“Obviously Jeff has never hit me. And I know I have to give Jeff his creative license. And I have no way of knowing whether he could have written as cool and brilliant an album without having to go through everything he went through that year. I think that’s one of our most common myths, that artists have to be miserable to be creative. I don’t think that’s true. I hope it’s not true. I don’t wish that kind of misery on anyone.”
She's A Jar
Wilco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a heavy lid
My pop quiz kid
A sleepy kisser
A pretty war
With feelings hid
She begs me not to miss her
To light a fuse
We could use
A hand full of wheel
And a day off
And a bruised road
However you might feel
Tonight is real
When I forget how to talk, I sing
won't you please
Bring that flash to shine
And turn my eyes red
Unless they close
When you click
And my face gets sick
Stuck
Like a question unposed
Just climb aboard
The tracks of a trains arm
In my fragile family tree
And watch me floating inches above
The people under me
Please beware the quiet front yard
I warned you
Before there were water skies
I warned you not to drive
Dry your eyes, you poor devil
Are there really ones like these?
The ones I dream
Float like leaves
And freeze to spread skeleton wings
I passed through before I knew you
I believe it's just because
Daddy's payday is not enough
Oh, I believe it's all because
Daddy's payday is not enough
Just climb aboard
The tracks of a trains arm
In my fragile family tree
And watch me floating inches above
The people under me
She's a jar
With a heavy lid
My pop quiz kid
A sleepy kisser
A pretty war
With feelings hid
You know she begs me not to hit her
In Wilco's song "She's A Jar," the singer describes a relationship that is complicated and difficult to navigate. The object of his affection is described as a jar with a heavy lid, representing the emotional barriers that she puts up to protect herself. She is a pretty war, with feelings hidden away and begged the singer not to miss her. The song also speaks to the desire for connection and intimacy, but the fear that comes with vulnerability. There is a sense of uncertainty, as the singer wonders if the relationship is real or just a fleeting dream. The lyrics suggest that there are deeper issues at play, such as a dysfunctional family dynamic and the struggle to make ends meet.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a jar
She's mysterious and elusive, like a jar with a lid that's hard to open
With a heavy lid
She's guarded and hard to access
My pop quiz kid
She's always testing me and keeping me on my toes
A sleepy kisser
She's not a passionate lover, but more of a gentle, drowsy one
A pretty war
She's beautiful, but also complicated and often at odds with herself
With feelings hid
She keeps her emotions hidden, making it hard for me to understand her
She begs me not to miss her
She wants me to pay attention to her and not take her for granted
She says forever
She wants our love to last a lifetime
To light a fuse
To ignite our passion and start something new
We could use
We need
A hand full of wheel
Some control and direction in our lives
And a day off
Some time to relax and enjoy ourselves
And a bruised road
We're not afraid of taking risks and facing challenges
However you might feel
No matter what your emotions are, it's okay to feel that way
Tonight is real
Let's live in the moment and enjoy what we have right now
When I forget how to talk, I sing
Sometimes I'm at a loss for words, but music helps me express myself
Won't you please
I'm asking for your help
Bring that flash to shine
Bring some light into my life
And turn my eyes red
Make me feel emotional and vulnerable
Unless they close
Unless I shut down and become withdrawn
When you click
When we connect
And my face gets sick
I feel nauseous with excitement and anticipation
Stuck
Frozen in the moment, unable to move or speak
Like a question unposed
Like there's something important I need to say, but I don't know how to say it
Just climb aboard
Join me on this journey
The tracks of a train's arm
The rails of the train that's carrying us forward
In my fragile family tree
In my imperfect family history
And watch me floating inches above
Watch me rise above my family's problems and limitations
The people under me
My family members who haven't been able to overcome their difficulties
Please beware the quiet front yard
Be careful of the things that are hidden or not immediately obvious
I warned you
I told you
Before there were water skies
Before there were fun, exciting things to distract us from our problems
I warned you not to drive
I cautioned you against taking risks or doing anything rash
Dry your eyes, you poor devil
Stop crying, you unfortunate person
Are there really ones like these?
Are there really people who are as complicated and difficult to understand as she is?
The ones I dream
The people I imagine or fantasize about
Float like leaves
Seem weightless and carefree
And freeze to spread skeleton wings
And then suddenly become serious and intense
I passed through before I knew you
I've experienced these kinds of emotions before, but never with someone like you
I believe it's just because
I think it's simply because
Daddy's payday is not enough
My dad doesn't make enough money to provide for us
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JEFF TWEEDY, JAY BENNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind