Ty Segall is an American musician and songwriter, based in Los Angeles, Cal… Read Full Bio ↴Ty Segall is an American musician and songwriter, based in Los Angeles, California. A multi-instrumentalist, Segall is a vocalist, guitarist and drummer. He has released eleven solo studio albums along with numerous collaborations, live albums, demos and compilations. Along with his extensive solo output, he is a member of the bands The Traditional Fools, Epsilons, Party Fowl, Sic Alps, GØGGS, Fuzz, The Perverts, and Wasted Shirt.

Segall began his recording career as a part-time musician in various underground bands in Orange County and the San Francisco Bay Area, before beginning a solo career in 2008. Segall's first solo release was the cassette Horn The Unicorn released on the Wizard Mountain label (later re-released by HBSP-2X on vinyl record). Around the same time, Wizard Mountain also released a split cassette featuring Segall and the band Superstitions entitled Halfnonagon.

In 2012, Segall released three LPs: His solo album, Twins; a collaboration with White Fence titled Hair and Slaughterhouse, an album with the Ty Segall Band.

I Don't know My Name
Ty Segall Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't know my name
I don't play by the rules of the game
So you say I'm just trying
Just trying

So I heard you are my sister's friend
You get along quite nicely
You ask me why I cut my hair

And changed myself completely

I don't know my name
I don't play by the rules of the game
So you say I'm just trying
Just trying

I went from less than popular
To joining the marching band
I made the closest friends
I ever have in my lifetime

I am lost trying to get found
In an ocean of people
Please don't ask me any questions
There'll be a valid answer
I'll just say

That I don't know my name
I don't play by the rules of the game
So you say I'm just trying
Just trying

I now know my name!
I don't play by the rules of the game
So you say, I'm not trying

But I'm trying
To find my way

Overall Meaning

The song "I Don't Know My Name" by Ty Segall is a commentary on the struggle for personal identity and authenticity in a conformist society. The opening lines - "I don't know my name, I don't play by the rules of the game" - suggest a sense of confusion and rebellion against societal norms. The singer is unsure of who they are or what they want, but they know that they don't want to be boxed in by expectations or labels.

The next lines suggest that the singer is engaging with the world around them, even as they reject its standards. They reference a connection with someone else - a sister's friend - who they "get along quite nicely" with. However, when this person asks why the singer has "cut [their] hair and changed [themselves] completely," they are met with deflection and evasion. The singer is reluctant to explain themselves, suggesting a deeper anxiety around being understood or accepted.

The next verse sings of transformation - the singer went from being "less than popular" to joining the marching band and finding true friends. However, their identity is still in flux, as they confess to being "lost trying to get found in an ocean of people." The final repetition of "I don't know my name" is not a cry of despair, but rather an acknowledgement of the singer's search for self. By the end of the song, they have "found" their name, but there is still a sense that their journey is ongoing - "I'm trying to find my way."

Overall, "I Don't Know My Name" is a powerful exploration of individuality and the quest for self-knowledge in a world that often demands conformity. It speaks to the modern experience of growing up in a society that imposes rigid expectations on us, and the struggle to break free and define ourselves on our own terms.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't know my name
I am unsure of my identity and my place in the world

I don't play by the rules of the game
I am not conforming to societal norms and expectations

So you say I'm just trying
Others may view my unconventional behavior as simply attempting to fit in

Just trying
Despite not knowing who I am, I am making an effort to figure it out

So I heard you are my sister's friend
I am aware of your connection to someone close to me

You get along quite nicely
I have observed that you have a pleasant relationship with my sister

You ask me why I cut my hair
You are curious about my recent physical transformation

And changed myself completely
I have undergone a significant personal transformation, both physically and mentally

I went from less than popular
I was an outcast or not well-liked before

To joining the marching band
I found a new group to belong to and a sense of community through music

I made the closest friends
I have formed meaningful bonds with others through my new interests

I am lost trying to get found
I am struggling to understand who I am, and searching for that understanding

In an ocean of people
I feel overwhelmed by the vast sea of humanity around me

Please don't ask me any questions
I am not ready or willing to discuss my innermost thoughts with others

There'll be a valid answer
I will eventually be able to articulate my feelings and identity to myself and others

I'll just say
For now, I can only provide this limited response

That I don't know my name
My identity remains a mystery to me

I now know my name!
I have reached a breakthrough and discovered my true self

So you say, I'm not trying
Others may view my transformation and newfound understanding of myself as effortless or natural

But I'm trying
In reality, I have worked hard to reach this point and will continue to do so

Writer(s): Ty Garrett Segall

Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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LYRICS

I see you walking almost every day
Oh when-o-when you gonna walk my way?
I see you walking up and down my street
When I see you walking I have no fear

I don't know my name, I don't know my name
You're to blame
Gotta' get outta here

Well my hearts going crazy and I don't know why
When I see you walking I just walk by
You're making my knees tremble, making my knees shake

I don't know my name, I don't know my name
You're to blame
Gotta' get outta here

I...