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Ani DiFranco — Little Plastic Castle
Album: Little Plastic Castle
Avg rating:
6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1181









Released: 1998
Length: 4:00
Plays (last 30 days): 0
in a coffee shop in a city
which is every coffee shop
in every city
on a day which is every day
i picked up a magazine
which is every magazine
read a story then i forgot it right away

and they say goldfish have no memory
i guess their lives are much like mine
and the little plastic castle
is a surprise every time
and it's hard to say if they're happy
but they don't seem much to mind

from the shape of your shaved head
i recognized your silhouette
as you walked out of the sun and sat down
and the sight of your sleepy smile eclipsed all the other people
as they paused to sneer at the two girls from out of town

and i said, "look at you this morning
you are by far the cutest
but be careful getting coffee
i think these people want to shoot us
or maybe there's some kind of local competition here
to see who can be the rudest"

people talk about my image
like i come in two dimensions
like lipstick is a sign of my decling mind
like what i happen to be wearing
the day that someone takes a picture
is my new statement for all womankind

and i wish they could see us now
in leather bras and rubber shorts
like some ridiculous new team uniform
for some ridiculous new sport
quick someone call the girl police
and file a report

in a coffee shop in a city
which is every coffee shop
in every city
on a day which is every day
Comments (195)add comment
I love this song - the lyrics are fantastic - "like some ridiculous new team uniform for some ridiculous new sport"
Just discovered this thanks to RP. Love it! 
Well, the way I see it, I love 80% of what you play. I just like 18% And hate 2%. This one is in the latter percentile for me.
Nice bass line and drums! 8
 conglif wrote:
Personally, I find it VERY entertaining to listen to music that I'm not sure whether I will end up liking or not. (Even if I end up not liking it, I find the process itself to be highly entertaining.)

To me, listening only to that which I already like is boring as hell.

Radio Paradise is my favorite station for exactly that reason. (If I just wanted to hear all my favorite songs, I could just buy an iPod and load it up and go with it.)

When RP plays a song I DON'T like, I just think of it as a better deal than listening to a commercial.


 
Nailed it! The perfect analogy, well said! LLRP
 conglif wrote:
Personally, I find it VERY entertaining to listen to music that I'm not sure whether I will end up liking or not. (Even if I end up not liking it, I find the process itself to be highly entertaining.)

To me, listening only to that which I already like is boring as hell.

Radio Paradise is my favorite station for exactly that reason. (If I just wanted to hear all my favorite songs, I could just buy an iPod and load it up and go with it.)

When RP plays a song I DON'T like, I just think of it as a better deal than listening to a commercial.


 Although your original post is 10 years old, your sentiments express exactly why I love RP so much (and by the large number of "likes", it is evident many others feel the same way). 

I have been introduced to so many"new-to-me" artists, songs by artists I had not heard before, and re-introductions to songs I had forgotten, over the past 8 years that RP has become my station of choice.  I finally signed up to Apple Music because I kept racking up iTunes bills downloading music to make new playlists.

I find it interesting that some listeners seem to enjoy trashing songs and artists.  Not being a psychologist or knowing them personally, I prefer not to speculate why.  I would probably avoid these people at a social(-distanced) gathering, just because I steer clear of negative people in general.  Musical tastes, I believe, are as diverse as human tastes are for everything else in this world. 

Trashing songs that others like is basically just an "in-your-face" via a blog.  A few are witty, and make me giggle, but most simply display the intolerance of the blogger.  But I guess there are Trump supporters who listen to RP, too.  
That was painful.
Love the idots that can't get the brilliance of this song: "I'm so annoyed by that annoying chick blathering on about the stupid things she cares about." Enjoy your sad lives, folks, and don't forget that ZZ Top will save you when you go back and listen.  BTW, I love ZZ Top, just not the idea that they are the only musical or cultural ideas out there.  Please loosen it up sad people.
"and they say goldfish have no memory
i guess their lives are much like mine
and the little plastic castle
is a surprise every time
and it's hard to say if they're happy
but they don't seem much to mind"


The story of my life.  I forget everything and so i'm always happily surprised....
 conglif wrote:
Personally, I find it VERY entertaining to listen to music that I'm not sure whether I will end up liking or not. (Even if I end up not liking it, I find the process itself to be highly entertaining.)

To me, listening only to that which I already like is boring as hell.

Radio Paradise is my favorite station for exactly that reason. (If I just wanted to hear all my favorite songs, I could just buy an iPod and load it up and go with it.)

When RP plays a song I DON'T like, I just think of it as a better deal than listening to a commercial.


 
Wise thoughts, conglif.   Exactly the same way of thinking here.
Immediate flashback to a unplanned 26 hour road trip from Mpls to New Orleans as a freshly in love teenager with my former wife. This album was the soundtrack of that era. Thanks for jogging the memories (especially the good ones) loose! 
 unclelonghair wrote:
Ever notice her voice sounds like William Shatner over-acting as James Kirk?
 
I'm hearing Bare Naked Ladies' lead, particularly in the enunciation. I can't say there's an Ani-uh Di-uhFranco-uh song I enjoy listening to.
 Trip_Estes wrote:
I cannot believe there are real people in this world who do not like this song. I feel like the negative comments are just people trolling me. I'm donating again just for this song. Thanks Bill!!!

 
Yes, count me as one. Do I need to take a test to prove I am not a bot?
love Ani, love this one!
I love this song. Thanks Bill & Rebecca...
Amazing. Ani is such a good songwriter and so passionate. Just love her.
oh my god, a castle!
Ani is instantly recognizable because she sings variations of the same song....
I cannot believe there are real people in this world who do not like this song. I feel like the negative comments are just people trolling me. I'm donating again just for this song. Thanks Bill!!!
from the shape of your shaved head
i recognized your silhouette
as you walked out of the sun and sat down
and the sight of your sleepy smile eclipsed all the other people
as they paused to sneer at the two girls from out of town
and i said, "look at you this morning
you are by far the cutest
but be careful getting coffee
i think these people want to shoot us
or maybe there's some kind of local competition here
to see who can be the rudest"

How could anyone dislike this?
Just don't like it...
Schizophrenic. Make it stop.
Compared to Ani's first album or even Dilate, Little Plastic Castle is such a disappointment.  
 DrLex wrote:
So, I have to choose between turning up the volume on this song I don't like, or enduring the noise of a colleague invoking the sound of two rodents gnawing on a piece of dry bread by hitting his laptop keyboard with a technique appropriate for ancient cast-iron mechanical typewriters. I think this song is the lesser torture.

  yeah, whatever. don't try so hard next time.


Bloody awful.  Syncopation is an awkward couple tripping on each other's feet while dancing.  If there were a -10 that is what it would score. 
Love it. There are better-crafted songs, perhaps, but none that have the heart.
Excellent album, this song more average given the album.
 markybx wrote:
This deserves a little bump just for being "different".

 
I like it
 DrLex wrote:
So, I have to choose between turning up the volume on this song I don't like, or enduring the noise of a colleague invoking the sound of two rodents gnawing on a piece of dry bread by hitting his laptop keyboard with a technique appropriate for ancient cast-iron mechanical typewriters. I think this song is the lesser torture.

 
You made me laugh....been there. Sounds like the "PSD" button might solve your dilemma!
This deserves a little bump just for being "different".
 twoplain2sea wrote:
Lipstick etc deserves a place in the museum of conscious

 
Consciousness?
 conglif wrote:
Personally, I find it VERY entertaining to listen to music that I'm not sure whether I will end up liking or not. (Even if I end up not liking it, I find the process itself to be highly entertaining.)

To me, listening only to that which I already like is boring as hell.

Radio Paradise is my favorite station for exactly that reason. (If I just wanted to hear all my favorite songs, I could just buy an iPod and load it up and go with it.)

When RP plays a song I DON'T like, I just think of it as a better deal than listening to a commercial.

 
Well said.  I agree completely.
Lipstick etc deserves a place in the museum of conscious
If you're an Ani fan, check this out: https://whatigot.com/see-it/

it's a trailer for a documentary I worked on. Ani was part of it, this album was just coming out at the time her concerts were shot for the film.  There used to be more clips out there but I can't find them right now. 
 unclehud wrote:
 Jelani wrote:
I agree. what a horror this voice is. So stoooopidly affected. Is she singing while working out on a treadmill?
Catch your breath babe! 

I think she's very passionate about the message she's delivering.  Did you listen to the lyrics, or is that beyond your limited attention span?

 Didn't comment on the lyrics(or her passion), which fall completely within the range of my attention span. I commented on the delivery. 


So, I have to choose between turning up the volume on this song I don't like, or enduring the noise of a colleague invoking the sound of two rodents gnawing on a piece of dry bread by hitting his laptop keyboard with a technique appropriate for ancient cast-iron mechanical typewriters. I think this song is the lesser torture.
 conglif wrote:
Personally, I find it VERY entertaining to listen to music that I'm not sure whether I will end up liking or not. (Even if I end up not liking it, I find the process itself to be highly entertaining.)

To me, listening only to that which I already like is boring as hell.

Radio Paradise is my favorite station for exactly that reason. (If I just wanted to hear all my favorite songs, I could just buy an iPod and load it up and go with it.)

When RP plays a song I DON'T like, I just think of it as a better deal than listening to a commercial.

 
what he said
10.  For all you Ani haters out there.  
Unbearable.  
 casey1024 wrote:
I don't believe I have ever said this before about a song on RP - but this is awful.
Mind you, this is not a comment on the lyric of the song - it SOUNDS awful.  To the point that I no longer care what the message is.  Now, that's awful.

 

exactly, precisely, absolutely, you betcha boy howdy, I feel your pain, I mean FEEL- scratch that - HEAR your pain
Personally, I find it VERY entertaining to listen to music that I'm not sure whether I will end up liking or not. (Even if I end up not liking it, I find the process itself to be highly entertaining.)

To me, listening only to that which I already like is boring as hell.

Radio Paradise is my favorite station for exactly that reason. (If I just wanted to hear all my favorite songs, I could just buy an iPod and load it up and go with it.)

When RP plays a song I DON'T like, I just think of it as a better deal than listening to a commercial.


Ani is great!  Singing about things that matter.
 Jelani wrote:
I agree. what a horror this voice is. So stoooopidly affected. Is she singing while working out on a treadmill?
Catch your breath babe! 

I think she's very passionate about the message she's delivering.  Did you listen to the lyrics, or is that beyond your limited attention span?
LOVE IT!!

You go, girl, and tell it like it is!
 leathepea wrote:
A little ska flavor this this one....I like it.
 
Like putting a little Ska flavor on a turd.
 ethanpil wrote:
Every once in a while a song comes along that is so horrific that it makes me want to destroy the universe.  This is one of those songs.
 
I agree. what a horror this voice is. So stoooopidly affected. Is she singing while working out on a treadmill?
Catch your breath babe! 
A little ska flavor this this one....I like it.
Man this completely destroyed the good vibe that was established with the last 10 songs, which was one of those only-on-RP sequences.  Ani Difranco has some decent songs but this isn't one of them.

Phew.  Back to iTunes for a few hours... songs like this make me wonder if I can stand to listen to RP.
 ethanpil wrote:
Every once in a while a song comes along that is so horrific that it makes me want to destroy the universe.  This is one of those songs.
 
she's just one of those "artists"
I don't believe I have ever said this before about a song on RP - but this is awful.
Mind you, this is not a comment on the lyric of the song - it SOUNDS awful.  To the point that I no longer care what the message is.  Now, that's awful.

Every once in a while a song comes along that is so horrific that it makes me want to destroy the universe.  This is one of those songs.
I don't like it either.
In an Ani DiFranco song, which is every Ani DiFranco song....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like a lot of Ani's stuff, but not this song.
This is shit.  WTF, Bill?  Srsly.
Ever notice her voice sounds like William Shatner over-acting as James Kirk?  Just imagine her singing "You Klingon bastard, you killed my son!" with an angry acoustic guitar riff.

This is really bad... she has some bright spots but this isn't one of them.

People will like anything.
So, I was, like, sittin' in front of my aquarium and I thought, "Oh wow, I could, like write a song about it!"

Jesus, that's lame.


I had to log in just to comment that I haven't heard a more mindless, disjointed, cliche song in a very long time... booooo

Very cool instrumentation on this.

And coolest of all is that (without hearing it first), if I just saw a listing of the instruments, I would have no idea it would sound like this.
 Ag3nt0rang3 wrote:
I love this song in particular because for me it sums up what I admire most about Ani DiFranco, specifically her refusal to let anyone dictate to her who she should be.

We all know the first part of the song is about two women putting up with the rude stares of the provincial townfolk, but how many people listen to the rest of the lyrics?  The whole second half of the song is an attack on the Lesbian Feminist culture of the day that dictated how a woman was supposed to dress (baggy plaid), what makeup to wear (none), and argued incessantly on the correct spelling of "woman" (is it "womyn", or "wommin", or what?).

Ani knew then that if a group is "freeing" you from oppression only to tell you what to wear or how to behave, then they really aren't freeing you at all, they're just giving you a new set of chains.

She shows us what Feminism can be, and she's my hero.

 

Cause sometimes the song isn't just about the singer. 
great album... but the magic of Ani is to see her live, in my opinion! Never have seen a more infectious performer.
 MojoJojo wrote:
Oof.     Had to tune out. And now a little Groove Salad to cleanse the pallet... 

 
is Groove Salad good for the the somaFM?

Oof.     Had to tune out. And now a little Groove Salad to cleanse the pallet... 

"leather bras and rubber shorts"?! Squeaky and sweaty. Rather you than me, girl ;-)
Ow wa moi!
I really don't know what you guys are talking about.  What an absolutely fantastic song!  What an awesome singer! I have gotten into ani quite late and i am loving her gear.  I would rather hear someones voice than hear the sound of homoginised nasal harmony that most bands aim for.  And once more before i go i'd just like to point out that you guys are wrong.
 jagdriver wrote:
Just say
 

{#Iamwithstupid}  Simply horrible. Detestable. Loathsome. And just plain BAD.
 Ag3nt0rang3 wrote:
I love this song in particular because for me it sums up what I admire most about Ani DiFranco, specifically her refusal to let anyone dictate to her who she should be.

We all know the first part of the song is about two women putting up with the rude stares of the provincial townfolk, but how many people listen to the rest of the lyrics?  The whole second half of the song is an attack on the Lesbian Feminist culture of the day that dictated how a woman was supposed to dress (baggy plaid), what makeup to wear (none), and argued incessantly on the correct spelling of "woman" (is it "womyn", or "wommin", or what?).

Ani knew then that if a group is "freeing" you from oppression only to tell you what to wear or how to behave, then they really aren't freeing you at all, they're just giving you a new set of chains.

She shows us what Feminism can be, and she's my hero.

 
Well said! I don't love Ani in general, but I like this song and its message.

 Hinkamp wrote:
2 for the vocals, 8 for the music.
 
Precisely.  I have no idea why I like this song, but I find myself turning it up.

the music is good, her voice, like always, is terrible
 I respect her, but just can't get into her voice. Oh well, I will keep trying maybe it will grow on me.
Horns: 7 free points.
 govna wrote:
yeah i know it's too late now, but i wish somebody would have told ani that not all her diary entries can be songs.
 
nursing a cold and this comment almost made me cough up a lung...hilarious.

I immediately think back to a night long ago when a bunch of my friends & I went to see a show at Wolftrap...my buddy got dumped by his super-cute girlfriend right in the middle of Ani's set when she was apparently overcome by the vibe & outed herself...introducing him to her new girlfriend who was also attending...he was crushed, but it was one of the most hilarious moments I have ever been witness to.

again, hilarious.


Just say
 greg6494 wrote:
i guess i shouldn't have had a mouth full of food when i read this...

 
govna wrote:
yeah i know it's too late now, but i wish somebody would have told ani that not all her diary entries can be songs.
 
 
Yeah, and I was drinking milk.

2 for the vocals, 8 for the music.
i guess i shouldn't have had a mouth full of food when i read this...

 
govna wrote:
yeah i know it's too late now, but i wish somebody would have told ani that not all her diary entries can be songs.
 


 mandolin wrote:
...i think i'm prejudiced against coffee shops, and even moreso against the people who frequent them...
 
Are you thinking of Starbucks, or of Tim Hortons (or whatever the working equivalent is where you live)?

I love this song in particular because for me it sums up what I admire most about Ani DiFranco, specifically her refusal to let anyone dictate to her who she should be.

We all know the first part of the song is about two women putting up with the rude stares of the provincial townfolk, but how many people listen to the rest of the lyrics?  The whole second half of the song is an attack on the Lesbian Feminist culture of the day that dictated how a woman was supposed to dress (baggy plaid), what makeup to wear (none), and argued incessantly on the correct spelling of "woman" (is it "womyn", or "wommin", or what?).

Ani knew then that if a group is "freeing" you from oppression only to tell you what to wear or how to behave, then they really aren't freeing you at all, they're just giving you a new set of chains.

She shows us what Feminism can be, and she's my hero.

...i think i'm prejudiced against coffee shops, and even moreso against the people who frequent them...
 Gednabb wrote:
My Siamese Fighting Fish Daniel is feeling vastly superior to dumb, forgetful goldfish as I play this song.
 

The keeping of Siamese Fighting Fish in small jars is cruel and ridiculous. If you want to keep one in a decent size tank with a recreation of it's normal habitat, fine (and maybe you do, if so, good for you).
Yuck.
yeah i know it's too late now, but i wish somebody would have told ani that not all her diary entries can be songs.
She just sang this on Monday night for me.
(along with about 1000 others in a concert hall)
{#Clap}
Not quite sure what to think of this....though I have known to be an AD fan at times. This sounds like she should team up with David Bromberg?

Bill, David Bromberg?
As mentioned before, this to me, is just plain forgetable. I gave it a 4, which many times translates into the 'why bother even voting' category.
The whole premise of the beginning of this song was sooooo busted by Mythbusters...
My Siamese Fighting Fish Daniel is feeling vastly superior to dumb, forgetful goldfish as I play this song.
Nice way to start a Friday morning in the office. Seriously. Although I feel a bit like her goldfish.
This isn't even better than the stuff she used to sing with her kin - The Difranco Family. "Heartbeat" is better than this swill.
fredriley wrote:
Fairly inoffensive if unnoticeable, until that "Yee-hah!", when the mute button got hit.
Your loss.
andrewimft wrote:
Ani de good songwriter but she always resorts to gimmicky vocals and sloppy playing technique as some sort of statement, which makes it so that I never like her tunes unless someone else does them.
...the only song in which her delivery style doesn't irk me is out of range, not because her delivery style is any different in that case, but because it suits the song...
Fairly inoffensive if unnoticeable, until that "Yee-hah!", when the mute button got hit.
Ani de good songwriter but she always resorts to gimmicky vocals and sloppy playing technique as some sort of statement, which makes it so that I never like her tunes unless someone else does them.
I know I'm in the minority, but I have never been able to stand her. SO much self-referential b.s. I just couldn't care less.
hey, it's sufjan difranco
I've never been a big fan of Ani (unlike my husband), but I do like this album, especially "As Is."
This album marks a high point in Ani's career. She's still cool, but back in the '90s she kicked some serious ass. Great live show, too.
Ah, geez... she has MUCH better tunes than this one. I tend to shy away from her horn section arrangements. The lyrics to this tune are noteable, but man, those horns just wash her out. Not representative of her best work. Try stuff in the middle of the Dilate album. Rockin.
agnes wrote:
Nothing like falling in love with someone while curled up together and listening to this album for the first time, then hearing this song played at his wedding reception ten years later. (Stab, bleed, fall down.)
Wedding reception?! This is not exactly wedding reception music, or at least the THEME isn't. Unless it was one of those 'alternative' weddings... Still, what a crummy episode. c.
agnes wrote:
Nothing like falling in love with someone while curled up together and listening to this album for the first time, then hearing this song played at his wedding reception ten years later. (Stab, bleed, fall down.)
Thank your stars you didn't marry a man who likes this song. What did they call it in the movie Singles, the "sensitive pony tail guy" syndrome? Can anyone out there refute that?
music to kill yourself by.
The horns are an interesting touch.. I'll give it a 7. And hey if this isn't getting it done for your coding head over to Proton Radio for a while :)
horstman wrote:
Alanis Morrisette wannabe?
Alanis came into the "Women who use words like blunt objects" scene years after Ani.
Garf!
Wow, this is NOT a song to write code to. :)
horstman wrote:
Alanis Morrisette wannabe?
mrrmt wrote:
what? who? try reversing that!
Sheesh... -Iggerant kids!
horstman wrote:
Alanis Morrisette wannabe?
what? who? try reversing that!
Alanis Morrisette wannabe?
agnes wrote:
Nothing like falling in love with someone while curled up together and listening to this album for the first time, then hearing this song played at his wedding reception ten years later. (Stab, bleed, fall down.)
ouch.
agnes wrote:
Nothing like falling in love with someone while curled up together and listening to this album for the first time, then hearing this song played at his wedding reception ten years later. (Stab, bleed, fall down.)
Oh man... Harsh!
Nothing like falling in love with someone while curled up together and listening to this album for the first time, then hearing this song played at his wedding reception ten years later. (Stab, bleed, fall down.)
crap
Ani! Yay!
Hey, this is the first time I've really and truly enjoyed an Ani Defranco song.
It's not bad; but I actually think this is one of the worst songs on the album - there are some really good tracks on this one.
Love Ani! More please!