4th of July
Finding Friendship in the Junkyard: An Ani DiFranco Story
Lyrics
You gotta have the right tools
You need the appropriate tools for every task.
For every job
Reiterates the importance of having the right tools for any job.
So I invite myself in
The speaker enters a space without formal invitation.
Through a hole in the fence
Symbolizes an unconventional entry through a hole in a fence.
I am tripping through the junkyard
The speaker explores a junkyard, navigating through various discarded items.
Scanning over the piles
Continues describing the scene in the junkyard with piles of objects.
The thin cats raise their skin in defense
Thin cats react defensively to the speaker's presence.
I know he's watching me
The speaker is aware of someone observing them.
I can see him through the cracks
The observer watches through cracks, implying a sense of secrecy.
His eyes are small and shy on my back
The observer, likely a person named Jason, has small and shy eyes.
He says his name is Jason
Introduction of a character named Jason.
He lives in the last trailer on the right
Jason's residence is in the last trailer on the right.
And he'll be seven
Jason's age; he will turn seven on the fourth of July.
On the fourth of July
Reference to Jason's upcoming birthday on the fourth of July.
Only the people who live here
Only local residents know the name of this place.
Know the name of this place
Emphasizes the anonymity of the location to outsiders.
My path through Iowa would be
The speaker's journey through Iowa is challenging to track.
Hard to trace
Highlights the difficulty in tracing the speaker's path.
All the adults in this town
The adults in the town try to avoid expressing sadness when the speaker walks by.
Try not to frown
The attempt to hide negative emotions from the speaker.
When I walk by
Despite others' reactions, Jason smiles at the speaker.
But Jason smiled at me
Jason makes eye contact with the speaker.
He met my eye
Describes the size and nature of Jason's eyes during the interaction.
He don't ask me
Jason does not inquire about the speaker's origin.
Where I'm from
Jason doesn't ask why the speaker came to this place alone.
Or why I came
The speaker acknowledges a common human tendency to search for paradise.
Here alone
We all seek paradise but eventually return home.
We all go looking for paradise
The pursuit of paradise is a universal experience.
Then we go back home
After seeking paradise, individuals return to their familiar surroundings.
We cut out the small talk
The speaker and Jason skip small talk and discuss real matters.
Go right to the way things are
They delve into authentic conversations about life.
He showed me his squirrel skull
Jason shares a squirrel skull as a personal item.
I told him I locked myself out of my car
The speaker reveals a personal incident of locking themselves out of their car.
So there goes the only friend
Expresses the speaker's realization that Jason is their only friend in Iowa.
I have in Iowa
Jason bids farewell, and the speaker acknowledges the loss of their only friend.
His hand flapping behind him
Jason waves goodbye with his hand flapping behind him.
Waving good-bye
Jason departs, leaving the speaker alone.
His name is Jason
Reiteration of Jason's name and residence.
He lives in the last trailer on the right
Jason's dwelling is emphasized again.
And he'll be seven
Repetition of Jason's age and upcoming birthday on the fourth of July.
On the fourth of July
Final mention of Jason's birthday on the fourth of July.
Comment