singer may be grappling with feelings of shame or regret about giving in to her partner's advances in the past.
Ultimately, the song suggests that the power dynamics between men and women can be deeply damaging, leading to pain and trauma. The final lines, "Someday you will ache like I ache," suggest that the singer sees herself as a survivor who has weathered the storm of sexual manipulation and come out stronger on the other side.
Line by Line Meaning
Kiss the girls and make them cry
Flirt with girls to manipulate their emotions
You said, "I want you"
You made promises of desire and attraction
You said, "I need you"
You made promises of necessity and dependence
You said, "I love you"
You made promises of love and commitment
Well I don't trust you
I no longer believe in the promises you made
And I don't care
I have no emotional attachment to you anymore
Cause I don't want you
I no longer have any desire for you
And I don't need you
I no longer have any dependence on you
And I don't love you
I no longer have any love for you
When you look at me
When you gaze upon me
Do you see a little girl with a pink dress on?
Do you see an innocent and vulnerable version of me?
Down on her knees
Submissive and powerless
Does it make you want to go out back and paint the trees?
Do you feel a desire to exert control and dominance over me?
The only way to get inside of you
The only way to understand you
Was to let you get inside of me (2x)
Was to let you manipulate and abuse me
Does it make you wanna run and hide?
Does the thought of you facing consequences make you afraid?
Does it wake the child deep inside?
Does it bring out your inner insecurities and fears?
Does it bring back painful memories?
Does it remind you of past traumatic experiences?
And if I came to you for comfort
And if I sought solace from you
Would you go and call the cops on me?
Would you betray me and cause legal trouble for me?
Would you dare to call the cops?
Would you have the audacity to involve the police?
Why don't you just use me, abuse me
Why not exploit and hurt me?
And call the cops on me
And then report me to the authorities
And the Pee Girl says:
Referring to an unknown character
"Someday you will ache like I ache"
"You'll understand my pain in the future"
Contributed by Jonathan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.