Kississippi is the solo pop and indie folk project of Philadelphia-based si… Read Full Bio ↴Kississippi is the solo pop and indie folk project of Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Zoe Allaire Reynolds.

Originally a home recorded solo project for Reynolds to explore her folk songwriting on acoustic guitar, Kississippi cut its teeth touring on Fest-friendly pop punk, and the project solidified its emo cred supporting third wave genre progenitors Dashboard Confessional. But like her earliest songwriting heroes Cat Power and Liz Phair (who Reynolds describes as “vulnerable and weird girl rock stars, which was something I saw in myself”), Kississippi songs transcend genre, and lend themselves just as well to slick arena-ready production as they do rock instrumentation. After working closely with Philadelphia studio mainstay and mentor Kyle Pulley on 2018 debut Sunset Blush, Reynolds felt encouraged to explore the sonic possibilities in electronic-focused pop, taking inspiration from favorite bands like Beach House, CHVRCHES and Purity Ring. She learned to produce with studio software Reason, delving deep into its “fun synth sounds and weird tools” to develop the lushly-layered demos that would inform 'Mood Ring'.

"Greyhound"
kississippi Lyrics

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I don′t know who you think i thought i was
On the kitchen tiles picking glass out of the dust
You know i'm not ever up to much
You know i′m not ever up to much

I don't know who i think i thought i was
Trying to fix my bike tires, disregard the rust
You know if i'm up late i′m not up to much

You know if i′m up late i'm not up to much

I′m not sure where i fucked up
I'm not sure if i don′t talk enough
Should have known that you don't like to be touched
Should have known that you don′t like to be touched

You know i'm not ever up to much
You know if i'm up late i′m not up to much

Should have known that you don′t like to be touched
Should have known that you don't like to be touched

Overall Meaning

In "Greyhound," Kississippi speaks to the feelings of uncertainty and the search for self-awareness in a relationship. The lyrics reflect the singer's awareness of their inadequacy in the eyes of their partner or potential romantic interest. The opening verse illustrates the scene of a shattered glass in the kitchen, and the singer picking up the pieces. This imagery can be metaphoric of the damage done in the relationship and the singer's attempt to mend it. The line "You know I'm not ever up to much" could be the singer acknowledging they are not the perfect partner and admitting their flaws.

The second verse is reminiscent of a person trying to fix a faulty bike with disregard to the rust. The bike could symbolize the relationship in question, and the singer is trying to improve it but is not tackling the underlying issues. They then confess that their behavior is not commendable, with the line "You know if I'm up late, I'm not up to much." The phrase could signify that the singer gets distracted quickly or that they lack the motivation to do anything meaningful.

The chorus repeats the phrase, "Should have known that you don't like to be touched" indicating that the singer is aware of the partner's boundaries but has possibly crossed them in the past. The repetition of the phrase, "You know I'm not ever up to much," could show the singer's self-doubt and lack of self-worth. Overall, the song paints a picture of someone who is unsure of their place in the relationship and is trying to understand what went wrong.

Line by Line Meaning

I don′t know who you think i thought i was
I'm not sure how you perceive me

On the kitchen tiles picking glass out of the dust
I'm cleaning up a mess I made

You know i'm not ever up to much
I don't do much with my time

You know if i'm up late i′m not up to much
I'm usually not productive when I'm awake at night

I′m not sure where i fucked up
I'm not certain of my mistake

I'm not sure if i don′t talk enough
I don't know if I don't communicate well

Should have known that you don't like to be touched
I should have realized that physical touch is not your thing

Contributed by Mia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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