I was just thirty-four years old and I was still wandering in a haze
I was wondering why everyone I met seemed like they were
Lost in a maze

I don't know why I thought I should have some kind of
Divine right to the blues
It's sympathy not tears people need when they're the
Front page sad news.

The incense burned away and the stench began to rise
And lovers now estranged avoided catching each others' eyes

And girls who lost their children cursed the men who fit the coil
And men not fit for marriage took their refuge in the oil
No one respects the flame quite like the fool who's badly burned
From all this you'd imagine that there must be something learned

Slit skirts, Jeanie never wears those slit skirts
I don't ever wear no ripped shirts
Can't pretend that growing older never hurts.

Knee pants, Jeanie never wears no knee pants
Have to be so drunk to try a new dance
So afraid of every new romance

Slit skirts, slit skirt
Jeanie isn't wearing those slit skirts, slit skirt
She wouldn't dare in those slit skirts, slit skirt
Wouldn't be seen dead in no slit skirt

Slit skirts, slit skirt
Jeanie isn't wearing those slit skirts, slit skirt
She wouldn't dare in those slit skirts, slit skirt
Wouldn't be seen dead in no slit skirt

Romance, romance, why aren't we thinking up romance?
Why can't we drink it up true heart romance
Just need a brief new romance

Let me tell you some more about myself, you know I'm sitting at home just now.
The big events of the day are passed and the late TV shows have come around.
I'm number one in the home team, but I still feel unfulfilled.
A silent voice in her broken heart complaining that I'm unskilled.

And I know that when she thinks of me, she thinks of me as him,
But, unlike me, she don't work off her frustration in the gym.

Recriminations fester and the past can never change
A woman's expectations run from both ends of the range

Once she walked with untamed lovers' face between her legs
Now he's cooled and stifled and it's she who has to beg

Slit skirts, Jeanie never wears those slit skirts
And I don't ever wear no ripped shirts
Can't pretend that growing older never hurts

Knee pants, Jeanie never wears no knee pants
We have to be so drunk to try a new dance
So afraid of every new romance

Slit skirts, slit skirt
Jeanie isn't wearing those slit skirts, slit skirt
She wouldn't dare in those slit skirts, slit skirt
Wouldn't be seen dead in no slit skirt

Slit skirts, slit skirt
Jeanie isn't wearing those slit skirts, slit skirt
She wouldn't dare in those slit skirts, slit skirt
Wouldn't be seen dead in no slit skirt

Romance, romance, why aren't we thinking up romance?
Why can't we drink it up true heart romance
Just need a brief new romance

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Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned, edited by Sturvis

Slit Skirts Lyrics as written by Peter Dennis Blandfor Townshend

Lyrics © Spirit Music Group

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Slit Skirts song meanings

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6 Comments

+3
General Comment
This is a phenomenal song, and I'm surprised there's only 1 comment, but I digress. Solo Pete seems almost depressed and sometimes confused, perhaps his sexuality at times. I read that he had a difficult childhood, and recently there were allegations of child pornogrophy charges that were dropped thankfully. Anyway, this is a powerful song about someone who doesn't love him as much as before, or has grown tired of him and the lyrics are scathing. Finally, my favorite part is the guitar fade at the end of the song.

This is a phenomenal song, and I'm surprised there's only 1 comment, but I digress. Solo Pete seems almost depressed and sometimes confused, perhaps his sexuality at times. I read that he had a difficult childhood, and recently there were allegations of child pornogrophy charges that were dropped thankfully. Anyway, this is a powerful song about someone who doesn't love him as much as before, or has grown tired of him and the lyrics are scathing. Finally, my favorite part is the guitar fade at the end of the song.

Reason:

Flyersfanon April 29, 2008 Link
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@Flyersfan

@Flyersfan Great comment. The guitar solo and fade out at the end has always blown me away. Thanks for noticing.

andrew1032on February 19, 2019

@Flyersfan beautifully summarized and I agree-this is a phenomenal song.

red maggyon June 12, 2021
+2
My Interpretation
This, like the songs "Empty Glass" and "Another Tricky Day" are brilliant pieces from his painful spin-out period of 1978-1981 when he was deeply in debt and losing everything with drinking and drugs. He was starting to endure separation from his wife Karen (named "Jeannie" here), and feeling very alone. Though he was well on his way to cleaning up his life upon this album's release, the song was written during a very bottomed out period, and very fascinating and sad at the same time. I love Pete for his honesty in songwriting, and this is a shining example.

This, like the songs "Empty Glass" and "Another Tricky Day" are brilliant pieces from his painful spin-out period of 1978-1981 when he was deeply in debt and losing everything with drinking and drugs. He was starting to endure separation from his wife Karen (named "Jeannie" here), and feeling very alone. Though he was well on his way to cleaning up his life upon this album's release, the song was written during a very bottomed out period, and very fascinating and sad at the same time. I love Pete for his honesty in songwriting, and this is a shining example.

Reason:

mikeydhhon August 24, 2009 Link
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@mikeydhh
+1
General Comment
I recognize most of the general references in this song, but one has me puzzled: does anyone know what he means by "men not fit for marriage took their refuge in the oil"?

I recognize most of the general references in this song, but one has me puzzled: does anyone know what he means by "men not fit for marriage took their refuge in the oil"?

Reason:

naomidon August 24, 2010 Link
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@naomid

The line about refuge in the oil is an allusion to masturbation, baby oil..well, you get it...I know...but Townshend has made such references in the past (Pictures of Lilly, from The Who),

gaebeleinon November 01, 2010

To become a roughneck on an oil rig in the North Sea.

onoyeon March 22, 2011

My own interpretation is that men who are not fit subjects for marriage take their refuge in the oil of Holy Orders, the rite through which men become priests... I've known so many priests, brothers, ministers who were simply unfit as marriage partners.

I do acknowledge both of the previous interpretations as potentially sound, though.

Cheers!

kurtamuson May 01, 2012

I'm pretty sure this wan't as cryptic as some would assume.
I would say that it means that men not fit for marriage went to work on oil rigs, which is grueling work that is not conducive to family life.
Someone who worked on an oile rig wouldn't have much time or energy to think about family life.

I don't think it had anything to do with masturbation. That's over thinking it in a Freudian sense.

apicoon September 09, 2014

@naomid Skinning the mule...

xlr51on June 05, 2015

@naomid

capt.11491on March 30, 2017

@naomid
And girls who lost their children for the men that fit the coil. The coil is an IUD.
Men not fit for marriage took their Refuge in the oil.
This refers to the oil industry in particular working with offshore oil drilling company. These men work 6 to 8 months at a time, without leave.
It's not a 9 to 5 job of a family man.
Put them together.
Men who fit an IUD
( men who do not want children are unable to make commitments)
Men not fit for marriage took their refuge in the oil
( worst case scenario these type of men we'll take a job where they are unable to be a husband or a father)
I saw it on an interview regarding the album, right from the horse's mouth, Pete Townsend himself.

capt.11491on March 30, 2017

@naomid I agree that that line of the song refers to men who are fit for marriage take their refuse

Irish Wakeon April 12, 2017

Refuge in the oil of the sacrament of holy orders, the priesthood.

Irish Wakeon April 12, 2017

@naomid Sorry for the late reply. My understanding is he was talking about men that married fast then went to work the north sea oil rigs so weren't there for their new wives. .

vash110081on August 18, 2021

@naomid These answers are all way overthinking this. It isn\'t some exotic reference to working on oil rigs to escape a spouse. That makes no sense because the rest of the song isn\'t so specific as to be talking about oil rigs. It is about the disillusionment with growing older and apart from your lover. "Refuge in the oil" refers to the man being unfit for marriage, unhappy, and taking refuge in getting drunk. "Oil" as in "well oiled".

redblueguyon March 01, 2022

@naomid These answers are all way overthinking this. It isn\'t some exotic reference to working on oil rigs to escape a spouse. That makes no sense because the rest of the song isn\'t so specific as to be talking about oil rigs. It is about the disillusionment with growing older and apart from your lover. "Refuge in the oil" refers to the man being unfit for marriage, unhappy, and taking refuge in getting drunk. "Oil" as in "well oiled".

redblueguyon March 01, 2022

@naomid These answers are all way overthinking this. It isn\'t some exotic reference to working on oil rigs to escape a spouse. That makes no sense because the rest of the song isn\'t so specific as to be talking about oil rigs. It is about the disillusionment with growing older and apart from your lover. "Refuge in the oil" refers to the man being unfit for marriage, unhappy, and taking refuge in getting drunk. "Oil" as in "well oiled".

redblueguyon March 01, 2022

@naomid These answers are all way overthinking this. It isn\'t some exotic reference to working on oil rigs to escape a spouse. That makes no sense because the rest of the song isn\'t so specific as to be talking about oil rigs. It is about the disillusionment with growing older and apart from your lover. "Refuge in the oil" refers to the man being unfit for marriage, unhappy, and taking refuge in getting drunk. "Oil" as in "well oiled".

redblueguyon March 01, 2022

@naomid These answers are all way overthinking this. It isn\'t some exotic reference to working on oil rigs to escape a spouse. That makes no sense because the rest of the song isn\'t so specific as to be talking about oil rigs. It is about the disillusionment with growing older and apart from your lover. "Refuge in the oil" refers to the man being unfit for marriage, unhappy, and taking refuge in getting drunk. "Oil" as in "well oiled".

redblueguyon March 01, 2022
+1
General Comment
This song is SO terrible, but I still love it at the same time! It's about a guy's girlfriend who's getting tired of him!

This song is SO terrible, but I still love it at the same time! It's about a guy's girlfriend who's getting tired of him!

Reason:

TheGraduateon June 27, 2017 Link
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@TheGraduate
0
General Comment
My favorite song from Chinese Eyes. This song has two hooks and is a great example of song structure to anyone in Music Theory.

My favorite song from Chinese Eyes. This song has two hooks and is a great example of song structure to anyone in Music Theory.

Reason:

LeftyTownshendon September 18, 2007 Link
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@LeftyTownshend
0
Song Meaning
Oddly enough this song is not about his wife Karen. In La Jolla I think, he talks to the crowd and says he wasn't even awake during the period of Chinese Eyes but was then prepared (c. 2001) to own a few lines!!

Oddly enough this song is not about his wife Karen. In La Jolla I think, he talks to the crowd and says he wasn't even awake during the period of Chinese Eyes but was then prepared (c. 2001) to own a few lines!!

Reason:

emptyglasson November 10, 2010 Link
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@emptyglass

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Slit Skirts

Pete Townshend

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