The Donnas were an American rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1… Read Full Bio ↴The Donnas were an American rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1993. The band consisted of Brett Anderson (lead vocals), Allison Robertson (guitar, backing vocals), Maya Ford (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Amy Cesari (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Cesari replaced Torry Castellano, who left the band in 2009 due to tendonitis. They drew inspiration from the Ramones, The Runaways, Girlschool, AC/DC, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Kiss. Rolling Stone has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not catharsis, fun rather than rage". MTV has stated that the band offers "a good old-fashioned rock & roll party". After gathering a cult following in the punk scene since their 1997 debut, the band achieved major label commercial success in the early 2000s and afterward as their music mixed punk, metal and classic rock sounds. They dissolved in 2012.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Donnas

Studio albums
The Donnas (1997)
American Teenage Rock 'n' Roll Machine (1998)
Get Skintight (1999)
Turn 21 (2001)
Spend the Night (2002)
Gold Medal (2004)
Bitchin' (2007)

Out of My Hands
The Donnas Lyrics

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I'm sick of the state we're in
And every little thread is wearing thin
I've been livin' life in the slow lane
But somethings got to change

What time is it where you are
You're in bed, I'm at a bar
Right now opposites subtract

And I don't know if I can bridge the gap

The phone bills, and missed calls, have
got us they've got us

At the mercy of a mile
In no place to make demands
I'll make it worth your while
But right now it's out of my hands
It's out of my hands

Ode to sleep pillows and sheets
The last place I'd expect us to meet
I'll be back before you know
So don't worry if you're running low

The phone bills, and missed calls, have
got us, they've got us hanging

Overall Meaning

Out of My Hands by The Donnas is a song that talks about the frustration and distance in a long-distance relationship. The opening lines "I'm sick of the state we're in and every little thread is wearing thin" indicate the weariness in the relationship. The singer is feeling worn out by the current state of the relationship and wants a change. The next line, "I've been livin' life in the slow lane but something's got to change," establishes that the singer feels stagnant in their life and relationship.

The chorus of the song talks about the distance between the couple. The line "what time is it where you are, you're in bed, I'm at a bar," shows how different their lives are due to geography. The phrase "opposites subtract" is a play on the phrase "opposites attract." While opposites attract is a phrase used to describe how people from different backgrounds might find common ground, opposites subtract indicate how being apart can wear on a relationship. The phrase "I don't know if I can bridge the gap" shows uncertainty on the singer's part about the future of the relationship.

The second verse touches on the logistical difficulties of the distance. The phone bills and missed calls signify how expensive and frustrating it is to maintain communication while apart. The line "at the mercy of a mile" conveys that the couple doesn't have much control over their situation, while "in no place to make demands" implies a feeling of powerlessness. The closing phrase "it's out of my hands" is a declaration of acceptance of the current state of things.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm sick of the state we're in
I'm tired of the current situation we're in

And every little thread is wearing thin
Everything is falling apart and near collapse

I've been livin' life in the slow lane
I've been living life in a stagnant and unfulfilling manner

But somethings got to change
We need to make a significant change

What time is it where you are
I'm in a different time zone than you and wondering what time it is there

You're in bed, I'm at a bar
You're asleep and I'm out at a bar socializing

Right now opposites subtract
Our differences are driving us apart

And I don't know if I can bridge the gap
I'm not sure if I can fix the divide between us

The phone bills, and missed calls, have
We've accumulated bills and missed calls

got us they've got us
We are now at their mercy

At the mercy of a mile
We are limited by distance

In no place to make demands
We cannot make requests or demands in our current state

I'll make it worth your while
I'll do something to express the value of our relationship

But right now it's out of my hands
Currently, I have no control over the situation

It's out of my hands
We are currently in a situation beyond my control

Ode to sleep pillows and sheets
A reference to being in bed

The last place I'd expect us to meet
The bedroom is not the ideal location for us to solve our issues

I'll be back before you know
I won't be away for long

So don't worry if you're running low
Don't be concerned if you're running out of something

The phone bills, and missed calls, have
We've accumulated bills and missed calls

got us, they've got us hanging
We are at the mercy of our current situation

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRETT ANDERSON, TORRANCE CASTELLANO, MAYA FORD, ALLISON ROBERTSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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