Dresden Dolls
Lyrics
Dresden dolls take one
This is for all you guys who work on industrial estates (2)
Dresden dolls are back in style
with a clockwork walk and a backward smile
Dresden dolls don't hear a sound
They're programmed to jump up and down
Up and down
Round and round
Tapping feet to formless sound
Dresden dolls and Nazi boys
Dance arm in arm to formless noise
Up and down
Round and round
Tapping feet to formless sound
On plastic bars they sit and pose
Count their fingers with their toes
They sit and smile and drink and grin
Then they all get up again
Up and down
Round round
Tapping feet to noiseless sound
Dresden dolls are back in style
With a clockwork walk and a backward smile
Up and down
Round and round
Tapping feet to formless sound
Notes
1. Dresden dolls are porcelain dolls made in Dresden, or made with Dresden porcelain. Sometimes parian dolls are referred to as "dresden dolls." The lyrics to this song were written by Una Baines (according to this interview). A Massachusetts band is called "Dresden Dolls" (partly) after this song. The phrase apparently also appears in the 1979 novel Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews; it is unlikely that a reference to the Fall song was intended, however.
Bobby points out a musical resemblance between this song and Serge Gainsbourg's instrumental "La Horse" (this becomes particularly noticeable at the chord change).
2. An "industrial estate" is the British term for an industrial park. The Fall have a song of this name.
More Information
Comments (13)
- 1. | 11/03/2013
- 2. | 12/03/2013
- 3. | 09/11/2013
- 4. | 10/11/2013
- 5. | 01/12/2014
- 6. | 01/12/2014
never would have guessed, add it to the list of amazing covers and re-interpretations
- 7. | 16/04/2016
Got another but you have not got the lyrics up
Why are people grudgeful off the record Infotainment Scan, track 11 is a cover of Lee "Scratch" Perry of I think it's his first song 'People funny boy" it's credited on the album as written by Lee Perry and Unknown so that confirms it, apparently the song is about a dispute over money with a record company which tenuously links into Birmingham School of Business School theme.
[Hook]
Why, why people funny bwoy
Why, why people funny bwoy
[Verse]
Now that you reach the top
An' you turn big shot
All I've done for you
You not remember that
When you were down an' out
I used to help you out
But now that you win jackpot
You don't remember that
Now that you turn big shot
Bwoy you 'ave big chat
You're lucky, you're lucky
You're lucky to have rice and peas a yard
But me, poor me don't have none at all
Fall version lyrics both lyrics from Genius.com
All over the world... death for rent [desolate/different/deference - throughout]
All over europa... different
Come on, come on, come on...
When you were down & out
I always helped you out
And when you go out
You just chat and shop
You can walk and talk
Walk and talk
Without no fear at all
You can walk and talk
Walk and talk
Without no fear at all
(why, why)
Why why are people grudgeful, boy?
Tell me why are people grudgeful, boy?
All over the world
Different different
All over creation
Difference difference
(why, why)
Coming coming coming they're coming, you are crumbling boy
Watch out watch out watch out
Why, why
Watch out
Why, boy, why
And you tend to forget
Coming, coming, coming right from you boy
And you tend to forget
All over the world
Difference difference
All over europa
Difference difference
(why, why)
So why, why are people grudgeful boy?
So why, why are people grudgeful boy?
Ah-watch out, watch out watch out, watch out...
- 8. | 19/05/2016
- 9. | 31/03/2019
A parian doll, sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Dresden doll, was a type of doll manufactured primarily in Germany, from around 1860 to 1880. A parian doll, like a china doll, has a body made from fabrics and a head created from untinted white porcelain. Unlike the china doll however, the parian doll's head is not dipped in glaze before firing and as such has a matte finish, similar to bisque dolls, giving it a markedly different appearance.
- 10. | 07/02/2021
- 11. | 24/09/2023
- 12. | 23/03/2024
- 13. | 11/04/2024
Maybe this just changed the running order, or maybe the song was never meant to be recorded.
See: http://www.porcelaindollscollection.com/dresden-porcelain-dolls.html