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Polyester Bride Lyrics

I was talking, not two days ago
To a certain bartender I\' lucky to know
And I asked Henry, my bartending friend
If I should bother dating unfamous men

And Henry said, \"You\'re lucky to even know me.
You\'re lucky to be alive. You\'re lucky to be drinking here for free cause I\'m a
Sucker for your lucky, pretty eyes.\"

And then he said, \"Do you want to be a Polyester Bride?
Or do you want to hang your head and die?
Do you want to find alligator cowboy boots they just put on sale?
Do you want to flap your wings and fly away from here?\"

I was sitting, not two days ago
Feeling lonely \'cause I\'m just feeling low
And I asked Henry, my bartending friend
Why it is that there are those kind of men

\"Princess, do you
Really want to flap your wings and fly...
\'Cause you\'ve got time.\"
He keeps telling me, \"You\'ve got time.\"
But I don\'t believe him
\"You\'ve got time.\"
I keep on pushing harder...
I keep on pushing farther away
But he keeps telling me, \"Baby,
He says, \"Baby...\"
Song Info
Submitted by
ikickdogs On Jan 08, 2002
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14 Meanings

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Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

I think that this song is about trying to find the right person, or at least someone interesting. It's about not settling for just any guy, and if you do, you may become just another "polyester bride" and be stuck in an unhappy marriage or relationship.

Song Meaning
Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

I was actually under the impression he was implying she's a gold digger and that if she wants that kind of guy she needs to find a different place to hang out in.

Polyester Bride is a comment for someone who marries and divorces frequently, and alligator cowboy boots are crazy expensive, working folk don't generally wear, it's more oil mogul kind of thing, like marrying the rich old man so you can claim the inheritance after they die (selling the boots).

And i think the you've got time bit is implying there's still time for her to find her jack pot if that's whats important to her. I think its also why the song is on the flat side, its like a kind of implied sarcasm. like the bartender is asking "do you really want to be that kind of girl?" (he clearly thinks she can cause he's already letting her drink for free).

Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

My favorite part of this song is the seemingly tortured bartender Henry. He just lets her know that hey I'm here, I'm a good guy, and you should be grateful for it.

Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

this song is the shit ...whenever i hear it i blast it and sing along (off-key of course) liz phair is so much cooler than so many lame chicks in hollywood, or at least i feel like she deserves more respect.

Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

Oh I love this song, I have so much respect for Liz Phair. And rapunzelEED, I totally agree because I have never heard a song written from this perspective either. It's amazing, just like Liz Phair.

Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

sounds a little like she's getting frustrated with men and he's telling her she can either settle for anything b/c she's in such a hurry or she can hunt around for what she's really looking for.

Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

This song is just plain amazing. To me, this song is about the pressure the speaker is feeling about finding a man. She's constantly sad about her life, and Henry just say, "You're lucky for this and this...". Finally, he says, "You've got time." She keeps pushing to find someone and he keeps insisting that she just relax. You don't want to be another polyester bride.

Also, I think the music video is a little summation of Liz Phair's life up to this point. We see scenes from Reefer Madness, alluding to her youthful fascination with drugs. There are also a lot of images of children or babies or pregnancy. Not surprising, seeing as she just had a baby around this time.

Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

I always thought the bartender was talking to two different people in this song. One of whom was he talking with originally, and the other in response to her musings about life.

Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

There are two men in this song, one she complains about over a counter, and the other, that is there with her saying comforting things like "it's not too late, you've got the time to find the right guy. There's no point in pushing a relationship when someone is already taken, or just not the right one, and ending up in the role of the polyester bride". I wish more songs were as honest as this one nowadays.

Cover art for Polyester Bride lyrics by Liz Phair

Henry knows that she would be unhappy if she married for money and that she’s got a decent life now… if she could more fully appreciate how good she’s got it. Grass is not greener on the other side of the fence.