They describe their heavily art-damaged and theatrical style as "Brechtian punk cabaret", a phrase invented by Palmer because she was "terrified" that the press would invent a name that "would involve the word 'gothic'," and are part of an underground dark cabaret movement that started gaining momentum in the early 1990s.
Palmer accompanies her confessional story-songs with a thunderous and shimmering piano style that rests on the shoulders of Jerry Lee Lewis and Nina Simone. Viglione's jazz and hardcore-influenced drumming and creative percussion are the perfect foil, providing in turns a delicate cradle of rhythm and a piercing bed of nails onto which Palmer lays her raw, tragicomic lyrics.
The release of their debut album The Dresden Dolls, produced by Martin Bisi (Swans, Sonic Youth), has won the band accolades from both mainstream and underground media, and it appears that the Dolls are poised to transcend cult status and smash all commonly held ideas about what a rock band is supposed to be. Their awe-striking live energy and singular look has earned them opening slots for Nine Inch Nails, Beck, the B-52s, Jane's Addiction, OK Go and Panic! At the Disco, a tour with the Legendary Pink Dots, and a victory in the 2003 WBCN Rock and Roll Rumble.
Their second album Yes, Virginia was released in 2006, eventually followed by a companion record No, Virginia in 2008, which features b-sides and out-takes from the "Yes, Virginia" sessions, as well as a smattering of new tracks.
At the end of summer 2008 they announced a hiatus. The band has made further announcements saying they will reunite when the time is right for both of them, and have stressed they have not broken up.
In September 2008, rumors began to circulate about the future of the whole band. Viglione confirmed that the band is currently on hiatus but emphasized that he and Palmer are on good terms and that they will get together again when it feels right for both of them. In late July and early August 2009, a rumor began to spread that the band was "reuniting for performances in 2010" but Palmer clarified in her blog on August 7: "There's been a ton of press lately re-printing an old quote from an old interview that's now blown up into a full-fledged press rumour that Brian and I have planned Dresden Dolls' shows for 2010. Not true. We aren't planning any shows. Sorry about that, blame the gossip whores."
In 2010, a reunion tour to selected venues in the United States occurred. It started on Halloween in New York City and ended in San Francisco on New Years Eve.
The Dresden Dolls played a show in Mexico City on 9 December 2011. They had a tour of New Zealand and Australia in early 2012, supported by The Jane Austen Argument and The Bedroom Philosopher.
Gravity
The Dresden Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Honest to God, officer it's awful
Down at work I'm getting too familiar with the floor
Showing off my talents by the mouthful
Hate to break it to you but its out of my control
Forces go to work while we are sleeping
If I could attack with a more sensible approach
Now, necks are cracking sideways
Hit me from the back side
I am on the white side
You are on the black side
Cut a piece that's bite size
Shoot me from my good side
If you got a straight line
This would be a good time
Gravity works slowly if you notice it at all
Some of us are getting mighty lucky
If you had to live with this you'd rather lie than fall
You think I can't fly well you just watch me
Now, necks are cracking sideways
Hit me from the back side
I am on the thin side
You are on the fat side
Cut a piece that's bite size
Shoot me from my bad side
If you got a straight line
This would be a good time
The sky is always falling down on me
So officer forgive me please
The Dresden Dolls' "Gravity" is a song that explores the relationship between humans and gravity. The song begins with the singer acknowledging that "gravity plays favorites." She knows this because she has seen it happen firsthand. She also notes that she has grown too familiar with the floor, as she falls down often. Despite this, she shows off her talents in front of others by "the mouthful." She then laments that gravity is out of her control and that forces are at work while she sleeps.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the theme of gravity, as the singer feels like she is falling from different angles. She also emphasizes that the forces are not in her control and that if she could somehow control them with a more sensible approach, she would do it. The last verse repeats the theme of the singer's falls, and the desperate plea for forgiveness. The sky is always falling on her, but she wants the officer to forgive her for being so accident-prone.
Line by Line Meaning
Gravity plays favorites I know it 'cause I saw
Gravity doesn't treat everyone equally, and I know this because I have experienced the effects of it.
Honest to God, officer it's awful
I swear to God, officer, it's terrible and beyond my control.
Down at work I'm getting too familiar with the floor
I keep falling at work, and I am becoming too accustomed to being on the ground.
Showing off my talents by the mouthful
I keep falling and injuring myself, and I am now showcasing my skills of falling with grace.
Hate to break it to you but its out of my control
I hate to tell you, but I have no power over the forces of gravity.
Forces go to work while we are sleeping
Gravity is always at work even when we are unaware, and it affects us while we sleep.
If I could attack with a more sensible approach, obviously that's what I'd be doing
If there was a way to counteract gravity with a more practical approach, I would have done so by now.
Now, necks are cracking sideways
The force of gravity is causing people's necks to crack and turn.
Hit me from the back side
The force of gravity is hitting me from behind.
I am on the white side, You are on the black side
I am on the losing side, while you are on the winning side in the battle against gravity.
Cut a piece that's bite size
Take a small piece of the situation because it is easier to handle.
Shoot me from my good side
If there is a positive aspect to my situation, highlight it instead of my negative side.
If you got a straight line, This would be a good time
If there was a simple solution to the problem, now would be a good time to apply it.
Gravity works slowly if you notice it at all
Gravity works gradually, and you may not even realize its effect on you.
Some of us are getting mighty lucky
Some of us are lucky enough not to experience gravity's negative effects.
If you had to live with this you'd rather lie than fall
If you had to experience what I am experiencing due to gravity, you would rather lie down than fall.
You think I can't fly well you just watch me
Just because I am affected by gravity doesn't mean that I can't soar above it.
The sky is always falling down on me
It feels like the sky is always falling down on me due to the force of gravity.
So officer forgive me please
Please forgive me, officer, for complaining about something I cannot control--gravity.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: JAMES DESMOND EDWARDS, FRANCIS GRIFFITHS, THOMAS SCOTT, DAVID PALMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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