Most recently, Dessa published a book under the Doomtree banner. Spiral Bound, her collection of essays and poetry, was dubbed a “dazzling literary debut” by the City Pages and “witty and desperately honest” by Alive Magazine.
A Badly Broken Code, her solo full-length record was released in January 2010 to an eagerly waiting number of listeners and music-writers alike. It earned 4 stars from Urb Magazine, a mention in Spin, and rave reviews from publications across the country.
551
Dessa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But she's a Saturday sinner
Suicide Sunday desserts for weekends drinking her dinner
The worry keeps her slender
The pills keep her awake
Her man can't make her happy, but he helps to still the shakes
Met her boyfriend at the bar, said he'd stick to beer
Said I could keep the cocktails, martinis taste like tears
What with all the grief
He passed the pitcher back to me and asked what I believe
I said virginity is a childhood disease
And these days it seems have interest in the addict thief
Patience for the epigrammatic, the brief
There's only four ways to acquire
Anyone who says different is a salesman or a liar
You can find it, earn it, make it or steal it
I haven't found a single way to keep it
Cause you can leash it, it'll leave
You can teach it to stay and it'll leave
You can case and display it, decay and waste it away
And day by day it leaves you by degrees
He put his hand on my knee, sometimes that's what it takes
He doesn't make me happy, but he helps to still the shakes
Put all your words away
For all the noise you make
You were always safe
You were always
You were always
You were always safe
With me
Safe in sleep
Congratulations to the dry eyes
And consolations to the nice guys
And condensation's on the underside of everything I touch
I seem to chill the objects that I meant so much to love
A man can keep you sane five-hundred-and-fifty days
A year-and-a-half, give or take an afternoon
We should have sooner left the train, but we made it
I guess that makes us the survivors
Tumor blooming in my brain: I hate it
But it makes the colors brighter
So fight the anesthesia, spite the man that leaves ya
Like the sad disease you contracted while sitting boring and bored
Come back from the lab report
Is a nervous disorder
Only the rich are afforded
Only the rich are afforded
Only the rich are afforded
Put all your words away
For all the noise you make
You were always safe
You were always
You were always
You were always safe
With me
Safe in sleep
The song 551 by Dessa is a haunting portrayal of a woman's struggles with addiction and mental illness. The chorus "Put all your words away for all the noise you make, you were always safe with me, safe in sleep" is a reassuring lullaby-like refrain that provides a moment of tenderness and connection amidst the raw and honest depiction of pain and desperation. The first verse illustrates the singer's tendency to rely on alcohol and pills to cope with her problems while also hinting at the codependent and toxic nature of her relationship with her "man." The second verse features a conversation with the man's friend who challenges the singer's worldview and hints at a deeper theme about the transient nature of happiness and the human need for connection.
The song continues to explore darker themes, such as illness, death, and the fleeting nature of life. The bridge features a powerful declaration "Only the rich are afforded" that exposes the flawed nature of our healthcare system and the inequalities that exist within it. The final chorus is a soothing invitation to rest and a promise of safety and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a Latter Day Saint
The subject is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
But she's a Saturday sinner
Despite being a religious person, the subject commits sins like any other person.
Suicide Sunday desserts for weekends drinking her dinner
The subject drinks heavily on the weekends and eats dessert as a coping mechanism for feeling suicidal.
The worry keeps her slender
The subject's anxiety keeps her thin.
The pills keep her awake
The subject relies on medication to stay awake.
Her man can't make her happy, but he helps to still the shakes
The subject's partner cannot provide happiness, but he helps her with her drinking problem/tremors.
Met her boyfriend at the bar, said he'd stick to beer
The subject met her partner at a bar and he only drinks beer.
Said I could keep the cocktails, martinis taste like tears
The subject does not like martinis and offers to let the artist have them instead.
I asked if he would leave her
What with all the grief
The artist inquires whether the man would break up with the subject due to her problems.
He passed the pitcher back to me and asked what I believe
The man avoids answering the question and instead asks about the artist's beliefs or opinions.
I said virginity is a childhood disease
The singer has a cynical view of virginity and considers it to be an affliction like a disease.
And these days it seems have interest in the addict thief
Patience for the epigrammatic, the brief
In modern times, people prefer things that are addictive, brief, and easily digestible rather than more substantial, thought-provoking works.
There's only four ways to acquire
Anyone who says different is a salesman or a liar
You can find it, earn it, make it or steal it
I haven't found a single way to keep it
Cause you can leash it, it'll leave
You can teach it to stay and it'll leave
You can case and display it, decay and waste it away
And day by day it leaves you by degrees
There are only four ways to get something or someone (finding, earning, making, or stealing), but keeping it/him/her is difficult because it will eventually fade away or leave no matter what measures are taken to preserve it.
He put his hand on my knee, sometimes that's what it takes
He doesn't make me happy, but he helps to still the shakes
The singer's partner comforts her physically, but does not make her happy.
Put all your words away
For all the noise you make
You were always safe
You were always
You were always
You were always safe
With me
Safe in sleep
The singer asks someone to stop talking and is assuring him/her that they are safe with her and can sleep without worries.
Congratulations to the dry eyes
And consolations to the nice guys
And condensation's on the underside of everything I touch
I seem to chill the objects that I meant so much to love
The artist congratulates people who do not cry, comforts nice guys, and notices that her touch causes condensation because she is cold and distant. She also realizes that her coldness causes her to ruin the things she loves the most.
A man can keep you sane five-hundred-and-fifty days
A year-and-a-half, give or take an afternoon
We should have sooner left the train, but we made it
I guess that makes us the survivors
A man can keep someone sane for a certain amount of time, but eventually the relationship will end. The artist and her partner probably should have broken up earlier than they did, but they managed to survive as a couple.
Tumor blooming in my brain: I hate it
But it makes the colors brighter
So fight the anesthesia, spite the man that leaves ya
Like the sad disease you contracted while sitting boring and bored
Come back from the lab report
Is a nervous disorder
Only the rich are afforded
Only the rich are afforded
Only the rich are afforded
The singer has a tumor in her brain that she despises, but it makes her perception of colors more vivid. She fights against anesthesia against recommendations from doctors and resents the person who left her. The singer is being tested for a nervous disorder, but the only people who can afford to treat her are wealthy.
Put all your words away
For all the noise you make
You were always safe
You were always
You were always
You were always safe
With me
Safe in sleep
The singer repeats the previous refrain, reminding someone who is verbally noisy that they are safe and can sleep well in her presence.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Dessa Margret Wander, Dustin Edward Kiel, Joey Van Phillips, John Rey Samels
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@veihlhainthecrow1693
she's a Latter Day Saint,
But she's a Saturday sinner;
Suicide Sunday desserts for weekends drinking her dinner.
The worry keeps her slender,
The pills keep her awake.
Her man can't make her happy, but he helps to still the shakes.
Met her boyfriend at the bar, said he'd stick to beer;
Said I could keep the cocktails, martinis taste like tears.
I asked if he would leave her,
What with all the grief-
He passed the pitcher back to me and asked what I believe.
I said virginity is a childhood disease,
And these days it seems have interest in the addict thief,
Patience for the epigrammatic, the brief.
There's only four ways to acquire,
Anyone who says different is a salesman or a liar.
You can find it, earn it, make it or steal it.
I haven't found a single way to keep it.
Cause you can leash it, it'll leave.
You can teach it to stay and it'll leave.
You can case and display it, decay and waste it away.
And day by day it leaves you by degrees,
He put his hand on my knee, sometimes that's what it takes.
He doesn't make me happy, but he helps to still the shakes...
Put all your words away,
For all the noise you make.
You were always safe.
You were always,
You were always,
You were always safe
With me,
Safe in sleep.
Congratulations to the dry eyes,
And consolations to the nice guys;
And condensation's on the underside of everything I touch.
I seem to chill the objects that I meant so much to love.
A man can keep you sane five-hundred-and-fifty days,
A year-and-a-half, give or take an afternoon.
We should have sooner left the train, but we made it
I guess that makes us the survivors.
Tumor blooming in my brain: I hate it
But it makes the colors brighter,
So fight the anesthesia, spite the man that leaves ya
Like the sad disease you contracted while sitting boring and bored.
Come back from the lab report,
Is a nervous disorder
Only the rich are afforded.
Only the rich are afforded.
Only the rich are afforded.
Put all your words away,
For all the noise you make.
You were always safe.
You were always,
You were always,
You were always safe
With me,
Safe in sleep.
@kookoo4pandas
I told dessa, almost 6 years after I started listening to her music- that this was the song I would play people when I was younger and they asked what kind of music I liked. She said bluntly " I feel sorry for you" and I laughed and kept nervously talking. I know what she meant. I think we have the same kind of pain.
@mirkwatkins2976
Blows my mind that these Dessa videos have a tiny fraction of the views they deserve. She's one of the most talented lyricists I've ever come across!
@marvinjulius6198
you all probably dont care but does anyone know of a way to get back into an Instagram account??
I stupidly forgot my account password. I would love any assistance you can offer me
@armanienzo7740
@Marvin Julius Instablaster ;)
@jaredpeters5237
I like this 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
@TheEaterofPumpkins
this song seriously feels like dessa is writing it for me and its so comforting and inspirational to me. thank you, dessa.
@veihlhainthecrow1693
she's a Latter Day Saint,
But she's a Saturday sinner;
Suicide Sunday desserts for weekends drinking her dinner.
The worry keeps her slender,
The pills keep her awake.
Her man can't make her happy, but he helps to still the shakes.
Met her boyfriend at the bar, said he'd stick to beer;
Said I could keep the cocktails, martinis taste like tears.
I asked if he would leave her,
What with all the grief-
He passed the pitcher back to me and asked what I believe.
I said virginity is a childhood disease,
And these days it seems have interest in the addict thief,
Patience for the epigrammatic, the brief.
There's only four ways to acquire,
Anyone who says different is a salesman or a liar.
You can find it, earn it, make it or steal it.
I haven't found a single way to keep it.
Cause you can leash it, it'll leave.
You can teach it to stay and it'll leave.
You can case and display it, decay and waste it away.
And day by day it leaves you by degrees,
He put his hand on my knee, sometimes that's what it takes.
He doesn't make me happy, but he helps to still the shakes...
Put all your words away,
For all the noise you make.
You were always safe.
You were always,
You were always,
You were always safe
With me,
Safe in sleep.
Congratulations to the dry eyes,
And consolations to the nice guys;
And condensation's on the underside of everything I touch.
I seem to chill the objects that I meant so much to love.
A man can keep you sane five-hundred-and-fifty days,
A year-and-a-half, give or take an afternoon.
We should have sooner left the train, but we made it
I guess that makes us the survivors.
Tumor blooming in my brain: I hate it
But it makes the colors brighter,
So fight the anesthesia, spite the man that leaves ya
Like the sad disease you contracted while sitting boring and bored.
Come back from the lab report,
Is a nervous disorder
Only the rich are afforded.
Only the rich are afforded.
Only the rich are afforded.
Put all your words away,
For all the noise you make.
You were always safe.
You were always,
You were always,
You were always safe
With me,
Safe in sleep.
@marquelalexanderesmeraldah7587
💙 love this song.
@heathermoorer3393
This is amazing.
@kamikazeclaymore
I bought the EP back in the MySpace days. This woman still blows my mind. Damn I love doom tree. Wish the best for pos.