People - get out of the line of thinking that assumes everything an artist writes is autobiographical. The speaker of this song is clearly not Phair herself. For evidence, see the line,
I want to live that life
When I could say people had faith in me
I still see that guy in my memory
Clearly, the lyrics are self-referntial. The speaker is a character Phair has created. And I think it's purposefully non-specific. But that doesn't make it about her.
Um. Actually, I would say she is pretty clearly talking about herself. Beyond the fact that I see nothing about that line which would disprove it being about her (why can't an addict want change, to be someone different, reliable, etc.?), but moreover she is VERY open about her past with drugs and alcohol.
Um. Actually, I would say she is pretty clearly talking about herself. Beyond the fact that I see nothing about that line which would disprove it being about her (why can't an addict want change, to be someone different, reliable, etc.?), but moreover she is VERY open about her past with drugs and alcohol.
And if you don't want to bother clicking, here's a relevant excerpt:
And if you don't want to bother clicking, here's a relevant excerpt:
"For years when people asked me, 'Why can't you do Guyville again?' I...
"For years when people asked me, 'Why can't you do Guyville again?' I would say, because I can't go back into that miserable existence. Why do you want me to be a liar and unhappy? Acting out and deceiving people and doing really hurtful things, and being hurt in return? I don't ask that you like what I'm making, but why can't you let me go?"
Phair says she needed to distance herself from the hard-partying lifestyle in order to restore her sense of well-being, throwing out old ideas about creativity, pain and fitting into the rock 'n' roll mentality.
"If you don't live sober enough to be in enough pain, you can just mask everything, and you'll never actually achieve happiness," she says. "You never learn how to deal."
Yeah, not every song ever written by anyone is autobiographical, but I think it is safe to say that all the folks who assume that Table for One is Liz Phair describing her own personal experiences as an addict are undeniably CORRECT.
People - get out of the line of thinking that assumes everything an artist writes is autobiographical. The speaker of this song is clearly not Phair herself. For evidence, see the line,
I want to live that life When I could say people had faith in me I still see that guy in my memory
Clearly, the lyrics are self-referntial. The speaker is a character Phair has created. And I think it's purposefully non-specific. But that doesn't make it about her.
Um. Actually, I would say she is pretty clearly talking about herself. Beyond the fact that I see nothing about that line which would disprove it being about her (why can't an addict want change, to be someone different, reliable, etc.?), but moreover she is VERY open about her past with drugs and alcohol.
Um. Actually, I would say she is pretty clearly talking about herself. Beyond the fact that I see nothing about that line which would disprove it being about her (why can't an addict want change, to be someone different, reliable, etc.?), but moreover she is VERY open about her past with drugs and alcohol.
Here, for an example check out this interview from a couple years ago: http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/liz-phair-talks-sex-drugs-rock-n-roll-and-learning-how-to-deal/Content?oid=2191673
Here, for an example check out this interview from a couple years ago: http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/liz-phair-talks-sex-drugs-rock-n-roll-and-learning-how-to-deal/Content?oid=2191673
And if you don't want to bother clicking, here's a relevant excerpt:
And if you don't want to bother clicking, here's a relevant excerpt:
"For years when people asked me, 'Why can't you do Guyville again?' I...
"For years when people asked me, 'Why can't you do Guyville again?' I would say, because I can't go back into that miserable existence. Why do you want me to be a liar and unhappy? Acting out and deceiving people and doing really hurtful things, and being hurt in return? I don't ask that you like what I'm making, but why can't you let me go?"
Phair says she needed to distance herself from the hard-partying lifestyle in order to restore her sense of well-being, throwing out old ideas about creativity, pain and fitting into the rock 'n' roll mentality.
"If you don't live sober enough to be in enough pain, you can just mask everything, and you'll never actually achieve happiness," she says. "You never learn how to deal."
Yeah, not every song ever written by anyone is autobiographical, but I think it is safe to say that all the folks who assume that Table for One is Liz Phair describing her own personal experiences as an addict are undeniably CORRECT.