It's hilarious that I'm leaving this comment 20 years after the song came out, but I've found myself listening to it lately.
It's not about sex. The sexy undertones are probably not a mistake, but that's not what it's about.
It's from the voice of Nina Gordon -- who would later quit the band. This is foreshadowed in the song. I feel like in some parts she was writing for both of them, but it's mostly about her growing weary of touring. They've always said they love self-referencing and cryptic lyrics, and in this song, you get it in spades.
========================================================
// Leave me
Lying here
Cause I don't wanna go //
Nina didn't want to get up out of bed to go on tour. She just wanted to rest. You can see her writing around in the sheets in the beginning of the music video. That's a literal reference to this line.
//Tell me, tell me what you really want from me
You gotta let me know
I'm falling off and I need you terribly //
Nina was asking Louise what she wanted from her, because she was "falling off", meaning she couldn't do it anymore. But she still needed Louise and the band in her life. She was very conflicted.
//One down, and one to go//
I think Nina is contemplating quitting soon, and thinks that Louise will follow her soon after.
// Volcano girls we really can't be beat
Warm us up and watch us blow
Now and then we fail and we admit defeat //
When their game is on, they rock. They kick ass. They warm up and then "explode" on stage. Volcano girls. But now and again, they get worn out from playing shows and want to rest.
//We're falling off
We are watered down and fully grown//
They're all grown up now and afraid they're losing their edge.
//A million miles of running
And I hit the wall
I bounce back and I run some more
This is it, I'm giving up
I'm calling quits
So get down and meet me on the floor //
This is a nearly unobfuscated reference to touring. They've ran a million miles. Sometimes they "hit a wall", but then bounce back and tour even more. But they want to quit. I believe this was more Nina speaking than Louise. She was calling Louise out to get off stage and "meet her on the floor".
//Way to go, way to flip off everyone
I steal your thunder then I try to bolt
But I could stand a little pity now and then
I'm falling off, I am watered down and fully grown//
I think this is Nina basically talking to herself here. I think she's admitting that by quitting, she's basically "flipping off everyone", and I think she is chiding herself a bit here. She admits that although she's been at the forefront of the band, Louise is the driving force and she's "stealing her thunder" and then threatening to leave. But everyone needs a little "pity now and then." Being a rockstar as an adult -- "falling off" and being "watered down and fully grown" isn't easy.
//I told you about the seether before
You know, the one that's neither or nor
Well here's another clue if you please
The seether's Louise //
The bridge is a bit of a non sequitur, but it is a nod to The Beatles "Glass Onion", as many have mention. The song "Seether" is about Louise's volatile temper. The girls love self reference and love The Beatles, so this was falling in line with that.
//Leave me, leave me, leave me
Go, I don't wanna go
I don't wanna go
I don't wanna go
I don't wanna go//
Yeah, Nina wanted to stay bed. She didn't want to go anymore. So that's why she quit. It's really that simple, folks.
It's hilarious that I'm leaving this comment 20 years after the song came out, but I've found myself listening to it lately.
It's not about sex. The sexy undertones are probably not a mistake, but that's not what it's about.
It's from the voice of Nina Gordon -- who would later quit the band. This is foreshadowed in the song. I feel like in some parts she was writing for both of them, but it's mostly about her growing weary of touring. They've always said they love self-referencing and cryptic lyrics, and in this song, you get it in spades.
======================================================== // Leave me Lying here Cause I don't wanna go //
Nina didn't want to get up out of bed to go on tour. She just wanted to rest. You can see her writing around in the sheets in the beginning of the music video. That's a literal reference to this line.
//Tell me, tell me what you really want from me You gotta let me know I'm falling off and I need you terribly //
Nina was asking Louise what she wanted from her, because she was "falling off", meaning she couldn't do it anymore. But she still needed Louise and the band in her life. She was very conflicted.
//One down, and one to go//
I think Nina is contemplating quitting soon, and thinks that Louise will follow her soon after.
// Volcano girls we really can't be beat Warm us up and watch us blow Now and then we fail and we admit defeat //
When their game is on, they rock. They kick ass. They warm up and then "explode" on stage. Volcano girls. But now and again, they get worn out from playing shows and want to rest.
//We're falling off We are watered down and fully grown//
They're all grown up now and afraid they're losing their edge.
//A million miles of running And I hit the wall I bounce back and I run some more This is it, I'm giving up I'm calling quits So get down and meet me on the floor //
This is a nearly unobfuscated reference to touring. They've ran a million miles. Sometimes they "hit a wall", but then bounce back and tour even more. But they want to quit. I believe this was more Nina speaking than Louise. She was calling Louise out to get off stage and "meet her on the floor".
//Way to go, way to flip off everyone I steal your thunder then I try to bolt But I could stand a little pity now and then I'm falling off, I am watered down and fully grown//
I think this is Nina basically talking to herself here. I think she's admitting that by quitting, she's basically "flipping off everyone", and I think she is chiding herself a bit here. She admits that although she's been at the forefront of the band, Louise is the driving force and she's "stealing her thunder" and then threatening to leave. But everyone needs a little "pity now and then." Being a rockstar as an adult -- "falling off" and being "watered down and fully grown" isn't easy.
//I told you about the seether before You know, the one that's neither or nor Well here's another clue if you please The seether's Louise //
The bridge is a bit of a non sequitur, but it is a nod to The Beatles "Glass Onion", as many have mention. The song "Seether" is about Louise's volatile temper. The girls love self reference and love The Beatles, so this was falling in line with that.
//Leave me, leave me, leave me Go, I don't wanna go I don't wanna go I don't wanna go I don't wanna go//
Yeah, Nina wanted to stay bed. She didn't want to go anymore. So that's why she quit. It's really that simple, folks.