Up Up Up Up Up Up

whatever, guy. this song is incredible. all the way through. here's my interpretation. (still kinda sketchy.)

up up up up up up, points the spire of the steeple. but god's work isn't done by god it's done by people (People do things. not God. you can't credit someone else for something YOU did.)

up up up up up up, points the fingers of the trees. the lumberjacks with their bloody axes are on their knees (hmmm i'm gonna say this is about repentance? maybe cutting trees is not really a good thing. and maybe since they're on their knees, they're realizing what they've done wrong and regretting? (i honestly don't know))

and just when you think that you've got enough, enough grows. (when you think you have everything you need, more things turn into needs and you need more. (for most people)) and everywhere that you go in life, enough knows. (i want to say enough is a noun in this line. the enough that grows in the previous line is the enough that knows. (again, ?)

up up up up up up, dances the steam from the sewer. as she rounds the corner the brutal wind blows right through her (I think about big city living. and the numbness that builds up in people because of the city)

up up up up up up raises the stakes of the game. each day sinks its bootprint into her clay and she's not the same (same thing. big city numbness.)

and half of learning how to play is learning what not to play (self explanitory, and very true.) and she's learning the spaces she leaves have their own things to say (the things she isn't sure about, tell her that she isn't complete.) then she's trying to sing just enough so that the air around her moves and make music like mercy that gives what it is and has nothing to prove (music is ani's escape, and career, ect. obviously. and in most of her songs, she isn't trying to ram her thoughts and believes down your throat. "i am just singing my own truth" as she said in another song. Her music has nothing to prove to anyone. her music is simply a relection of herself and her thoughts.)

she crawls out on a limb and begins to build her home it's enough just to look around to know she's not alone (I am about to move out of my parents house, and so this verse means something different to me. but i don't think that's what she meant. i think she's saying like.. going out on a limb, doing something drastic. (like her music and the judgment that ensues it.) and then looking around and realizing she's not the only one with the same ideas that she has.)

all together, this song is about getting by in whatever circumstance you happen to be placed in. if you are as smart as Ani Difranco, there's gonna be a lot of judgment and critsizm from the more stupid people in the world.
idk. that's just my interpretation of this song. and i could be wrong. besides the meaning, the beat is super cool and relaxing too. i love it.

I think this song is about death row and how people are doing God's work.No matter how big the mistake is i feel we all deserve a second chance and only God can judge.I love Ani Difranco and this is my favorite song from her.

Up, up, up, up, up, up points the Spire of the steeple But God's work isn't done by God It's done by people

~I'm thinking this refers to people doing what they wish and claiming what they're doing is sanctioned by or his works

Up, up, up, up, up, up points the Fingers of the trees The lumberjacks with their bloody axes Are on their knees

~I'm not sure but to me it seems like something beautiful and growing has been destroyed or murdered and said destroyers are full of regret

And just when you think that you've got enough Enough grows And everywhere that you go in life Enough knows

~When you think you have all you need the needs grow and no matter where in life you are nothing will ever seem to be enough

The steam from the sewer As she rounds the corner The brutal wind blows right through her Up, up, up, up, up, up raises The stakes of the game Each day sinks its bootprints into her clay And she's not the same

~Life is at a difficult point and she feels the harshness of reality. Everyday in life molds and changes her so isn't the same as before

Half of learning how to play Is learning what not to play And she's learning the spaces she leaves Have their own things to say

~She's learning to pick and choose her fights(? for lack of better word). Once you leave a certain point in life the fact that you're not there anymore doesn't erase the fact you were there, someone will always have something to say or think about you. So that again emphasizes her learning to leave certain situations or people alone.

Then she's trying to sing just enough So that the air around her moves And make music like mercy That gives what it is and has nothing to prove

~She's trying to put her ideas out there just enough so they can be heard but doesn't want to hide her agenda in the presentation or push them on others.

She crawls out on a limb And begins to build her home And it's enough just to look around To know she's not alone . ~She in an unstable place but she's still trying to build something for herself even though she knows she's taking a chance. Even though its hard she's glad to know either that she's not the only one or that others are there for her. I'm not clear on which it is.

I thought this song was about Julia Butterfly Hill but I can't find any reference confirming it.

This song seems like it's going to be good, until suddenly she starts talking about herself in the third person, and getting really annoying and mastubatory about it. Cut that verse and a half, and the song is good.