That taste
All I ever needed
All I ever wanted
Just too dumb to surrender
She shakes Like a mornin railway checking me out
Someone on her shoulder
The lamp
Flickers in the bedroom
She must feel it's awkward
Or it's Arizona
Now go
Stand up to a giant
Say that I'm a fighter
Too drunk to surrender
To drunk to remember
Shake hands
My face
Is layin' on the pavement
Tastin' something awful I hate when that happens
She'll wave
Bein' then that it's sexy
She must be plum crazy
I kinda think I like her
I kinda think I do


Lyrics submitted by Razorlight16, edited by mattbianco1, KT339, Unnati, heartrachel, quintin

Arizona Lyrics as written by Jared Followill Caleb Followill

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Arizona song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

49 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +6
    General Comment

    Caleb says:

    "This one’s kind of bad. I love the desert and I hold Arizona close to my heart, but me and Nathan went there and we had quite a few different substances, and we decided to go to this brothel. I guess I am telling you, aren’t I? This is a real heartbreaker. We walked in and I looked around and there was one young girl who was so beautiful that all I could think was, ‘What happened in her life that could bring her here?’ as opposed to, ‘Yeah! I’ll take that one.' I took an ugly one. I knew how she ended up there."

    feel me loudon April 02, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    It's so obvious that the people posting the lyrics to the new album have just downloaded the song, or are two dumb to realise that the lyrics are printed in the album's sleeve. UGH!

    "That taste, All I ever needed, All I ever wanted, Too dumb to surrender"

    The meaning to this verse is obvious - he's talking about a girl, the taste of her lips, her ... whatever. I think that the line 'too dumb to surrender' suggests that he might have tried to play hard to get when he should have known all along that he would eventually give in to temptation.

    "She shakes Like the morning railway Checking me out With someone on her shoulder"

    This is where it gets complicated - the girl spots Caleb when she's with her boyfriend ("with someone on her shoulder") ... she's shaking because she's so attracted to him despite the fact she has a boyfriend?

    "The lamp, Flickers in the bedroom She must feel as awkward Whore-house Arizona"

    So far I think this is the verse where everyone so far as read WAY too much symbolic meaning into it - "The lamp flickers in the bedroom" - um, they're having sex? He says she feels as awkward as (?) whore-house Arizona - I enterpret this as meaning she's nervous about the pressure of sleeping with a rock star ... aside from the fact she's cheating on her boyfriend, and it's as blatant as a whore-house in Arizona? I don't know much about Arizona as I don't live in USA, but maybe that's a state where sexual promiscuity (especially a whore-house)is frowned upon?

    "And I go, Stand up to a giant Say that I'm a fighter Too drunk to remember Too drunk to ..."

    So this is the bit where Caleb thinks he's tougher than he is and 'stands up to a giant' - stands up to the girl's boyfriend when he's really drunk. He doesn't remember this once he wakes up- ...

    "My face Is laying on the pavement Tasting something awful I hate when that happens"

    ... -after being knocked out on the pavement. Tasting something awful most likely means he's got blood in his mouth.

    "And she waves, Thinking that it's sexy, She must be plum crazy, I kind of think I like her, Kind of think I do ..."

    So this is the part where the girl finds him, waves, thinks it's hot that her boyfriend and the rock star tried to beat each other up over her, and Caleb realises he's got a thing for her.

    Awesome song. I just wish you hadn't of destroyed it with completely incorrect lyrics ... an insult to KOL.

    moschinopumpson May 15, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Yeah, these lyrics are wrong from the beginning. I'm almost positive its "Now take" instead of "Now taste". Now taste doesnt even make sense in context. I mean he has a tough voice to understand what hes saying but comon.

    catille13on April 23, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I can listen to this over and over and never get sick of it. It's such a beautiful, melancholy little love song. I find it really romantic, in a weird way. Despite the fact that he's drunk, at a whorehouse, getting his ass kicked while fighting for a girl's honor, there's a strange sense of innocent sweetness to it...

    I mean:

    "She must be plum crazy I kinda think I like her I kinda think I do"

    Awww. Man, that part gets me EVERY time.

    Taymayon February 10, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    possibly best song on album...at least one of the best

    love it, especially the end. very chill.

    petermelaon March 12, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The lyrics are wrong...

    UZeroHead2on April 04, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I always imagine myself flying over a forrest of pines in the sunlight during the intro.

    Gotta respect any band that can put that sweet of an image in my head...

    hyeanddryon May 02, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    ok. i am not sure what that guy up there is talking about the lamp being all metaphoric and him calling the girl a giant. ....right

    according to caleb himself...

    "This one’s kind of bad. I love the desert and I hold Arizona close to my heart, but me and Nathan went there and we had quite a few different substances, and we decided to go to this brothel. I guess I am telling you, aren’t I? This is a real heartbreaker. We walked in and I looked around and there was one young girl who was so beautiful that all I could think was, ‘What happened in her life that could bring her here?’ as opposed to, ‘Yeah! I’ll take that one.' I took an ugly one. I knew how she ended up there"

    now take all i ever needed all i ever wanted to dumb to surrender

    talking about the whorehouse where he meets a beautiful girl. all he ever needed and wanted. and he can take her now but he's to dumb to surrender. remember he choose the ugly one.

    She shakes Like the morning railway Ch-ch-checking me out With someone on her shoulder

    she has a pimp on her shoulder probably makes her a little cautious to be checking him out. the shaking could be a you turn me on shake or a nervous shake from fear of her pimp and the awkward situation.

    The lamp Flickers in the bedroom She must feel as awkward Whore-house Arizona

    they are in a shitty brothel. the lamps flicker, shes a prostitue. he thinks she is to good to be there and its awkward.

    And I go Stand up to a giant Say that I’m a fighter Too drunk to remember Too drunk to… My face is laying on the pavement Tasting something awful I hate when that happens

    so he goes and trys to fight her pimp. to save her. he says hes a fighter but he is to drunk and the pimp beats his ass where he drunkenly comes to on the pavement tasting his own blood.

    And she waves Thinking that it's sexy She must be plum crazy I kinda think I like her Kinda think I do

    and she waves at him afterwards tryiing still to flirt with him a little. trying to be sexy. and he thinks she is crazy because she is a prostitute living this terrible life. but he likes her anyway.

    Karla115on May 15, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I bet can I could explain what he was doing there... Playing chess perhaps! Probably just passing time I expect.

    tentnanton October 07, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    fucking epic

    collystringson July 15, 2009   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!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.