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.
Crew
Dessa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which is lucky, 'cause honey I hate to say it,
You ain't much of a waitress, even on a day shift,
Clumsy as you are, it's like we're paying you to break dishes."
Now the records, break light plates,
Rocking stages state to state.
Getting bigger like every day,
Doomtree stay sharp, razor blade up.
But, 'member when we didn't have a dime to stop on,
All night trying to write a decent pop song,
Dot net 'cause somebody already had the dot com,
Get in, let's go, go 'head, come on.
Boys in the basement, beats through a bass amp,
Papers on the breaks we're all on the radar now,
I guess, digging in and gaining ground,
No matter where we go, I do believe we're all related now.
There's no love like crew,
And that's true, 'cause to me,
My friends and my family,
My clan is Doomtree.
(My people, my partners, my plan is Doomtree.)
It's been a long walk and it's a steep hill.
No time for small talk, no place for weak wills.
You mind your business and you try to stay real.
Half Dorothy Parker, half April O'Neal.
This rock rolls over light on the horizon.
Real slow strobe, night, day, and night again.
No time now to wonder 'bout what might have been,
Eyes on the prize, no matter what the critics think.
What's got nine lives, lands on its feet?
The Doomtree franchise, rep wings and teeth.
If the hinges creak, then break the door down.
All I need is a beat, a break of four count.
There's no love like crew,
And that's true, 'cause to me,
My friends and my family,
My clan is Doomtree.
(My people, my partners, my plan is Doomtree.)
Maybe ain't a lot, but it's an honest wage,
And what we've got is what we've made.
The lyrics to Dessa's song Crew, tell the story of her humble beginnings as a waitress and the journey that she and her crew, Doomtree, went on to make it in the music industry. In the first verse, Dessa talks about the bartender who tells her that she's not a good waitress but advises her that one day she'll get famous. The line "clumsy as you are, it's like we're paying you to break dishes" suggests that Dessa's passion for music transcends her ability as a waitress. The next verse shows the contrast from their early days spent writing music in the basement; they are now touring nationwide and breaking records like dishes on a daily bases, yet they remain close and supportive of each other.
The chorus "There's no love like crew, and that's true 'cause to me, my friends and my family, my clan is Doomtree" highlights the strong bond and loyalty among the group members. They have faced numerous challenges, from trying to write a decent pop song to navigating the music industry, but they persevered and are now reaping the rewards of their hard work. The last verse shows that even though they have achieved some level of success, they remain focused with their eyes set on the prize.
Overall, the song Crew is a tribute to the power of friendship, teamwork, hard work, and the ability to overcome obstacles to achieve a common goal.
Line by Line Meaning
The bartender says, "Kid, one day you'll get famous,
The bartender predicts that the person being spoken to will become famous someday.
Which is lucky, 'cause honey I hate to say it,
The bartender believes that the person is not a good waitress.
You ain't much of a waitress, even on a day shift,
The bartender implies that the person is a clumsy waitress.
Clumsy as you are, it's like we're paying you to break dishes."
The bartender suggests that the person often breaks dishes.
Now the records, break light plates,
The person has become so successful that their records are breaking like light plates.
Rocking stages state to state.
The person is performing on stages around the country.
Getting bigger like every day,
The person's success is growing rapidly every day.
And they say the game's changing.
The person is aware that the music industry is always evolving.
Doomtree stay sharp, razor blade up.
Doomtree is always on their game, ready for anything.
But, 'member when we didn't have a dime to stop on,
Doomtree remembers a time when they were broke and couldn't afford to rest.
All night trying to write a decent pop song,
Doomtree worked hard all night to create a good pop song.
Dot net 'cause somebody already had the dot com,
Doomtree had to settle for a .net domain because the .com one was already taken.
Get in, let's go, go 'head, come on.
Doomtree is ready to go and is encouraging others to join them.
Boys in the basement, beats through a bass amp,
Doomtree worked on their music in a basement with a bass amplifier.
Papers on the breaks we're all on the radar now,
Doomtree has made a name for themselves and is on everyone's radar now.
I guess, digging in and gaining ground,
Doomtree is putting in the work and making progress.
No matter where we go, I do believe we're all related now.
Doomtree feels a strong connection with their fans and supporters.
There's no love like crew,
Doomtree feels an unparalleled love for their crew.
And that's true, 'cause to me,
This statement is true for the person speaking.
My friends and my family,
Doomtree considers their crew to be like family.
My clan is Doomtree.
Doomtree views their crew as their tribe.
(My people, my partners, my plan is Doomtree.)
Doomtree emphasizes their connection to their crew.
It's been a long walk and it's a steep hill.
Doomtree has come a long way and still has a long way to go.
No time for small talk, no place for weak wills.
Doomtree doesn't have time for chit-chat or those lacking in determination.
You mind your business and you try to stay real.
Doomtree advises others to focus on their own work and stay authentic.
Half Dorothy Parker, half April O'Neal.
The person speaking sees themselves as a mix between poet Dorothy Parker and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle April O'Neal.
This rock rolls over light on the horizon.
The person sees their success as a rock rolling over the horizon, unstoppable.
Real slow strobe, night, day, and night again.
The person experiences success slowly, but consistently, and it continues day and night.
No time now to wonder 'bout what might have been,
The person doesn't have time to think about what could have been, they are too focused on what is happening now.
Eyes on the prize, no matter what the critics think.
The person is focused on their goals, despite what the critics may say or think.
What's got nine lives, lands on its feet?
The person is asking a rhetorical question, suggesting that Doomtree can handle anything.
The Doomtree franchise, rep wings and teeth.
Doomtree represents strength and grit, and their image is like wings and teeth.
If the hinges creak, then break the door down.
Doomtree will do whatever it takes to succeed, even if it means breaking obstacles down.
All I need is a beat, a break of four count.
The person only needs a simple beat and rhythm to create their music.
Maybe ain't a lot, but it's an honest wage,
Doomtree may not be making a lot of money, but it is a fair wage for their hard work.
And what we've got is what we've made.
Doomtree is proud of what they have achieved through their own hard work and dedication.
Contributed by Anthony S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.