There are at least three bands called The Dodos.

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.

Red and Purple
The Dodos Lyrics

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There's nobody here
To tell us a joke
We tear off our ears
The fire that we stoke
You wrote me a note
The pages were blank
And I, I should have known
Invisible ink

I know that I am yours and you will be mine
Come and join us in the trenches
Red and purple by our side
Say you'll never leave us
In this company of mine

You carry this dirt
We stole from the source
Its tongue will be hurt
Attack from the north
The color was red
The number was six
Now you're in my head
No more to convince

I know that I am yours and you will be mine
Come and join us in the trenches
Red and purple by our side
Say you'll never leave us
In this company of mine

I bring this back home
Just hoping I've changed
So that you will know
Just how I'm deranged
But you're off on your search
You're crying, then went to church
You're safe, or at least I heard
Until to me you return

I know that I am yours and you will be mine
Come and join us in the trenches
Red and purple by our side

Say you'll never leave us
In this company of mine

Overall Meaning

"Red and Purple" is a song by the indie rock band, The Dodos. The song is built around a mysterious narrative, possibly about a failing relationship or an unrequited love, where the main character or narrator is trying to win the affection of someone through the use of different tactics. The opening lines suggest a bleak situation where the absence of humor, symbolized by "nobody here to tell us a joke," leads them to self-harm, represented by "tear off our ears." The note that the singer receives from the recipient is blank, perhaps pointing towards the unresponsiveness or lack of attention from the person they wish to impress, or maybe their feelings being one-sided, signified by "invisible ink." The following lines reveal that protagonist is in love, and their object of affection is the "you" referred to throughout the song. The line "I know that I am yours and you will be mine" illustrates an emotional connection. The anticipation of the loved one's support is present, as the chorus repeats, saying "Red and Purple by our side/Say you'll never leave us/In this company of mine," showing a desire for the loved one to join them in their work.

The imagery of war-like settings is used throughout the song, with lines like "join us in the trenches" and references to colors of uniforms "red and purple," which give the lyrics a sense of urgency and turmoil. The dirt that they're carrying, stolen from the source, could be rebel ground they claim, making them out to be a revolution against an oppressive government or an injustice. The number "six," which appears just before the line "Now you're in my head," is unclear but might be a reference to a past mistake or regret. The song ends with the singer trying to convince the loved one of a change but is unsuccessful as they are 'off on their search.'

Line by Line Meaning

There's nobody here
We are alone

To tell us a joke
No one is around to entertain us

We tear off our ears
We are so bored that we resort to self-harm

The fire that we stoke
The only activity we have is tending to a fire

You wrote me a note
You sent me a message

The pages were blank
There was no actual message

And I, I should have known
I should have realized there was no real message

Invisible ink
There was a hidden message that I missed

I know that I am yours and you will be mine
We belong together

Come and join us in the trenches
Be a part of our struggle

Red and purple by our side
These colors represent our solidarity