Ani DiFranco — Fierce Flawless
Album: RevellingAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 256
Length: 4:56
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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she was cuffed to the truth like the truth was a chair
bright interrogation light in her eyes
her conscience lit a cigarette and just stood there
waiting for her to crack
waiting for her to cry
his face scampered through her mind
like a roach across a wall
it made her heart soar
it made her skin crawl
they said, we got this confession we just need for you to sign
why don't you just cooperate and make this easier on us all
there was light and then there was darkness
but there was no line in between
and asking her heart for guidance
was like pleading with a machine
'cause joy, it has its own justice
and dreams are languid and lawless
and everything bows to beauty
when it is fierce
and when it is flawless
on the table were two ziploc baggies
containing her eyes and her smile
they said, we're keeping these as evidence
'til this thing goes to trial
meanwhile anguish was fingering solace
in another room down the hall
both were love's accomplices
but solace took the fall
now look at her book of days
it's the same on every page
and she's got a little tin cup with her heart in it
to bang along the bars of her rib cage
bang along the bars of her rib cage
bright interrogation light in her eyes
her conscience lit a cigarette and just stood there
waiting for her to crack
waiting for her to cry
his face scampered through her mind
like a roach across a wall
it made her heart soar
it made her skin crawl
they said, we got this confession we just need for you to sign
why don't you just cooperate and make this easier on us all
there was light and then there was darkness
but there was no line in between
and asking her heart for guidance
was like pleading with a machine
'cause joy, it has its own justice
and dreams are languid and lawless
and everything bows to beauty
when it is fierce
and when it is flawless
on the table were two ziploc baggies
containing her eyes and her smile
they said, we're keeping these as evidence
'til this thing goes to trial
meanwhile anguish was fingering solace
in another room down the hall
both were love's accomplices
but solace took the fall
now look at her book of days
it's the same on every page
and she's got a little tin cup with her heart in it
to bang along the bars of her rib cage
bang along the bars of her rib cage
Comments (47)add comment
There are good Ani Difranco songs. This isn’t one of them.
Good at the beginning. Then gets steadily worse. Makes me want to 
Not one of my favs but any time I hear Ani on RP I get excited.
RichardPrins wrote:
8)
...what he said
I like her, but this one is dreary and overplayed.
hcaudill wrote:
Not sure anodyne is the right word? Just the opposite, I would say.
'Anodyne' in this context is usually taken to mean 'mind-numbingly bland'.
Presumably because a good analgesic would cause you to feel nothing at all; which sums up how I felt about the song.
:|
This is a so-so song, but "Garden of Simple" from the same album is excellent.
stornoway wrote:
i dont understand why this sort of dreary anodyne dreck has a market
wikipedia.org wrote:An anodyne is a medicine or other thing that relieves or soothes pain, also called an analgesic (or colloquially a "painkiller"). Historically it referred particularly to preparations based on opium.
Not sure anodyne is the right word? Just the opposite, I would say.
NOT one of her best, I easily give a 2. <-(
i dont understand why this sort of dreary anodyne dreck has a market
eric wrote:
:-k 
What's up with that barking seal thing?
:-k
8)
That WAS 3 pretty *interesting* #'s in a row. Kinda raucous.
she's got some of the best, most intelligent lyrics out there... gotta love ani's poetry.
ani, i'm starting to like you.
Finally, a Ani song I don't absolutley despise... This one's not too bad.
I'm giving this a 2 simply because it is NOT Self Evident or Tamburitza Lingua
First Tori then Joe and now Ani screwing things up..oh my god...
To add to all the similar comments here, Ani has made some amazing music, it's just that this is not a great tune to judge her by. Like any artist, you shouldn't judge Ani by this one tune alone...
Instrumentation good. Sassy Ani attitude tiring.
Originally Posted by eric:
What's up with that barking seal thing?
Originally Posted by darcyc:
dang it, I was quite enjoying this right up till the point she started doing the weird vocal spasmic stuff in the main chorus.... 
Yeah, that seems to be her hallmark. Just as when Lauryn Hill turned me away with all her y-y-yo-yo's, Ani's stuttered singing gets in the way of my having any patience for her songs, her songwriting, whatever. Much to the consternation of my girlfriend, alas...
Anyway, if she's a singer/songwriter, maybe she should just, like, DO those things without stamping every single song with that irritating vocalization. 
RJ
I like her 31 flavors.. but pretty much dislike this one.. I guess that can be read both ways.. as it is.. and as a metaphorical statement like others.. idea of her (ie \"I am 31 flavors\") and the dislike of some of the tunes themselves.
And I too would like to hear more works by her to compare the rest of her ability and range.. :roll:
Originally Posted by Caffeine_Kid:
What he said. 
AMEN. What they both said. Too often precious and "clever" lyrics (subtle as a sledgehammer) almost invariably without melody. The idea of Ani and her feat of indie success is great, the music is weak. I'm not drinking the kool-aid, though that liquid may now be needed to douse the "flames" from the cult of Ani.
Peace.
I think the horns in this are awesome and add a lot to what I like about the song.
Something about her way of singing makes me nervous.
Make it stop. Self-indulgent and decidedly unmusical.
She\'s got much better stuff out there. The horn arrangement on this song is really annoying.
What\'s up with that barking seal thing?
dang it, I was quite enjoying this right up till the point she started doing the weird vocal spasmic stuff in the main chorus....
after listening to the Reveling/Reckoning CD set, I have to say that it is one of her finer pieces of work. Don\'t get me wrong, the raw energy and spirit of Living in Clip still amazes me, but the stories and messages in Reveling/Reckoning really dig deep........
This song is more \'focused\', than other Ani DiFranco songs, I\'ve listened to and what I hoped is true. She gets her message across -is enjoyable, much more that way (IMO).
I\'m a huge Ani fan, but her last two albums don\'t really do much for me. Any chance we could hear something off Living in Clip, perhaps? Anticipate would be great--showcases Sara Lee\'s basswork as well; --d
There are many songs of Ani\'s that I do like. I also really respect the hard work she has done to get where she is... essentially giving the finger to the major label machine and achieving fame on her own.
That said.... this song does nothing for me. :)
Originally Posted by alfa3:
As with most all Ani, most irritating, its like everything I've heard of her, same stacatto beat, same vocals, there is so much better music out there!
Try listening to her lyrics - more intense than most of what's out there - the music is incredible when heard live - recommend Living in Clip - live 2cd.
As with most all Ani, most irritating, its like everything I\'ve heard of her, same stacatto beat, same vocals, there is so much better music out there!
Not nearly as annoying as the other songs I have heard. I might actuallly like this one.
Love the Ani you play, especially when you branch out into her less-heard stuff ...
There are good Ani Difranco songs. This isn’t one of them.
i think it's the only one i like.