The Legendary Pink Dots are a Netherlands-based band formed in August 1980 … Read Full Bio ↴The Legendary Pink Dots are a Netherlands-based band formed in August 1980 in the UK who, although distinctly underground, have been musically influential over the years. The band name was derived from pink dots of nail varnish on the piano in their squat, where founding members Edward and April lived. The band has as its focal point vocalist Edward Ka-Spel, who is, along with Phil "The Silverman" Knight, one of the original remaining members of the band. In the mid eighties the band resettled in the Netherlands, where they still reside today. Apart from Edward and Phil, the line-up has gone through many changes. Members such as Ryan Moore, a Canadian bass player, who joined in 1991 after the recordings of the Last Man to Fly with the Tear Garden (he joined as a session musician), went on to form their own labels and musical projects. See Twilight Circus and M Records. Their music is nothing if not original and it is difficult to categorise, but comparisons may be drawn with bands like Pink Floyd and Can.

Their sound has been described as an amalgamation of psychedelic rock, industrial, synth-pop and avant-garde. They have released over 40 records and continuously tour the world.

Members of the band have also collaborated with Nurse With Wound, The Dresden Dolls, Jarboe, HNAS, Jim O'Rourke, Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key, forming The Tear Garden. Ka Spel accompanied Skinny Puppy for a small part of their 1988 European 'Head Trauma' tour in Sweden. Key also appears on the 1994 album 9 Lives to Wonder.

Dominic
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let's make an omlette out of Egg-Head Beat him hard until he's stiff Spill the oil and flip him over Boil him Push him through the sieve Maybe sit him on the wall A sad mistake - we knew he'd fall All the horses All the men Tried hard Could not repair him Here inside this egg-world I take on another shape A shell that breaks just means a new horizon Piece of cake See me rising in your lava lamp And set upon the hill The amber nectar yellow peril Perched upon your window sill Dripping Dancing Humming I whistle as I work Dripping Dripping Watch out world I'm turning nova

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Legendary Pink Dots' "Dominic" are filled with grotesque imagery and metaphorical phrases that speak to themes of transformation, destruction, and rebirth. The opening lines suggest a violent act of culinary experimentation: "Let's make an omelet out of Egg-Head/Beat him hard until he's stiff/Spill the oil and flip him over." This image can be interpreted as a metaphor for the process of breaking down one's old identity in order to create something new.

The lines "Push him through the sieve/Maybe sit him on the wall/A sad mistake - we knew he'd fall" suggest that the singer is experimenting with different forms of transformation but recognizes that some attempts will result in failure. The reference to Humpty Dumpty, who fell off a wall and was irreparably broken, reinforces this idea of the inevitability of failure and destruction.

The later verses speak to the singer's newfound sense of agency and power in this new form: "Here inside this egg-world I take on another shape/A shell that breaks just means a new horizon/Piece of cake." The singer is confident in their ability to adapt and change, and sees the process of breaking down and rebuilding as a natural part of life. The final lines, "Watch out world I'm turning nova," suggest that the singer is ready to burst forth with this new identity and take on the world in a new, powerful way.

Line by Line Meaning

Let's make an omlette out of Egg-Head
Let's metaphorically destroy Egg-Head.

Beat him hard until he's stiff
Beat Egg-Head mercilessly until he's paralyzed and can't move.

Spill the oil and flip him over
Add more damage by flipping Egg-Head over and adding oil, making him inedible.

Boil him
Finish Egg-Head off by boiling him, destroying him beyond recognition.

Push him through the sieve
Toss Egg-Head's remains through a sieve, removing any remaining structure or shape.

Maybe sit him on the wall
Ponder about Egg-Head and his destruction.

A sad mistake - we knew he'd fall
We knew Egg-Head's demise was inevitable but it saddens us.

All the horses All the men Tried hard Could not repair him
Despite everyone's best efforts, Egg-Head cannot be put back together.

Here inside this egg-world I take on another shape
In this world of destruction, I, the singer, change and take on a new form.

A shell that breaks just means a new horizon
Just like an eggshell breaking, the destruction opens up a new path or opportunity.

Piece of cake
The destruction was easy and effortless.

See me rising in your lava lamp
I, the singer, am changing and rising like the motion of a lava lamp.

And set upon the hill The amber nectar yellow peril Perched upon your window sill
The destruction has left me, the yellow peril, perching upon a hilltop and outside of someone's window, with my amber nectar.

Dripping Dancing Humming I whistle as I work
I am happily making music and whistling as I enjoy the destruction and chaos around me.

Dripping Dripping Watch out world I'm turning nova
My energy and power are growing and expanding as I become a nova, a bright star exploding with light and energy.

Contributed by Avery D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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