Ani Difranco - Promiscuity Lyrics

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Promiscuity
Ani DiFranco
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Lyrics
Promiscuity is nothing more than traveling
There's more than one way to see the world
And some of us like to stick close to home
And some of us are Columbus
What can I say?

Nature always gets her way
Nature always gets her way

And seeing the world through another's eyes
Is like busting a window in a house of lies
And in the end you make up your own mind

And there's wide open spaces
And little cornered off places
And check 'em out
Check 'em out
Take your time

How far is too far?
How much is enough?
You gotta test this stuff

I mean how you gonna know
What you need
What you like
Till you been around the block
A few times on that bike

I mean how you gonna know
Who you are
What you feel
Till you feel a few things
That just don't feel real

And promiscuity is research and development
Evolution begs embellishment
And baby you're a star

And you got two invisible eyes on society
And when society gets cruel
Make like you're nature's tool
Which you are

And nature always gets her way
Nature always gets her way

And monogamy is that carnival trophy you earn
When you throw that ball into that urn
It's somewhat dumb luck, somewhat learned
And you just know when it's your turn

And honesty is the hardest part
Yeah honesty is the highest art
And honestly i myself just started
And eureka I'm less broken hearted

I mean how you gonna know
What you need
What you like
Till you been around the block
A few times on that bike

I mean how you gonna know
Who you are
What you feel
Till you feel a few things
That just don't feel real

Ani said she wrote this after listening to all her records and thinking about her struggles in the past with monogamy. I think she was writing this in response to her broken hearted songs whiletrying not to make a big deal of relationships because as much as it hurts, humans aren't wired to stick with one person. but she is saying there is hope cause she found someone and she is forgiving others and herself for not being monogamists.

I was responding to the original explanation given by decorumgun421. He/she said that we are trying to produce strong offspring. I agree that sex has more value than that, but by his/her explanation, homosexual behavior doesn't make sense.

@fadedkeys3 Obviously animals don't have birth control like people do, so when they have sex the result, if not the goal is to have offspring. When animals explore possible mates, they don't usually do so by having sex, they use courtship and other judgments.

THIS MEANS TO TEST YOURSELF! MARRY YOURSELF FIRST! YER STUCK WITH YOURSELF TILL THE END!

@decorumgun421 Also, if the whole point is about reproduction then isn't it more natural to only have sex with someone that you intend to produce offspring with? As in your spouse? Just like animals only mate in order to reproduce.

@decorumgun421 You make a good point, but having sex with someone of the same sex is not going to produce offspring. If you want to talk about what is natural, I'm not so sure that is.

@bellona6356 Your own personal opinion of people's songs are no excuse to call them stereotypical. It's an insult to their image and defamation. Exactly the kind of thing that the people attacking Ani are doing, that you're defending. See how it looks now, on the other side of the argument? Beyonce writes her own music and doesn't use any voice enhancers. Get your facts straight first, and stop hating on people just because they're popular.

@bellona6356 Oh and maybe im wrong on this but if you need another people to write your material and voice enhancers to make your voice more appealing then by definition youre not an artist. Thats where the difference lies between ani defranco and some, not all, mainstream artists.

@DarkLuffay I wrote that post 9 months ago and yes then it was in response to people directly badmouthing her. And you may feel thats stereotypical to say that about britney and beyonce but maybe its because those artists themselves are pretty stereotypical in every respect. Sorry but no matter how pretty beyonces voice is i've never heard a song by her or britney with any real depth or meaning. Im sure there are people out there that can relate to her but I dont see the attraction.

@bellona6356 You didn't say that in your original post. I don't know anything about directly attacking Ani. I think maybe you're reading too much into someone just saying they "don't like Ani". Who the hell is attacking her personally?
Also, that's a stereotypical thing to say that those other artists (brtiney, beyonce) are only in it JUST for the fame. Who are you to judge and say that they don't have something to give?

@DarkLuffay Of course everyone has the right to criticize the work of others. My point was that directly attacting Ani Defranco in my opinion ridiculous because of her motivation to change the world for the good through music. I dont give a shit if you dont like her songs but directly attacking a woman, who unlike britney spears, beyonce etc isnt here for the fame and glory obviously doesnt know a thing about her other then she wrote a song about "promiscuity". Got it asshole?

@bellona6356 everyone has the right to criticize someone's work, idiot. it doesn't matter about the person or how hard they try. If I don't like something, that's my fucking opinion. Free speech. As it stands, I quite like this, but if I didn't, I wasn't going to fucking lie just because she's "hard working"

Meh... I'd rather stick close to home than be Columbus and destroy Native American culture and spread disease and capitalize on suffering. *shrug*

I also think there's a HUGE difference between promiscuity and going through several committed relationships ("trying before buying").

I think if anyone thinks that this song is actually about sleeping around with lots of people then you aren't listening!!! lol

lol, shutup if you have something bad to say. She's an amazing musician. It's just a song, it's not like she's telling you to go be promiscuous.

...She talks like my English teacher. Which is really odd and kind of ironic, cuz she hs a poster of Ani in her classroom.

@idkmybffjv If you can't find it on an album, you can rip it off of you tube. There is some sort of program that you can use. Don't know the name of it, but it exists. I understand your frustration. There are things on you tube that you will never hear on an album.

Excellent song! I hadn't heard this song before. It deals with a complex subject.

Is this on an album yet? Fuck, it's been like three years.

@SupernalOne It's called safe sex. It's called condoms. Ani is pro-safe sex. If you are responsible and promiscuous no one is at risk for unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

Confident, talented, expressive women won't always scare men into tearing them down with insults and slurs. Until then, Ani has us, and we have her.

I mean Ive always known that she is good, very, very good; but this shows her as a true genius song-writer and guitar player. She really is a genius and I think will be remembered as one of the if not THE signifigant artist of her time. And certainly female artist of her time.

How does anyone even have the right to criticize Ani? She's doing what she loves, living the way she wants, and speaking out for the things that need to be changed. How many of you can say that?

damn this is amazingly cheerful

I'm searching for a melody here...can't find it. Great rhythm, however.

LOVEEEEEEEEE THISSSSSSSSSSS SONGGGGGGGGGGGG!

she's a good guitar player.. but this song.. takes my insides, rips them out, sets them on fire, and stomps them out with poopy shoes kinda like a joni mitchell. just my feelings..

only DiFranco fans can enjoy what Ani puts out....PLUS you need to listen to all of her albums in order to enjoy her music. Then too, alternative seeking musicians will enjoy her stuff as well

@munich64 As I have said before, I am a big fan of Ani. I am not a big fan of her deluded struggle against world. I am with her as a woman, but we part ways when she begins to speak of economic hardship.

@munich64 To people who come from a life of poverty and struggle that is a slap in the face. It is easier to chose life of hardship than to have one thrust upon you. Struggle by choice does not truly touch the experience of struggle that is imposed by circumstance. MLK falls in that latter in that his struggle was against the racial oppression he had to endure everyday. Yes, he was in a better position than most to fight it, but it was his.

@munich64 Firstly, Ani was not middle class. She was upper middle class and there is a big difference. About a 50,000 dollar difference for a 1 income home, at least. It is ironic because instead of making use of the resources at her disposal, she chose a life of unnecessary hardship and still she achieved success and made a name for herself. It is a luxury to be able to turn away from privilege. Still, when times get tough, this person will always have a safety net of resources.

@fluxfreq What's so "ironic" about that? I just don't see why you've chosen to point this out about Ani and not about almost every other famous person in the world. So she was middle class...big deal. So was MLK and Walden Bello and Vandana Shiva and on and on. Your deeply illuminating sense of irony loses its appeal as soon as we stop obsessing about biographical mythologies and instead listen to what the music has to say.

this song is horrible

@munich64 I would like to add the Ani's parents are both MIT graduates, and regardless of her success, probably has a nice little inheritance waiting for herself.

@munich64 My observation bears no weight on my appreciation for art or the medical establishment. My statement was merely to point out the irony of the privileged to cast aside their status and resources in pursuit of the meaning and purpose derived through suffering on the most basic levels. That is not to say the wealthy do not experience suffering, most certainly everyone does. However, the problems of the upper class are usually mitigated by their access to resources.

@fluxfreq Besides....do we even know what the lives of any of these artists were really like? Frida Kahlo came from the upper class, but she lived her life in unbearable pain.

But what you say could apply to any artist........are you suggesting that you dislike all art just because you have to have certain privileges to even be an artist? You have to have privileges to be a doctor too....does that mean you don't get an operation if you need one? I don't see how the usefulness of the music can be judged based on the relative privilege of the artist.

I love Ani, but most people who have the luxury of living the artist lifestyle long enough to be successful or at least continue living it long after they realize they wont be, are people who grew up in families were finances were not a problem and the parents were supportive or at the very least emotionally uninvolved. Maslow said it best, "Its easier to make sacrifices when you’re never faced chronic deprivation.There are few martyrs from the ranks of those who have to struggle for existence."

i really like what she says about honesty: "honesty is the hardest part. honesty is the highest art. and honestly i just started, and eureka - i'm less broken hearted!" that's brilliant.

Her playing is sexy.

Stop and listen to the lyrics..ani is lyrics..she's brilliant.. if you don't like her voice or her sound, at least appreciate her lyrical genius.

Ha - this was always what I tried to tell the more conservative folks around me - how can I commit to anyone or anything unless of "tried out" multiple people and situations? You gotta test drive some cars before you choose your ride. Then when you find the right one, you know it for sure.

I love her angle in this song... so great. Will always love your work Ani xx

@krister19 er, fuck you? :)

she's incredible.
what a hero and how fucking TRUE.
I'm so sad i missed her the other night at the knitting factory :(

Honesty is the hardest part
Honesty is the highest art
Honestly I myself just started...

saw ani difranco at Rothbury 09 and it was awesome but too bad there is not going to be a Rothbury 2010.......very depressing

this songs rocks! thanks for posting!

How is she spoiled and rotten? She's a freaking activist and a poet.

@poneyboy23

Okay fine...YOU ARE RIGHT...I do "emulate" Ani . I spend all of my waking hours trying to be just as she is. I even tried to eat the BEEV once...(unfortunately I found it wasn't to my liking) You know what they say...It's the little things that count...and I do the best I can!
BUT FOR REAL - WORDS OF ADVICE: Spend a little more time loving...less time judging.
Don't pretend that you know someone based on a YouTube comment...EH?

@toasty544 I don't think there is a "right direction" so I probably am one of those people that would rub you the wrong way.... (sorry?)

@ponnyboy23
Who said anything about emulating her? I like some of her music...that doesn't mean I want to be her. For someone who seems to have a problem with Ani throwing her ideals around you sure do have a mighty large soap box. I THINK YOU ARE SILLY!

What good has Ani done in the world? Can I answer that with more questions? What good has JZ done? What good has Neil Diamond done? (I don't listen to either of them) But some people do...and find bliss in moments of there music. Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, Ani...they are artists. I have never heard them claim to be or want to be personal saviors. Take what you can get...LEAVE THE REST.

I don't know, I thought it was pretty clever...maybe not the best song she ever did (I think her best is very good, hard to top, so there's my "honesty" disclaimer) but the song did what it should have, or what she wanted it to do...take a very loaded word, "promiscuity" and deloaded it and reloaded it! From a poetic perspective, that's what poets do and it is not as easy as it looks (or sounds) Fun song and interesting take given our current politi-cizing of gender and sexual issues...

She was being ironic....you abuse comas and semi colons to sound smart. It's not working.

this is because ppl are still teaching abstinence instead of prevention
and most ppl dnt understand or know how to use these contraceptives correctly
or dnt use them at all

eh cause ppl dont always wear johnnys ya fucking clown

Words have never rang more true! I'm constantly in awe of this glorious woman!!

Right On! Awesome song...More humorous & candid observations from the ' lil folksinger! Still lookin' & soundin' great, dear Ani!
- Liz from B'lo

beautiful

Love this new jam so much! Great recording.

Excellent song from an excellent singer/songwriter. Thank you for posting this.