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.
Me & The Minibar
The Dresden Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll unwrap the plastic cups
It's just us my love
It's just us my love
I will make the room up nice
Put your insides all on ice
It was real true love
Close all the windows
Put signs on the handles
And strip down to my dun-dun-duns
You have gone so far
You have gone so far
And tonight
Its just me and the minibar
Candles from the walmart that
Every city's got to have
That I bought last night
That I bought last night
I was so excited to
Do such normal things with you
When you left last night
With your toothbrush dry
No such details will spoil my plan
That is the kind of girl I am
HA HA HA
Can you hear room 318?
Man they're really happening
They're a wild bunch
They're a wild bunch
But if they just knew
What my night was coming to
God would they vomit and run
You have gone so far
You have gone too far
So tonight
It's just me and the minibar
Nobody else
And I sing at the top of my lungs
Happy birthday us
Happy birthday us
The Dresden Dolls's song "Me & The Minibar" is one that tells a story of loneliness, desperation, and heartbreak. The chorus of the song, "And tonight it's just me and the minibar, nobody else," conveys the sense of isolation and sadness the singer is experiencing. The first verse speaks of setting up a romantic evening but ultimately being left alone. The lines, "I'll unwrap the plastic cups, it's just us my love" show a certain willingness to make the best of the situation, but also speaks to the fact that the singer is aware that it is just them alone in the room.
The second verse is where the sadness becomes more apparent. The singer speaks of putting up a front, but ultimately being left alone. The lines "Close all the windows, put signs on the handles and strip down to my dun-dun-duns" give a sense of a plan being made to forget about the heartbreak. The singer tries to ignore the fact that their significant other has left them by shutting themselves off from the world.
The final verse talks about making the best of the situation despite being alone. The lines "Can you hear room 318? Man, they're really happening. They're a wild bunch, they're a wild bunch" show that the singer is aware of the people around them, but ultimately chooses to focus on themselves. The final lines, "Happy birthday us, Happy birthday us" demonstrate that the singer is not going to let their heartbreak define them and is choosing to celebrate themselves despite being alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Bring two prix fixe dinners up
Ordering two pre-selected meals from room service
I'll unwrap the plastic cups
Preparing the plastic cups for a drink
It's just us my love
Being alone with a significant other
I will make the room up nice
Preparing the room to be comfortable
Put your insides all on ice
Chilling a drink
It was real true love
Expressing affection for a loved one
Close all the windows
Shutting the windows in the room
Put signs on the handles
Putting signs on the door handles to indicate do not disturb
And strip down to my dun-dun-duns
Getting undressed
You have gone so far
The other person is not present
And tonight
The current activity is happening tonight
Its just me and the minibar
Being alone with the contents of the minibar
Candles from the walmart that
Purchasing candles from Walmart, a common store
Every city's got to have
Walmart being a ubiquitous store in every city
That I bought last night
Purchased recently
I was so excited to
Anticipating the activity with enthusiasm
Do such normal things with you
Engaging in ordinary activities with another person
When you left last night
The other person was not there last night
With your toothbrush dry
The other person did not use their toothbrush before leaving
No such details will spoil my plan
Not letting small details disrupt the plan
That is the kind of girl I am
Being determined and prepared
HA HA HA
Expressing humor
Can you hear room 318?
Hearing noise from a neighboring room
Man they're really happening
The other room is having an eventful night
They're a wild bunch
Describing the people in the other room as adventurous
But if they just knew
Considering what would happen if others knew what was happening in this room
What my night was coming to
Thinking about the plans for the night
God would they vomit and run
The hypothetical reaction of others to the plans for the night
You have gone too far
The other person has gone too far away
So tonight
The activity is happening tonight
It's just me and the minibar
Being alone with the minibar contents
Nobody else
Not being with anyone else
And I sing at the top of my lungs
Singing exuberantly
Happy birthday us
Celebrating being together
Happy birthday us
Celebrating being together
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SelfPerformedSparagmos
Is it just me or does this song actually sound like someone regretting a murder? Especially "put your insides all on ice", as if trying to preserve intestines to prevent them from rottin, and she sings as of her lartner is still with her, so if she still had the corpse she'd need to preserve it. And the whole "Ive gone so far... I've gone to far". And especially the line about their neighbours and how they'd want to run awah and vomit if they found out what happened... why would strangers have such a strong reaction to whatever has happened, especially if it is simply a break up, unless some deplorable happened? I'm probably gonna post this on Genius (Palbreath is my username) becuase I think I'm onto something.
Leonardo Marengoni
my birthday tradition... for so long now... aways with teary eyes
Princess Felicity
So I know this isn’t the storyline behind it but it’s one a wrote myself:
Twin 7 year old girls on their birthday in a hotel that their parents ran. Their parents are setting it up for their birthday and the little girls are helping.
Later, it cuts to them on their 12th birthday. One of the twins began self harming. The parents are crying and the other twin (the one singing the song) is standing in the doorway. The self-harming twin is rushed to the hospital and the other twin is left at home with her grandma, who is asleep in the rocking chair in the living room. While the Grandma is sleeping the girl runs to the hotel (which is just around the corner from the house). She is determined to celebrate her own birthday no matter what and she looks up at a picture behind the bar of her and her twin sister on their 7th birthday, with their arms around each other, smiling. Tears well up in her eyes.
It cuts to her 16th birthday near the end. Her parents have split up and her twin sister committed suicide on her 15th birthday. She gazes up at the dusty picture behind the bar and sings “happy birthday us...happy birthday us...”.
srzent
bring two prix fixe dinners up
i'll unwrap the plastic cups
it's just us my love
it's just us my love
i will make the room up nice
put your insides all on ice
it was real true love
it was real true love
close all the windows
put signs on the handles
and strip down to my dun-dun-duns
you have gone so far
you have gone so far
and tonight
its just me and the minibar
candles from the walmart that
every city's got to have
that i bought last night
that i bought last night
i was so excited to
do such normal things with you
when you felt last night
with your toothbrush dry
no such details will spoil my plans
that is the kind of girl i am
HA HA HA
can you hear room 318?
man they're really happening
they're a wild bunch
they're a wild bunch
but if they just knew
what my night was coming to
god would they vomit and run
you have gone so far
you have gone too far
so tonight
it's just me and the minibar
nobody else
and i sing at the top of my lungs
happy birthday us
happy birthday us...
Î Bäbçõćk
Prefix (already made)
Isabeau Tonani
srzent y
girls poop too
This is something special
indecent proposal
<3
Liz Thompson
Aw yay! When I used to be able to stand Amanda Palmer.
Princess Felicity
Liz Thompson why can’t you now?