This song references both singer Karen Carpenter who died of complications due to anorexia in 1983, and a previous song Sonic Youth bassist Kim Gordon had written about Carpenter, “Tunic (Song for Karen)”.
[Verse 1]
Heard your name the other day
It's been a long, long time
Ancient history, some would say
Another state of mind
You smell of memory
Felt-tipped electric child
[Chorus 1]
She takes a plastic pill
She plays the weatherman
She screams "Religion kills
More than it saves you, man"
She painted filigrees
She was the acid queen
She claims society
Is just a fever dream
[Verse 2]
Now you live in the trees and salty seas
Tripping out in the blue skies
You shut the door on everything
Too busy getting high
And me, just another dream theory
Lost inside your eyes
[Chorus 2]
She's not in your history books
Lost her mind and kept her looks
Down beneath the radar screen
She's lit up like gasoline
Been through a million kicks
Looking for the one that sticks
Never would've known it then
I might not see her again
[Bridge]
Top hats and tails for thrills
Red lips and famous hands
Sidelong and glancing still
In tiny dancer land
We kissed
Time slipped
Hard edged
Tight lipped
See you
Some time
Ask me if I care
Karen
Miss communication
Karen
Karen
[Instrumental Outro]
Karen Revisited was written by Jim O’Rourke & Steve Shelley & Kim Gordon & Lee Ranaldo & Thurston Moore.
Karen Revisited was produced by Sonic Youth.
Sonic Youth released Karen Revisited on Tue Jun 25 2002.
Thurston uses CGDGCD, Lee uses GGDGGA, and Kim uses DADABB. Jim plays bass for most of “Karen Revisited” but switches to guitar in the outro, using an unknown tuning.