Liz Phair – Canary

Know something about this song or lyrics? Add it to our wiki.
Send "Canary" Ringtone to Cell

I learn my name
I write with a number two pencil
I work up to my potential
I earn my name
I come when called
I jump when you circle the cherry
I sing like a good canary
I come when called
I come, that's all

Send it up on fire
Death before dawn
Send it up on fire
Death before dawn

I clean the house
I put all your books in an order
I make up a colorful border
I clean my mouth
'Cause froth comes out

Send it up on fire
Death before dawn
Send it up on fire
Death before dawn

Send "Canary" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by ruben, edited by NeonFlow

Track duration: 03:19

"Canary" as written by Phair

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Canary song meanings
Add your thoughts

14 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I always felt like this is a song about Liz being forced to be silent and do what everyone else wants her to do. She feels like she's in a cage and has to go through the same thing day by day by day. I think the part where she sings "I clean the house" is the climax because the piano gets louder and emphasizes a point of emotional change in her and she's ready to be done being a Canary.
    Flag lizphairphreakon September 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I've read and interview about Guyville and Liz said:

    "This song ['Canary'] is a perfect example. This isn't talking about a guy; it's talking about me and my home life with my family, having this stressful relationship with this quasi-abusive brother, and trying to be a good little girl for everyone while all this shit was going on inside me. And I had these contrary feelings and inappropriate thoughts, and my piano was where I would go. I was allowed to practice piano, so instead of practicing, I was making up these subversive songs. This is probably fucking the oldest one on Guyville, now that we come to it, because I can see myself in my parents' house, and what I'm saying is: 'Send it up on fire in the music, up to the heavens. I will be deaf and stop listening to you all before I will shut up. Deaf before dawn.' There is a line in there about sex, like: 'I come when you circle the cherry/I sing like a good canary'— but that's acknowledging that even later. I think that would've been a line added later... rewritten, in a sense, to describe... I'm still there. I'm still stuck in a context where I have no voice, but I'm inside here somewhere."
    Flag NeonFlowon August 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is one of the best songs I've ever heard. I also think it's about (un)conformism in a relationship. And it has some dirty lines indeed.
    Flag NeonFlowon July 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's a dirty song. She is trying to be a good girl, a housewife to a man who can't satisfy her orally... but she's unable to and to her, it's similar to life in a cage, a suburban domestic death.

    The clean my mouth/cuz froth comes out ---
    That's an image of a horse being beaten, some type of animal thirsting or overworked and frothing at the mouth.

    I jump when you circle the cherry is the clue that it's a dirty song.
    Flag 7daysatseaon March 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Are all of you blind? This song is about how Liz used to be a good girl and did everything exactly the way she was supposed to do them! It's about being the perfect child "and hating it," like she said so, herself. I don't understand what "I jump when you circle the cherry" means, I'll admit that much. But everything else makes perfect sense.
    Flag jessieyon December 28, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:hate to break it to everyone. but a few of yall are missing some of the point. it is totally about "dry anger", bad relationships, frusteration etc. and other typically liz goodness,

    but its also about a man who doesn't know how to eat a girl out properly. seriously,

    "I jump when you circle the CHERRY,
    I SING like a good canary,
    I COME when called,
    I COME that's ALL."

    she's sick of faking it. of singing, when he does his pathetic thing on her.

    this dude needs to figure out how to get her off for real, among other things,

    loves it
    Flag milkofwonderon December 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i fucking love this song, it's one of the best on the album of exile, the piano bit is great. who the hell is talking in the background though? lol. I love the way she sings the first verse, 'I write with a number 2 pencil, I work up to my potential,' it's like dry anger.
    Flag that_sullen_girlon July 27, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:yeah. i always knew it was about being all caged up but i thought it was death before dawn.
    but i heart it.
    Flag yo mamma!on January 18, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's a creepy song. i always thought it was a murder ballad but further analysis and research says that the line actually goes "deaf before dumb", like it's not about female docility but actually about breaking through some ground. the verses are of this person being all docile and being caged like a canary and the chorus is saying "send it up on fire, deaf before dumb" like do it, just stop being a fucking canary, fly you freak, go crazy!!
    Flag blair23on May 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song isn't creepy! what're you talking about?

    anyway, it's about a relationship that is so boring and its making liz some kind of mindless freak.
    Flag yo mamma!on May 09, 2005   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain