1. an indie folk ba… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least three bands called The Dodos.
1. an indie folk band from San Francisco, CA, United States, formed in 2005
2. a short-lived British punk/rock band that evolved out of Swansea punk band The Urge in 1979
3. a short-lived British rock band that relelased one single in 1967
1. The Dodos are an indie folk band from San Francisco, CA, United States, formed in 2005. Almost all of their albums (except the very first one) are credited to Dodos (without 'The'), but they made their recording début as The Dodos and are listed as such on streaming platforms, which is why most of their scrobbles end up here. The Dodos is the preferred spelling. The band has two core members: Meric Long (vocals, guitar) and Logan Kroeber (drums). They have released eight studio albums since mid-2006: Beware of the Maniacs (2006), Visiter (2008), Time to Die (2009), No Color (2011), Carrier (2013), Individ (2015), Certainty Waves (2018) and Grizzly Peak (2021).
2. Having evolved in late 1979 out of Swansea punk band The Urge, The Dodos were named after the ephedrine-laced asthma tablets, consisting of Dickie Evans (vocals), Phil Roberts (guitar), Anthony Reed (bass) and Steve 'Gagsy' Garland (drums). They contributed a song (1981's 'Blind To Fiction') to a rare compilation called Sex, Violence and the Eternal Truth.
3. The Dodos were a very short-lived British rock band of the late 1960s. They released just one single: 'I Made Up My Mind' b/w 'Can't Make It Out' (Polydor, 1967). Both sides were penned by the band's main songwriter, Alan Hawkshaw.
Elves
The Dodos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gave away into, oh my weaker side
Now my heart's in two, 'cause I made you lie
Oh whoa, oh whoa
Oh whoa, oh whoa
I go out for a while, always ends up in a dial
'Cause I run out of the trust that I had when I was a child
Oh whoa, oh whoa
Oh whoa, oh whoa
And I walk 'til I erase it
But I call 'cause I can't replace it
And my voice, yeah, I betrayed it
And I fall, because I can't face it
I've played into a part just to make you mine
Yeah, we had a failed start, didn't know why we tried
Now it's been so long and far since the time it died
But I know that in my heart, better say our goodbyes
Oh whoa, oh whoa
Oh whoa, oh whoa
And I walk 'til I erase it
But I call 'cause I can't replace it
And my voice, yeah, I've betrayed it
And I fall because I can't face it
The Dodos' song "Elves" appears to be about a failed relationship and the aftermath of trying to move on. The first verse expresses regret and disappointment for investing time and energy into someone who was not worthwhile. The line "I made you lie" suggests that the person being addressed was not honest, which may have been partly responsible for the relationship's demise. The chorus repeats the phrase, "oh whoa," which seems to represent a sense of resigned acceptance, mixed with pain and sorrow.
The second verse hints at trust issues and a tendency to retreat into old behaviors in times of stress or uncertainty. The singer seems to acknowledge that they view others as expendable, represented by the metaphorical phrase "just another chip in my smile." The repetition of the phrase "oh whoa" brings home the underlying emotion of self-loathing - this behavior is not something that the singer is proud of, but they feel unable to stop themselves.
The bridge mentions walking until the pain has subsided, but being unable to resist calling the person they are trying to move on from. The soaring chorus line, "And I fall because I can't face it," underscores the sense of resignation and helplessness that runs throughout the song. In the final verse, the singer reflects on the fact that they tried to make the relationship work, but it failed. They acknowledge that it's been a long time since it ended, but that they are still feeling the repercussions of that failure. The song ends on a melancholic note with the repeated phrase, "oh whoa."
Line by Line Meaning
I cried for you, what a waste of time
I shed tears for you, but it was pointless and futile
I gave away into, oh my weaker side
I succumbed to my weaker self and made poor choices
Now my heart's in two, 'cause I made you lie
I caused you to lie and now my heart is torn between the truth and the deception
I go out for a while, always ends up in a dial
I try to escape my problems by going out but end up calling you instead
'Cause I run out of the trust that I had when I was a child
I no longer have the childlike trust I once had, causing me to rely on others for validation
So I make you into just another chip in my smile
I use you to maintain my facade of happiness, treating you like just another accessory
And I walk 'til I erase it
I try to walk off my pain and forget about it
But I call 'cause I can't replace it
I end up calling you because I can't replace the comfort and familiarity you provide
And my voice, yeah, I betrayed it
I went against my own beliefs and values, causing my voice to be betrayed
And I fall, because I can't face it
I crumble under the weight of my emotions because I cannot confront them
I've played into a part just to make you mine
I acted a certain way just to win you over and make you mine
Yeah, we had a failed start, didn't know why we tried
Our relationship never took off, and we both don't know why we even tried
Now it's been so long and far since the time it died
It's been a long time since our relationship ended
But I know that in my heart, better say our goodbyes
Although it's hard, I know it's time to say goodbye and move on
Contributed by Emily T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pizzahole
I cried for you, what a waste of time
I gave away into, oh my weaker side
Now my heart's in two, 'cause I made you lie
Oh whoa, oh whoa
Oh whoa, oh whoa
I go out for a while, always ends up in a dial
'Cause I run out of the trust that I had when I was a child
So I make you into just another chip in my smile
Oh whoa, oh whoa
Oh whoa, oh whoa
And I walk 'til I erase it
But I call 'cause I can't replace it
And my voice, yeah, I betrayed it
And I fall, because I can't face it
I've played into a part just to make you mine
Yeah, we had a failed start, didn't know why we tried
Now it's been so long and far since the time it died
But I know that in my heart, better say our goodbyes
Oh whoa, oh whoa
Oh whoa, oh whoa
And I walk 'til I erase it
But I call 'cause I can't replace it
And my voice, yeah, I've betrayed it
And I fall because I can't face it
FLACCID ACID
Elves and Winter are two of the best songs of this genre
MrMunkiMan
Beautiful song with beautiful lyrics.
Alan Brandon Rivera-Montes
Aside from visiter, this is the best album by The Dodos