Best Ani DiFranco Songs
This is the top ten Ani DiFranco songs, which are judged on three points:The meaning of the song
The poetic aspects
The melody
"You were never a good friend, but oh, let me count the ways, that I adore you". This is one of Ani's more popular songs which tells of her ex coming back and how no matter how much she hates him, she cannot get over him and wants everything to be perfect with him. In the chorus she says how she abhors him, and adores him. She also tells of pretending that everything is fine, with her riding out to California on his bike with him, and how she doesn't want to believe the reality, because she likes what she made up better. This is a very powerful song about that one ex that you just adore and give into no matter what, as Ani was preparing to "fight, fight, fight at all costs", but ends up letting him in and offering him a beer. This is the most poetic song, with one of the hardest guitar riffs she's ever played, and the meaning of this song almost applies to everybody. One of the greatest Ani songs, ever.
"I opened a fire door to four lips none of which were mine, kissing". The poetic aspects and meaning behind this song are beautifully used with the melody to bring one of Ani's first "hits" of her debut album. The fire door represents an emergency situation that Ani left, which throughout the song we learn was a relationship that Ani keeps recalling upon. Ani explains how much she actually misses her ex mate and how everything was perfect when she was with them. Every verse of this song was beautifully used to tell the story of Ani's bad relationship and how it finally ended when she walked through the "fire door".
No list would be complete without Ani DiFranco's most fan friendly and popular song. "I am drawing the story of, how hard we tried". This song is about using both hands, which represents how much both Ani and her partner tried to get their relationship together and working however in the end it just could not happen. She tells the story of how she just cannot sleep anymore now that she and her mate have broken up. She throughout the song goes on to recall memories of her mate, and tells of how hard they tried and how in the end it will all be erased because they broke up and it had no purpose.
"Yours was the hardest itch to relieve". This is the message portrayed throughout the whole song, where Ani tells of her ex lover whose an itch she just cannot relieve. She talks about how there is nothing to her, as at the time she had a bald head and nothing to hide. She goes on to speak at how the itch just will not go away, and how nobody wants to live in the shadow of regret. This is when we learn that "It's so hard, that I haven't left yet". This is when we are surprised to hear that Ani is still in the relationship, but she is finally taking control and getting even, which is the note the song ends and begins on.
"The heat is so great, it plays tricks with the mind". This song is about the heat of the moment and what it can cause you to do. In this story it is about Ani sleeping around with somebody, most likely an ex, and she keeps having long nights with him which end quickly in the morning. It does however also portray the happiness and emotions one feels when they are with the one they love or want to be with. Another popular one from DiFranco.
"Stand in front of the light, So I can see you're still aware". Overlap is about somebody who Ani feels for however they don't feel the same in return, and she wants to just look at him all day long and make sure. She knows she can't have him so she wants to just keep looking as long as she can. It is about wanting what you can't have, as many people know what this is like.
One of her more popular songs, Napoleon like many other of her songs is about fame and greed. Napoleon is a friend of Ani's who was told her music could reach the masses, and that no matter what she would always want more. The song is rumored to be about other artists who instead of taking the Indie path signed with a big recording labels and took the money instead of the true spirit of music.
Buildings and bridges shares a strong point about how nothing goes your way and you have to adapt to everything. "What doesn't bend breaks" Is the one line that defines the whole song being about dealing with what you are given because you're not going to be given exactly what you want.
"I would have returned your greeting, if it were not for the way you were looking at me". From Ani DiFranco's debut album this song did not get much acknowledgement by fans or by Ani herself, however this song shares a strong point of the history of men and women, and how Ani feels about men who view women as a piece of meat. She has been hurt by so many men who only wanted sexual activities out of relationships that she does not trust men anymore.
Ani isn't big on love songs, therefore this one was not only original however it was one that spoke a bold point about falling in love to the point where nothing else matters. "I breathe too much anyways, I can do that anyday" Where she describes that nothing matters, and that she only wants to be with her mate. Everything comes together beautifully in this song!
Gorgeously written and recorded. Long song, but worth all 14 minutes. Ani's masterpiece in my opinion.
