Boston
The Dresden Dolls Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

All the cities in the world
And so very little time and
So many different girls...
All you have to do is find them.
There's a wealth of opportunity, you plan your trips accordingly.
A pity, but the pretty ones are usually more touristy.
Say, how'd you like to run away from these machines?
Everywhere the spies are printing out your dreams.
Seven stops in seven different countries,
Seven page itineraries, memories thick as Bloody Marys, Jesus, Joseph, bloody hell.

Right now we're here in Boston,
In love with downtown crossing.
New York will be there in the morning.
Come back to bed, my darling.

Four years thrown away on vows we never kept.
Forty-five minutes every day religiously devoted to regret.
Time we could have spent on medication thrown away on education,
And we planned to take a trip to Scotland but we never made it.
How'd you like to run away from these machines?
I had Julian's and Steve's.
You had Julia's and Jeanette's.
You wear your terror on your sleeve for all the men I haven't met (yet).
I had Oliver in Potsdam, you had Elanor in Amsterdam.
We're keeping track so carefully we've missed the state we're in completely.
Honestly, your foot is out the door and I've got scores of offers elsewhere and keep both feet planted firmly in the air,
And tomorrow you can totally erase me from your mind, but trust me everything is fine,
Because
Right now, we're here in Boston,
In my apartment in the south end.
Forget your year in London.
Come back to bed, my darling.

You can put the details in a letter,
The more embarrassing the better.
Right now I can be happy if I choose to.
I know that in the morning I will lose you...

And maybe you'll go mad.
And maybe I'll go gray
And pack up to Berlin,
Or maybe it won't matter anyway.
We'll find out that your mom was right and you'll admit you're really gay.
And maybe I'll wake up
In a city far away.
Or maybe we'll make up
And buy a house and have a couple kids and a Labrador and a microwave.
But anyway,
Right now we're here in Boston.
In Eden, where you almost pulled your pants down.
Don't worry who these jokes will all be lost on.
Come back to bed, my darling.
There is nothing in the world that we can count on,
Even that we will wake up is an assumption.




But I know for a fact that I loved someone,
And for a about a year he lived in Boston...

Overall Meaning

The Dresden Dolls’ song “Boston” is a biographical account of a tumultuous relationship, as well as a melancholic reflection on the fleeting nature of life itself. The opening lines of the song describe the singer's desire to travel the world and experience different cultures and people, especially different women. The singer can't decide where to go or what to do first because there's so much out there to discover. But he quickly realizes that most people are similar and the more beautiful ones are more touristy.


As the song progresses, the lyrics bring up the memories with the lover, with whom the singer had committed years of his life. They went through phases of letting go and beginning anew, experiencing the world and meeting new people. They argue and make up, never quite staying on the same wavelength as each other. They introspect about how much time they might have spent wasted, regretting and forgetting, rather than pursuing education, medication, Scotland or even each other. Ultimately, the singer reflects on the uncertainty of life and the fact that we can't take anything for granted. We never know where we’re going to end up, whether we'll stay with someone important, or even how long we have left to live. The song seems to suggest that amid the turmoil and the uncertainty, the only thing that really matters is living in the present moment with someone you genuinely love. And for a while, they found that happiness in Boston.


Line by Line Meaning

All the cities in the world
There are endless possibilities in the world


And so very little time and
But we can never have enough time to explore them all


So many different girls...
Each place has its own unique characteristics and culture


All you have to do is find them.
We need to make an effort to discover and experience them


There's a wealth of opportunity, you plan your trips accordingly.
We need a strategy to make the most of our opportunities


A pity, but the pretty ones are usually more touristy.
Popular places are often filled with tourists and may lose some of their authenticity


Say, how'd you like to run away from these machines?
We may sometimes crave a break from the impersonal, automated aspects of society


Everywhere the spies are printing out your dreams.
Privacy is a thing of the past, and our every move is monitored and recorded


Seven stops in seven different countries,
We have ambitious travel goals and plan to visit numerous destinations


Seven page itineraries, memories thick as Bloody Marys, Jesus, Joseph, bloody hell.
Our trips are detailed, full of activities, and will leave lasting impressions


Right now we're here in Boston,
Currently, we are in Boston


In love with downtown crossing.
We enjoy exploring this part of the city


New York will be there in the morning.
We plan to visit New York soon


Come back to bed, my darling.
Despite our travel plans, we are enjoying the present moment and each other's company


Four years thrown away on vows we never kept.
We had good intentions but did not follow through with our goals


Forty-five minutes every day religiously devoted to regret.
We spend too much time dwelling on things we cannot change


Time we could have spent on medication thrown away on education,
We have neglected self-care in favor of intellectual pursuits


And we planned to take a trip to Scotland but we never made it.
We have unfinished travel plans


I had Julian's and Steve's.
I have had my own romantic experiences


You had Julia's and Jeanette's.
You have had your own romantic experiences


You wear your terror on your sleeve for all the men I haven't met (yet).
You are cautious and fearful about getting into another relationship


I had Oliver in Potsdam, you had Elanor in Amsterdam.
We have had romantic encounters in different cities


We're keeping track so carefully we've missed the state we're in completely.
We are so fixated on the past and future that we neglect to appreciate the present


Honestly, your foot is out the door and I've got scores of offers elsewhere and keep both feet planted firmly in the air,
We are both uncertain about our future together and keeping our options open


And tomorrow you can totally erase me from your mind, but trust me everything is fine,
Our relationship is tenuous, but we reassure each other that everything is okay


Because
Even though things may be uncertain, we are content with where we are now


In my apartment in the south end.
We are currently together in this location


Forget your year in London.
We acknowledge the past but choose to focus on the present


You can put the details in a letter,
We can communicate any other details later


The more embarrassing the better.
We can be honest and open with each other, even if it's uncomfortable


Right now I can be happy if I choose to.
Happiness is a choice, and we choose to focus on the positive


I know that in the morning I will lose you...
Our time together is limited, and we are aware of this


And maybe you'll go mad.
Anything could happen after we part ways


And maybe I'll go gray
We may experience different changes and challenges


And pack up to Berlin,
We may choose to relocate to different cities


Or maybe it won't matter anyway.
The future is uncertain and anything is possible


We'll find out that your mom was right and you'll admit you're really gay.
We may discover new truths about ourselves and our identity


And maybe I'll wake up
Anything is possible, and we cannot predict the future


In a city far away.
We may end up in various locations


Or maybe we'll make up
We may reconcile and come back together


And buy a house and have a couple kids and a Labrador and a microwave.
We may choose to commit to each other for the long term and build a family together


But anyway,
Regardless of what happens, we have each other in the present moment


In Eden, where you almost pulled your pants down.
We share memories of past experiences in this location


Don't worry who these jokes will all be lost on.
We have our own inside jokes and don't need to explain them to anyone else


There is nothing in the world that we can count on,
Life is unpredictable and we cannot take anything for granted


Even that we will wake up is an assumption.
The future is uncertain, and tomorrow is not guaranteed


But I know for a fact that I loved someone,
Despite the uncertainty and challenges, we share a deep love


And for a about a year he lived in Boston...
We have shared significant memories and experiences in this location




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Amanda Palmer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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