Screaming, staying up all night, and vomiting everywhere are trademarks of … Read Full Bio ↴Screaming, staying up all night, and vomiting everywhere are trademarks of a memorable punk rock tour. And also parenthood!
In 2013, pop punk sweethearts The Dollyrots reproduced. But their new baby didn’t slow them down: they just brought him on tour. Thus the title of their upcoming live CD/DVD, Family Vacation: Live in the Los Angeles.
Released on March 11, 2016, Family Vacation is a concert film with a companion live album that captures The Dollyrots on their 2015 summer tour with long-time roadmates Bowling For Soup. It’s 40 minutes of pure rock frenzy, harnessed by filmmaker Ian MacLeod and delivered as both a video/audio download and deluxe double disc set.
The term “family” not only describes singer/bassist Kelly Ogden, guitarist Luis Cabezas, and their baby River, but also the extended family of Dollyrots fans, who supported the creation of this live CD/DVD by crowdfunding it on PledgeMusic. Those who contributed to the project received the film and album weeks before the public street date, and were also privy to some special extras, including a bonus studio EP and exclusive memorabilia. As Kelly puts it, “There are a lot of fans who might never get out to a Dollyrots show in the flesh, so we did our best to bring the experience to them. The only things missing are the ringing ears and sweaty hugs…but other than that I think we nailed it!”
Since their formation 15 years ago, The Dollyrtos have played over a thousand shows and released five studio albums, but Family Vacation is their first ever official live record. After releasing material on both Lookout! Records and Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records, the band decided to go completely independent for their last few releases, and 2014’s Barefoot and Pregnant (released through the band’s own label, Arrested Youth Records) enjoyed a #7 debut on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart. They hope their fans will similarly embrace Family Vacation, which comes on the heels of multiple US tours in 2015 and a three-week tour of the United Kingdom with Bowling For Soup this past February.
Screaming, staying up all night, and vomiting everywhere: Family Vacation shows that punk rock and parenting aren’t so different after all. And it stands as proof that just because you grow up doesn’t mean you have to stop being awesome.

Skinny
The Dollyrots Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Know you wanna feed it
Asks you to relieve it
Turnin' and-a squirmin'
Making me go throwing up- and up - and up

Numb from all the feeling
Thoughts inside stop reeling
Hundred pounds and bony

Third time today throwin' up - and up - and up

'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
And I'm hungry!

Skinny girls a-walkin'
Lecherous men a-gawkin'
Reinforce their thinkin'
Making them go throwing up - and up - and up

Fifth grade after lunch
There goes the vomit bunch
In the stalls a-pukin'
Everybody's throwing up - and up - and up

'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
And I'm hungry!

They're screwing up the little girls
They're screwing up the little girls
They're screwing up the little girls
They're screwing up the little girls

'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
And I'm hungry!
'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
'Cause I'm not gonna do it again

'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
And I'm hungry!

Overall Meaning

The Dollyrots' song "Skinny" is a powerful commentary on the damaging societal pressure to be thin, particularly for women. The lyrics describe the physical and emotional toll of eating disorders, as well as the ways in which cultural messages about beauty contribute to and perpetuate them. The first verse portrays the desperation and discomfort of someone who is struggling with bulimia, with the repeated phrase "throwing up - and up - and up" emphasizing the cyclical and never-ending nature of the illness. The second verse broadens the scope of the issue to show how pervasive and insidious the pressure to be thin can be, with a description of how even young girls are affected by seeing others engage in unhealthy behaviors.

The chorus, in which the singer proclaims her refusal to continue down this destructive path, is the emotional heart of the song. Through her repeated declaration that she won't engage in these behaviors again, she asserts control over her own body and ideals, pushing back against the societal pressures that have put her in this position. The final verse punctuates the general disgust and outrage of the situation, with the singer harshly condemning those who are complicit in the perpetration of these harmful beauty standards.

Overall, "Skinny" is a powerful and impassioned statement against the toxic and damaging messaging around beauty that so often leads people, especially girls and women, down a path of self-harm and self-loathing.

Line by Line Meaning

Know you wanna feed it
Addressing the temptation to overeat

Asks you to relieve it
The urge to vomit after overeating

Turnin' and-a squirmin'
Discomfort caused by overeating

Making me go throwing up- and up - and up
The physical reaction of vomiting

Numb from all the feeling
Mental fatigue from the negative cycle of overeating and vomiting

Thoughts inside stop reeling
Mental state after clearing the mind from overeating and vomiting

Hundred pounds and bony
A desire to be unhealthily thin, regardless of the cost

Third time today throwin' up - and up - and up
The frequency of vomiting as part of an unhealthy cycle

'Cause I'm not gonna do it again
Recognition of the unhealthy cycle and a desire to break it

Skinny girls a-walkin'
The societal pressure to be skinny

Lecherous men a-gawkin'
The negative attention received from men for being skinny