The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as sim… Read Full Bio ↴The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as simply The Presidents or PUSA is a Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew, drummer and vocalist Jason Finn and "guitbassist"/vocalist Andrew McKeag. Long time "guitbassist" and vocalist Dave Dederer departed the band in 2004, after 11 years. They have released five studio albums since forming in 1993. Their whimsy electric live performances have maintained loyal fans for some time.

The band released their self-titled first album in March 1995 via PopLlama Records. After they garnered massive acclaim, Columbia Records quickly signed them. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and has shipped over three million copies. The RIAA has certified it as triple platinum. Songs "Peaches", "Kitty", "Lump", and "Dune Buggy" received major airplay.

Their 1996 follow-up album, "II", did not reach the same acclaim, though it reached the top forty on the Billboard 2000. Single "Mach 5" also garnered some airplay. The band then fell of the radar for many listeners, dropped by their major label. However, their albums of the new millennium, 'Freaked Out and Small' followed by 'Love Everybody' and 'These Are the Good Times People' (released in 2000, 2004, and 2008, respectively), picked up positive critical reviews, such as from the All Music Guide. Although their touring schedule became more sporadic into the 00s and 10s, they continue to perform and satisfy audiences with their off-beat humor and catchy hooks.

Slip Away
The Presidents of the United States of America Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I had a girl;
Yeah, "had" is the word.
I tried to hold on,
But it was pretty absurd.
She said she loved me,
And I said I loved her too.
But we weren't having any fun,
So what could I do?

I let her slip away...
Away...
I let her slip away...
Away...
I had a car;
Yeah. The colour was blue.
It kept breaking down,
So what could I do?
I put an ad in the papaer;
You know I called it a steal.
Then this guy came to see it,
And we struck up a deal.
I let it slip away...
Away...
I let her slip away...
Away...
I had a thought;
You know I thought it a lot.
I thought I was smart,
And I now I know that I'm not.
I let it slip away...
Away...
I let her slip away...
Away...

I let her slip away...
Away...

Overall Meaning

The song Slip Away by The Presidents of the United States of America is about the singer letting go of someone he used to love. He starts by talking about a girl he used to be with, saying that they both loved each other, but they weren't having any fun, so he let her slip away. This shows his indecisiveness on whether or not he wanted to stay with her or move on. He then talks about his car which was also malfunctioning, and so he decided to sell it to someone who was interested in buying it. Lastly, he talks about a thought he had which he thought made him smart, but he realized that it did not. The chorus is a repetition of how he let everything slip away.

The theme of the song is regret for not putting in enough effort when things were going wrong. The singer could have probably tried to fix things with the girl, but instead, he let her go. Similarly, he could have looked for a way to fix his car instead of selling it. The song is about the singer's realization that he has been taking things for granted and that he should have tried harder to hold on to what he loved.

Line by Line Meaning

I had a girl;
I was in a relationship with a girl.

Yeah, "had" is the word.
I no longer have her, she is my ex-girlfriend.

I tried to hold on,
I attempted to maintain the relationship.

But it was pretty absurd.
It was impractical, illogical and ridiculous to hold on to the relationship, given the circumstances.

She said she loved me,
My girlfriend expressed her feelings of love for me.

And I said I loved her too.
I reciprocated her feelings of love.

But we weren't having any fun,
However, we were not enjoying each other's company.

So what could I do?
I was left with no other option but to let her go.

I let her slip away...
I allowed my girlfriend to leave me.

Away...
It was a difficult but necessary decision.

I had a car;
I owned a vehicle.

Yeah. The colour was blue.
It was a blue-colored car.

It kept breaking down,
The car was prone to frequent breakdowns.

So what could I do?
I decided to sell it since it was unreliable.

I put an ad in the paper;
I advertised my car for sale through print media.

You know I called it a steal.
I marketed it as a bargain deal.

Then this guy came to see it,
A potential buyer came to inspect the car.

And we struck up a deal.
We negotiated and agreed to a sale price.

I had a thought;
I had an idea on my mind.

You know I thought it a lot.
I reflected and contemplated on it frequently.

I thought I was smart,
I believed that I was intelligent and knowledgeable about a certain matter.

And I now I know that I'm not.
I have come to the realization that I was mistaken about my level of intelligence on the topic.

I let it slip away...
I missed an opportunity due to my wrong assumptions and beliefs.

Away...
It is now gone, and I have to face the consequences.

I let it slip away...
I lost something valuable.

Away...
It is no longer within my reach.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER WELDON BALLEW, DAVID MICHAEL DEDERER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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