“Philly Sinks” is an evocative song about a man who abuses alcohol and women, or, as Mann put it in a 2017 interview, a song about “a guy who is a sober alcoholic.”
[Verse 1]
It's always locusts, or floods, or drought
And then it's parties or prayer
He picks a girl he can live without
And puts her down over there
[Chorus]
Philly thinks, and when he thinks he can't feel anymore
Philly drinks, and when he drinks, all the drunks hit the floor
Philly sinks, and when he sinks you go down
And when you do, you both drown
[Verse 2]
Congratulations, you hit the mark
You got the bird on the wing
The animatronic bloodhounds bark
The wind-up mockingbirds sing
[Chorus]
Philly thinks, and when he thinks you can't feel anymore
Philly drinks, at least he did when you knew him before
Philly sinks, but now the glass is a girl
But now the girl is a frown
[Verse 3]
Well, you can put in your oar
But you're hoping for more
Like the gulls and the freighters they follow around
And if the rowing gets dull
Just knock a hole in the hull
And let the ocean swallow you down
[Chorus]
Philly thinks, and when he thinks he can't swim anymore
Philly drinks, until the tide pulls away from the shore
Philly sinks, and when he sinks you go down
And when you do, you both drown
Philly Sinks was written by Aimee Mann.
Philly Sinks was produced by Paul Bryan.
Aimee Mann released Philly Sinks on Fri Mar 31 2017.