Dressy Bessy's first full-length release, Pink Hearts, Yellow Moons (1999) was a mixture of beat group drums, infectious songs, and the odd burst of harmonium. Further releases include California EP (2000), Sound Go Round (2002), and 2003's Dressy Bessy, which incorporated a harder guitar sound. 2003 also brought the compilation, Little Music: Singles 1997-2002. These albums were initially released on Kindercore Records of Athens, Georgia. Their songs, If You Should Try to Kiss Her and Just Like Henry were featured in the 1999 film But I'm A Cheerleader.
In late 2004, drummer Darren Albert left the band and was replaced in 2005 by Craig Gilbert. Later that year, the band signed to Transdreamer Records and recorded their fourth album, Electrified, which was released in June 2005. The band released their fifth album, HOLLERandSTOMP, on September 16, 2008.
Rob Greene died in January 2018.
AUTOMATIC
Dressy Bessy Lyrics
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Get up and at it, automatic
Sister's had it, junk and grab it
Well, she's so manic, automatic
Oh, pleasure, so clever
I'm going to steal your candy
My pleasure, no pressure
Systematic, get up
Sister's frantic
Get up and at it
Automatic
Oh, pleasure, so clever
I'm going to steal your candy
My pleasure, no pressure
I'm going to eat your candy
So give back my overdrive
Well, I never knew you wanted one
Give back my overdrive
'Cause I ain't never seen a better one
Dare we get up the hill
Barreling up the hill, dare we get up
Keep your candy
Sister fantastic, sister don't panic
Sister manic, get up
Automatic
Sister's had it, junk and grab it
She's so manic, automatic
Keep your candy, come on
The lyrics to Dressy Bessy's song "Automatic" portray a person who is in a manic state and their actions and thoughts are automatic. The first two lines of the song describe the person as being on another planet and having an urge to get up and do something automatically. The lines "Sister's had it, junk and grab it, well she's so manic, automatic" suggest that the person is feeling overwhelmed and is resorting to impulsive and compulsive behavior to cope with their emotions.
The chorus of the song repeats the lines "Oh, pleasure, so clever, I'm going to steal your candy, my pleasure, no pressure, I'm going to eat your candy" which could represent two different things. Firstly, it could be the manic person's inner thoughts and desires that are running automatically, without them being able to control it. Secondly, it could be a metaphor for the manic person taking from others without any sense of guilt or pressure, in a way that is automatic to them.
The second verse of the song repeats the lines "Systematic, get up, sister's frantic, get up and at it, automatic" which further adds to the idea of the manic person's actions being automatic and robotic. The ending of the song suggests that despite the chaos and the impulse, the person is aware of their behavior and is trying to keep it together by reminding themselves to "keep your candy" and not give in to their compulsions.
Line by Line Meaning
Sister manic, other planet
The sister is acting out of control like she is from another world
Get up and at it, automatic
She is urged to act quickly and in a robotic manner
Sister's had it, junk and grab it
She has reached her limit and is grabbing whatever she can to feel better
Well, she's so manic, automatic
She is acting so crazily that it feels like she is on autopilot
Oh, pleasure, so clever
The person singing is excited about indulging in something
I'm going to steal your candy
They plan to take something from someone else
My pleasure, no pressure
There is no obligation to give anything in return for their enjoyment
I'm going to eat your candy
They plan to indulge in something sweet that belongs to someone else
Systematic, get up
They are very organized and want to get moving
Sister's frantic
The sister is feeling very anxious
Get up and at it
They want to start moving quickly and efficiently
Automatic
They want to act in a robotic manner
So give back my overdrive
They are demanding that something that belongs to them be returned
Well, I never knew you wanted one
The other person never expressed an interest in something that rightfully belongs to the singer
'Cause I ain't never seen a better one
The singer believes that what belongs to them is the best of its kind
Dare we get up the hill
They are approaching a challenge and wondering if they can make it up
Barreling up the hill, dare we get up
They are taking on the challenge of overcoming something
Keep your candy
They have changed their mind about taking something from someone else
Sister fantastic, sister don't panic
The sister is doing great and does not need to worry about anything
Sister manic, get up
The sister is acting crazy, but needs to get moving anyways
Automatic
They want to act in a robotic manner
Keep your candy, come on
They have given up on taking something from someone else and are calling for them to move on
Contributed by Grayson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lexi
Such a lovely song 😊
Capn Fresh
looks great!!
rodinal220
Great tune.Eating candy is good!!
masa na
keep your candy!