… 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.
You've Done It Once Again
Crash Test Dummies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You lay down in your bed
But sleep won't come, you're still too high
And thoughts race through your head
And then the guilt begins to gnaw
And your belly turns to stone
And you realize it's you that did it
And there's no one else to turn to
And there's no one else to blame
And you suddenly realize
You've done it once again
Yeah, you've done it
Once again
You swore you'd not repeat your crime
You took a solitary oath
But now you're back where you began
Just you and you alone
And there's no one else to turn to
And there's no one else to blame
And you suddenly realize
You've done it once again
Yeah, you've done it
Once again
And now you rise again from bed
And look out at the day
Regret the things that you have done
And then do them all again
And there's no one else to turn to
And there's no one else to blame
And you suddenly realize
You've done it once again
Yeah, you've done it
Once again
The lyrics of Crash Test Dummies' song "You've Done it Once Again" depict the feeling of guilt and regret after committing a crime. The opening lines suggest that the person has just committed a murder and is lying in bed, but is unable to sleep due to being too high and having too many thoughts racing through their mind. The guilt starts to gnaw at them and they realize that they are solely responsible for their actions.
The chorus emphasizes the feeling of being alone and having no one to turn to or blame but oneself. The repetition of the phrase "once again" adds a sense of hopelessness and repetition in one's actions, suggesting that the person has committed similar crimes in the past and is stuck in a cycle of regret and repetition. By the third verse, the person has risen from bed and regrets their actions but repeats them regardless.
The song's lyrics suggest that this cycle of guilt and repetition is self-destructive and inescapable for the person. The haunting voice of lead singer Brad Roberts adds to the overall melancholic and introspective tone of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
The kill is fresh, the deed is done
You have just committed a heinous act that is now fresh in your mind.
You lay down in your bed
You try to sleep, but the weight of what you did keeps you awake all night.
But sleep won't come, you're still too high
You are too adrenaline-filled from what you did to come down and relax enough to sleep.
And thoughts race through your head
Your mind is in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, unable to calm down.
And then the guilt begins to gnaw
Your conscience starts to eat away at you for what you have done.
And your belly turns to stone
You feel physically ill from the weight of your guilt.
And you realize it's you that did it
You have come to terms that you are the only one responsible for your actions.
You and you alone
There is nobody else to blame for what you have done; it is solely your fault.
And there's no one else to turn to
There is nobody else you can go to for help or comfort.
And there's no one else to blame
You cannot blame anyone else for your actions, and you must take responsibility.
And you suddenly realize
You finally come to the realization of your actions and their consequences.
You've done it once again
This is not the first time you have done something like this, and you feel the weight of your repeated behavior.
You swore you'd not repeat your crime
You promised yourself you would not do this again, but you have broken that promise.
You took a solitary oath
You made this promise to yourself, and you are the only one who knows about it.
But now you're back where you began
You are right back where you started, repeating your actions, with no progress made.
Just you and you alone
Once again, there is nobody else involved in your actions or responsible for them.
And now you rise again from bed
You wake up the next day and face the reality of your actions once again.
And look out at the day
You face a new day, but the events of the previous night still weigh heavily on your mind.
Regret the things that you have done
You feel immense regret for your actions and the consequences they have brought.
And then do them all again
Despite the regret, you repeat your actions once more, unable to break the cycle.
Yeah, you've done it once again
The realization of your repeated behavior hits you once again, and you feel the full weight of your actions.
And there's no one else to turn to
Once again, you are left with nobody to go to for help or comfort.
And there's no one else to blame
The responsibility for your actions falls solely on you, and you must face the consequences.
And you suddenly realize
You again come to the realization of your actions and the consequences they bring.
You've done it once again
You repeat your actions once more, and the cycle continues.
Contributed by Levi R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.