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

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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 Kississippi's song Greyhound, the song's protagonist appears to be self-aware and introspective, reflecting on their own limitations and faults in a relationship. The first two lines of the song touch on a moment of vulnerability and fragility as the singer tries to pick glass out of dust on the kitchen floor. This image could symbolize the pieces of their relationship that need fixing, which have become scattered and difficult to put back together. The singer seems to be implying that they are not worthy of their partner's affection because they are not "ever up to much." They question who they think they thought they were and acknowledge that they may have been naive in thinking that they deserve love and care.

Later in the song, the singer reflects on their communication skills, admitting that they may not talk enough or express themselves clearly. They also recognize that their partner does not like to be touched and that they should have known this, but perhaps they ignored this boundary in the past. The repetition of the phrases "you know I'm not ever up to much" and "you know if I'm up late I'm not up to much" highlights the singer's self-doubt and self-deprecation. They seem to be craving validation from their partner, but also acknowledging that they may not deserve it.

Overall, the song Greyhound is a poignant reflection on the complexities of love and relationships. The singer's self-awareness and honesty in acknowledging their faults and limitations make the song relatable and emotionally resonant.

Line by Line Meaning

i don't know who you think i thought i was
I'm unsure of how you perceive me and my identity

on the kitchen tiles picking glass out of the dust
I'm trying to clean up my mess and fix my mistakes

you know i'm not ever up to much
You're aware that I don't often have big plans or do much of anything

i don't know who i think i thought i was
I'm uncertain of who I believe myself to be

trying to fix my bike tires, disregard the rust
I'm attempting to mend something that's broken, even if it's not perfect

you know if i'm up late i'm not up to much
You understand that I'm usually just wasting time if I'm up late

i'm not sure where i fucked up
I don't know where I went wrong or made a mistake

i'm not sure if i don't talk enough
I'm unsure if my lack of communication is causing issues

should have known that you don't like to be touched
I should have realized that physical touch isn't something you appreciate

Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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