I'd love to go to Alaska, it looks awesome. It seems like it would be one of the most beautiful but bleak places on earth. A bit like this song, funnily enough. 'Stephanie Says' is a really pretty sounding pop song but it has a tone of isolation and disconnection. I think the song is about a girl that's grown so numb and tired of life and human interaction that she's basically living in Alaska - in her mind. The cold climate of Alaska is likened to her outlook and mood.
But she's not afraid to die
the people all call her Alaska
Between worlds so the people ask her
'Cause it's all in her mind
it's all in her mind
They're asking is it good or bad
It's such an icy feeling
It's so cold in Alaska
If my interpretation has any merit, then Alaska is seen as a state of mind, which I think is pretty cool. It seems like a place where there's no reprieve from the cold and the bitter elements of winter - a bit like Hobart gone wrong. The literal meaning of "Alaska" (in the Eskimo dialect from which the word originates) is "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed." Pretty grim place then.
I'm curious about other people's interpretations of this song. Have a listen to it.
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Lou Reed returns to the same motif in his solo song: "Caroline Says II":
Caroline says - while biting her lip
Life is meant to be more than this - and this is a bum trip
But she's not afraid to die
All her friends call her 'Alaska'
When she takes speed, they laugh and ask her
What is in her mind, what is in her mind
She put her fist through the window pane
It was such a funny feeling
It's so cold in Alaska X3
There's a lot less ambiguity in that version!
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