Song Interp. 2: Sister Disco by The Who

 

Sister Disco

As I walked through that hospital door

I was sewn up like a coat

I got a smile from the bite of the wind

Watched the fresh fall of snow

 

I knew then that my life took a turn

I felt strong and secure

And with adhesive tape over my nose

I felt almost demure

 

Goodbye Sister Disco

With your flashing trash lamps

Goodbye Sister Disco

And to your clubs and your tramps

 

Goodbye Sister Disco

My dancing's left you behind

Goodbye, now you're solo

Black plastic; deaf, dumb and blind

 

Bye, goodbye Sister Disco, Now I go

I go where the music where the music fits my soul

And I, I will never let go, I'll never let go

'Til the echo of the street fight has dissolved

 

I will choose nightmares and cold stormy seas

I will take over your grief and disease

I'll stay beside you and comfort your soul

When you are lonely and broken and old

 

Now I walk with a man in my face

Ooh, a woman in my hair

I've got you all lookin' out though my eyes

My feet are a prayer

 

Goodbye Sister Disco

With your flashing trash lamps

Goodbye Sister Disco

And to your clubs and your tramps

 

Goodbye Sister Disco

My dancing's left you behind

Goodbye, now you're solo

Black plastic; deaf, dumb and blind

 

Analysis

In this song, disco is personified as a troublesome woman. The narrator has had a coming to, realizing that he doesn’t like disco anymore, because it’s bad. Though some may see disco music as something that’s good, he feels that it encourages “grief and disease” with its “black plastic” characteristics. To the narrator, disco is simply a thing of the past. When disco is mentioned in this song, the term refers to the whole disco style of living as well as the music.

The song starts out with the narrator entering a hospital. When he says that he “was sewn up like a coat”, the reader can assume that he went into the hospital because he had some bad wounds. Right in the first stanza, the narrator refers to the happy feelings he got “from the bite of the [changing] wind”. He also describes his observation of the “fresh fall of [white, pure] snow” inside of a hospital. He is reflecting on the change that is going on within himself.

He “knew then that [his] life took a turn”. Even though he had just been hurt, he “fe[lt] strong and secure…almost demure”. The reader understands why he feels this way when he next mentions that he has “left [sister disco] behind”. He hates disco’s “flashing trash lamps, clubs” and whores. He is glad to leave her solo. When the narrator says, “my dancing’s left you behind”, the reader can get a mental picture of the situation. He is dancing in his joy towards the music that “fits his soul” (rock and roll), and in so doing he leaves sad disco all alone. He hopes to stop all of the “street fight[ing]” that disco had created. A street fight may have been what put him in the hospital.

Further explaining his dislike for disco, the narrator “choose[s the] nightmares and cold stormy seas” that would come with soul reflecting music rather than choose the fake and evil disco. He feels he is better for not picking disco since he will be able to “stay beside [it] and comfort [it’s ignored] soul” when everyone else chooses not to have disco, too. He is now complete; he has sense and expirience “in [his] face” and understanding love “in [his] hair”.