When everything is going wrong
And you can't see the point in going on
Well nothing in life is set in stone
There's nothing that can't be turned around

Nobody wants to feel alone
And everybody wants to love someone
Out of the tree go pick a plum
Why can't we all just get along?

Boys in the girl's room
Girls in the men's room
You free your mind in your androgyny
Boys in the parlor
They're getting harder
I'll free your mind and your androgyny

No sweeter a taste that you could find
Than fruit hanging ripe upon the vine
There's never been an oyster so divine
A river deep that never runs dry

The birds and bees they hum along
Like treasures they twinkle in the sun
Get on board and have some fun
Take what you need to turn you on

Behind closed doors and under stars
It doesn't matter where you are
Collecting jewels that catch your eye
Don't let a soul mate pass you by



Lyrics submitted by Metal6Hell6Maker6

Track duration: 03:09

"Androgyny" as written by Shirley Ann Manson, Bryan David Vig, Douglas Elwin Erickson, Steve W Marker

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Androgyny song meanings
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33 Comments

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  • +2
    My Interpretation:"There's nothing that can't be turned around" (line 4)
    One of Plato's characters, Aristophanes, in "The Symposium" explains how androgyny relates to love which is what this song is about.
    In the beginning everyone had two sets of all body parts, Zeus chopped humans in half because he was angry with us, then he came back and moved our genitals around so we could have sex while we embraced (he pitied us because we were dying of hunger and inactivity from not wanting to release our embrace on our other half).

    "Nobody wants to feel alone
    And everybody wants to love someone" (lines 5-6)
    After we were cut in half we went looking for our other half because we originally had that someone to make us whole.

    "You free your mind in your androgyny" (line 11)
    Aristophanes applauds male-male relationships between men and boys since such couples value boldness, braveness, and masculinity both in themselves and in others.

    "They're getting harder" (line 13)
    The reason for Pederasty (a usually erotic relationship between an older man and an adolescent boy) was to educate, protect, and provide a role model for the younger boy, so "they're getting harder" is like the young boys learning to grow a thicker skin and not be as easily hurt by the world.

    "Don't let a soulmate pass you by" (line 26)
    This one is easy, it refers to the androgynous person always searching for their other half (their soulmate).

    Plato. (c. 427-347 BC). The Symposium. Athens, Greece: Penguin Classics.

    Flag meloy2011on November 18, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, Shirley is saying we should fall in love with the person, and not worry so much about gender/other physical attributes, since "nobody wants to feel alone, and everybody wants to love someone." She is telling us to be more openminded.
    Flag swchanceon February 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:'Nobody wants to feel alone
    And everybody wants to love someone
    .. Don't let a soulmate pass you by"
    - i think this song means that we should not be afraid to express the wanting to love and be love coz its all natural whatever we think our gender is.

    sometimes i think of myself as a 'freaky-looking guy' too and this song makes me believe that its okay.
    Flag nomarionetteon January 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it's about how people put way too much meaning on gender. Male or female, you should do what you want, be what you want, and love who you want. Love people for who they are inside, and don't shut yourself off from falling in love because you assume you prefer one gender ("don't let a soulmate pass you by"). We should all be open to love and be loved by people of both genders.

    (Heh, this coming from an asexual... But even though I don't have a sex drive, I tend to pretty much ignore gender when someone's aura pulls me in. The personality is the fun part! :D)
    Flag Atagamay41on December 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"You free your mind in your androgyny" accepting people for who they are? walking in other people's shoe? shirley sure likes writing/using transvestites/queer / hermaphrodite references in her songs (i.e. this, queer, cherry lips..)
    Flag oizephyron April 22, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:fabulous song!
    Flag wagon January 12, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I agree with Renholder and a little with everyone else.

    With the whole "boys in the girls' room, girls in the men's room" bit, I immediately thought it had to do with transsexuality. Maybe about seeing a TG person in a public restroom and being unsure of their gender and whether they belong there or not. Public restrooms are a pretty awkward place, since you don't want to go in one and it's illegal to go in the other. I've been stopped more than once on my way in by people saying "Hey, that's the women's room!" and I have to just sigh and say, "I know." And I'm sure that most of the women in there must be thinking "...What's a boy doing in here? Is he lost? ...Is that a girl?"

    I also think the song is making a statement about disregarding gender. Like "Who cares if it's a boy in the girls' room or a girl in the men's room? It doesn't matter. Be androgynous and look past all of that." I think it's talking about not making any decisions about a person because of their gender, because that isn't who they are. Maybe you're a straight guy or a straight girl (or at least you see yourself that way), but you never know when that one different guy or girl could come along and change everything for you.


    In short, I think it's saying to just forget about gender. Gender isn't who a person is, so that shouldn't affect how you see them or stop you from loving them.
    Flag crimeofpassionon June 16, 2006   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I don't like this song it's so popsy :D
    Flag madameon April 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:All of the above are valid. But for the none sexually confused it is still cool to listen to as just a song about trying to find someone who you wanna be with regardless of rules and perceptions set by society regarding race or socioeconomic class etc and just being a man and going for what you want without being afraid. "Free your Androgyny" she tells her atypical potential mate.

    After "A river deep that never runs dry" She says "What you need" repeatedly. If you listen to this with earphones on in stereo it sounds like she's floating slowly around your head. maybe a reference to the birds and bees, or am i overestimating their wit reading into it too much. Nah, i think they meant it. I love that part.
    Flag InfidelityWeTruston February 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is such an amazing song! I can relate to it in more ways than one, and it's really liberating. Garbage is a great band, rock on!
    Flag Marmalade_Chainsawon May 25, 2005   Link

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