… Read Full Bio ↴The Crash Test Dummies is a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The band is most identifiable through Brad Roberts (vocals, guitar) and his distinctive bass-baritone voice. The band members have fluctuated over the years, but its best known line-up consisted of Roberts, Ellen Reid (co-vocals, keyboards), Brad's brother Dan Roberts (bass guitar, backing vocals), Benjamin Darvill (harmonica, mandolin), and Mitch Dorge (drums, percussion). The band is best known internationally for their 1993 single "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" and best known in Canada for the 1991 single "Superman's Song".
After a multi-year hiatus, the band returned in 2015 with a tour and the new charity single "Promised Land" which was a collaboration with Marc Mysterio[1] following up his remix of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm".
The origin of the Crash Test Dummies is tied to the history of two Winnipeg nightspots, the Spectrum Cabaret and the Blue Note Cafe, owned by Curtis Riddell.
In the mid-1980s, Riddell joined with Brad Roberts to form the decidedly less-than-serious bar band Bad Brad Roberts and the St. James Rhythm Pigs. Over time, the band evolved into the Crash Test Dummies, a name suggested by a friend of the band who was in medical school. The diagnostic mannequin, known colloquially as a crash test dummy, was known to the public already by this time. Ellen Reid and Benjamin Darvill became permanent additions. George West, the original bass player, quit and was replaced by Dan Roberts, Brad's brother. Riddell was replaced by Vince Lambert, who was fired and replaced by Mitch Dorge just before the release of The Ghosts That Haunt Me.
After signing with BMG Records in 1991, the band signed with manager Jeff Rogers (Swell).
In the summer of 2017, the full band, except Benjamin Darvill, reunited for a show in Winnipeg and Brad Roberts went on a tour of South Africa in early 2018.
In July 2018, a reunited photo of Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, Dan Roberts, and Mitch Dorge was posted on the official Crash Test Dummies Facebook page, along with the announcement of Canadian Tour Dates for the fall.
Throughout their career, Crash Test Dummies have experimented with many different styles and genres of music. These styles include the acoustic folk rock of The Ghosts That Haunt Me, the electric alternative rock of A Worm's Life, the urban influences of Give Yourself a Hand, and the optigan-based compositions of Oooh La La!.
Crash Test Dummies recorded as a full five piece band from their debut album The Ghosts That Haunt Me until Give Yourself a Hand. At this time, the most notable instrumentation of the band's music included Brad Roberts' lead guitar, Ellen Reid's keyboards, and Benjamin Darvill's harmonica. Another notable element of Crash Test Dummies' music are the contrasting harmonies between Brad Roberts' deep lead vocals and Ellen Reid's backing vocals in the higher register.
Beginning with I Don't Care That You Don't Mind in 2001, the band's albums were recorded primarily by Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, and a rotating roster of session musicians.
One of the biggest influences for Brad Roberts was the band XTC and Andy Partridge in particular. The band even went on to cover two of XTC's songs: "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" for the soundtrack to the film Dumb and Dumber, and "All You Pretty Girls" for the XTC tribute album A Testimonial Dinner.
He Liked To Feel It
Crash Test Dummies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who liked to wiggle his tooth loose so he could show it
And then we'd watch
While he would tie it to a doorknob, wind up, and then slam it
And that was how he liked to have his teeth pulled out
He told us how he liked to feel it when it came out
Of using doorknobs and so he thought up a brand-new trick
He said he'd tie
His tooth to his dog's tail, find a stick, wind up, and then throw it
And that was how he liked to have his teeth pulled out
He told us how he liked to feel it when it came out
He called his dog
But just as he was set to go, his dad arrived there
He yelled at him
Then got some pliers, held him, wound up, and yanked it out right there
That wasn't how he liked to have his teeth pulled out
He wouldn't tell us how it felt when it came out
The lyrics to the Crash Test Dummies' song "He Liked To Feel It" tell the story of a boy who becomes increasingly obsessed with pulling out his loose teeth in increasingly unconventional ways. The first verse sets the stage for this strange fixation, as the boy gleefully shows off his wiggly tooth before tying it to a doorknob and slamming the door shut to yank it out. He describes the pleasure he derives from this sensation, and the song repeats the phrase "He told us how he liked to feel it when it came out" like a refrain.
However, as the song progresses, the methods the boy uses to pull out his teeth become more and more extreme. He's tired of using doorknobs, so he ties the tooth to his dog's tail and throws a stick to make the dog yank it out. This scene is both humorous and disturbing, but it's undercut by the arrival of the boy's angry father, who yanks out the next tooth with pliers without giving his son a chance to experience the sensation he craves.
The song ends on this harsh note, leaving the listener to ponder the boy's strange behavior and the impact that his father's intervention will have on his psyche. The lyrics are playful and vividly imagined, but there's a darkness lurking in the background that makes the song more complex than it might seem at first listen.
Overall, "He Liked To Feel It" is a cautionary tale about the perils of obsession and the consequences of going too far in pursuit of a particular sensation or experience. It's a song that invites interpretation and analysis, but it's also fun to sing along to and laugh at the absurdity of the situations the boy finds himself in.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a boy
This story is about a particular boy.
Who liked to wiggle his tooth loose so he could show it
The boy took pleasure in wiggling his teeth, just to show them to those around him.
And then we'd watch
Alluding to the audience around this boy, who were watching his antics.
While he would tie it to a doorknob, wind up, and then slam it
The boy had a specific method to remove his teeth - tie it to a doorknob, wind it up and then slam the door. He would do this while everyone watched.
And that was how he liked to have his teeth pulled out
He told us how he liked to feel it when it came out
This was the boy's preferred method of tooth removal. He enjoyed the sensation of the tooth coming out, and made sure to express that to anyone who would listen.
But he grew tired
The boy eventually grew bored of using the doorknob method.
Of using doorknobs and so he thought up a brand-new trick
The boy decided to devise a new way to remove his teeth.
He said he'd tie
His tooth to his dog's tail, find a stick, wind up, and then throw it
The boy's new idea involved using his dog - he would tie his tooth to the dog's tail, then throw a stick to get the dog to pull his tooth out.
And that was how he liked to have his teeth pulled out
He told us how he liked to feel it when it came out
The boy was excited about this new method too - he talked about how he would feel when his tooth was eventually removed.
He called his dog
But just as he was set to go, his dad arrived there
Just as the boy was about to try his new tooth removal method, his dad came upon the scene.
He yelled at him
Then got some pliers, held him, wound up, and yanked it out right there
The dad was unhappy with his son's antics, and forcibly removed the tooth with pliers.
That wasn't how he liked to have his teeth pulled out
He wouldn't tell us how it felt when it came out
The boy did not enjoy having his tooth removed in such a painful manner, and chose not to reveal how it felt when it finally came out.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRAD ROBERTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jerimya Edwards
Woah! AWESOME!!!! Benefits of being an insomniac is finding a new CTD video. Love it, guys.
WarioWareProductions
Ikr its 2am right now and I just saw this
Nizar
Weird ass lyrics and video , but damn melody , voice ,and instrumental are from out of space
Rachel H
Telly from kids !!! Don't know the actors name
Nizar
@Austin Lucas what the?? That's exactly the same beat and progression. They could've sued them if they wanted.
Austin Lucas
This one sounds a bit similar to XTC's "The Disappointed," and Brad was an XTC fan; they even covered two XTC songs. This song's not a ripoff, but it does sound a bit similar.
Lady Valerie
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Awake At The Wheel
This should have been a big hit, so funky and whimsical! đ€đ»
Ronnie Duwayne
Love it. And love the Crash Test Dummies!!!!
Pedro Carlos VĂĄsquez Guerrero
2020 and still Rocking! Greetings from Lima PerĂș!