Dee Dee formed Dum Dum Girls as a solo project—the name a nod to both The Vaselines’ album, Dum-Dum, and the Iggy Pop song Dum Dum Boys — and released a home-recorded CDR on her label Zoo Music followed by a 7" on HoZac and a 12" EP on Captured Tracks.
Dum Dum Girls released their full-length debut album "I Will Be" on March 30th, 2010 on Sub Pop. Produced by Dee Dee and Richard Gottehrer (Strangeloves, Voidoids, Blondie, The Go-Gos and, more recently, The Raveonettes), I Will Be is neither lo-fi nor too polished. Just under thirty minutes with eleven songs, it’s a short tribute to love, loss, fun, fear and the classic pop form of the ’60s girl groups and early punk rockers.
Dum Dum Girls released their second full-length album "Only In Dreams" on September 26, 2011. The Hold Your Hand Songfacts reports that it was recorded in Josh Homme’s Pink Duck studios and deals with the trauma of parental loss and emotional distance.
Sub Pop released the band's EP "He Gets Me High" in early 2011.
Sub pop released the band's EP " End of Daze November 25, 2012.
On January 28, 2016, Dee Dee announced the closure of the Dum Dum Girls and the creation of a new solo project, Kristin Kontrol.
Trees and Flowers
Dum Dum Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it breaks the silence
Of my waking hours
And my heartbeat's license
For I hate the trees
And I hate the flowers
And I hate the buildings
Can't you see
I get so frightened
No one else seems frightened
Only me, only me
I can't but see
That the sun has risen
To my window, my world
Of my home sweet prison
For I hate the trees
And I hate the flowers
And I hate the buildings
And the way they tower over me
Can't you see
I get so frightened
No one else seems frightened
Only me, only me
The lyrics of Dum Dum Girls' "Trees and Flowers" speak to a fear of the world around us, particularly the natural elements such as trees and flowers. The singer of the song has an intense fear that seems to stem from a feeling of being overpowered by the world and everything in it. The dawn, which should bring new hope and light, only increases the fear and amplifies it. The phrase "my heartbeat's license" suggests that even our physical responses are controlled by the world around us.
The repeated phrase "I hate the trees and I hate the flowers" emphasizes the intensity of this fear, which seems to be irrational and overwhelming, as if even the beauty of nature is too much to bear. The buildings that "tower over" the singer seem to reinforce the idea of being trapped and overpowered by the world around us. The fear appears to be a personal struggle; "no one else seems frightened" but the singer, and this isolates them further.
Overall, "Trees and Flowers" is a poignant reminder of how fear can grip us and make us feel powerless against the world around us. The song speaks to the way in which fear can distort our perception of reality and isolate us from those around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Dawn cracks the dark
The dawn breaks through the darkness
And it breaks the silence
The silence is shattered by the dawn
Of my waking hours
During my waking hours
And my heartbeat's license
My heart beats freely
For I hate the trees
I dislike the trees
And I hate the flowers
I dislike the flowers
And I hate the buildings
I dislike the buildings
And the way they tower over me
I dislike how they seem to be above me
Can't you see
Can you not understand
I get so frightened
I become extremely scared
No one else seems frightened
No one else appears to be scared
Only me, only me
I am the only one who is scared
I can't but see
I am unable to not see
That the sun has risen
The sun has come up
To my window, my world
The sun has come to where I am
Of my home sweet prison
This place that I call home feels like a prison
Can't you see
Can you not understand
I get so frightened
I become extremely scared
No one else seems frightened
No one else appears to be scared
Only me, only me
I am the only one who is scared
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JILL BRYSON, ROSE MCDOWALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hepzibah Jones
Never thought I'd see the day when I'd hear any cover of a Strawberry Switchblade song, especially their very best (i.e. before WEA got to them and spoilt what could've been the best band of the 80's). Multiple contrafibularities to Dum Dum Girls for their gafflebette re-working of this, the best indie single of '83 (and I believe Boy George would agree with me on that).
JerryLiuFilms
This is beautiful. I've been replaying this song since I heard it this afternoon. Thanks for posting!
skypilot0077
Me too !
West Is Best
I have the loser edition of this album. I really want to open it and listen to it, because its a great album. Damn sub pop for making collectables.
Cameron Wilson
this is beautiful!
IAmAnnaish
Love it!
Lazy Belphegore
I remember getting a copy of NME with a vinyl single of the strawberry switchblade original version of this song in the 80's. Some of the best music I ever heard I got with NME, culminating with the sacred object "C86"
teallaidh
I love this song :)
Ailene
wow this is really beautiful though. thank you marina!
John Krauser
What is Marina?